How to Design a Food Truck Menu in the UK (With Examples)

Designing your catering van menu is more than an aesthetic decision — it’s one of the most powerful tools you have to influence what customers order, drive up average spend, and make your offering stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re trading at festivals, markets, or events, the right design choices can speed up service, attract the right customers, and support your brand identity.

Here’s how to craft a catering van menu that delivers, with examples, UK-specific tips, and helpful resources along the way.

1. Start With Your Core Offering

Before getting creative, you’ll need to define your menu’s backbone. What do you serve best — is it gourmet burgers, loaded fries, fusion tacos, or artisan toasties? Keep your menu concise and structured.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, in which 200 UK restaurant-goers were polled on their restaurant design and menu preferences, 46% of UK diners prefer menus with 6–8 items per category — anything more can be overwhelming.

Think about:

• Profitability: Focus on dishes with high margins and low prep time.

• Popularity: Include a few guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

• Efficiency: Design the menu around what your van can prep quickly.

2. Prioritise Readability & Speed

Fast readability matters when customers are queuing outdoors or ordering in a rush. Use clear, high-contrast fonts and large text sizes. Chalkboards and A-frames still work brilliantly for UK catering vans, especially when paired with good lighting and high-quality printouts.

The most important menu design elements for UK diners? Font/visual design and icons like vegan/gluten-free markers ranked highest in usefulness.

3. Use Photos and Colours Strategically

Photos can boost customer orders — if used sparingly and professionally. According to our Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 33% of UK diners find photos “very important” when choosing what to eat. However, avoid cluttering your design.

In terms of style, 89% of respondents said bold fonts and colours are effective as long as they’re readable.

4. Highlight Your Best-Sellers and Unique Dishes

Use boxes, symbols, or icons to showcase:

• House favourites

• Best sellers

• Locally sourced ingredients

• Seasonal specials

More than 40% of UK diners said they are “often” or “always” influenced by these highlights.

Call attention to your story too. Whether it’s sustainable sourcing, local suppliers, or a chef’s passion — these build trust and justify price.

5. Optimise for Pricing Psychology

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey, half of UK respondents said price matters most when they're deciding what to order. Makes sense when you think about it. In today's economy, even a quick lunch from a food truck is a budget decision for most people.

Here are some tips for menu pricing:

• Stick to whole numbers like £8 or £12 — these are preferred by 39% of UK diners.

• Include optional add-ons like “double cheese +£1” to drive up average spend.

• Bundle items into “Meal Deals” or “Combo Boxes” — a popular upsell tactic.

6. Embrace Local Tastes and Seasonal Ingredients

According to the Toast Voice of the Restaurant Industry UK report, 78% of restaurateurs are focused on increasing guest demand by investing in quality experiences and sustainable sourcing.

Lean into this with rotating specials, limited-time dishes, and clearly labelled local or eco-friendly options. You’ll attract diners looking for value and authenticity.

7. Examples from Food Trucks That Nail It

Here are a few UK-based and design-forward catering vans to take inspiration from:

The Cheese Truck (London)

The Cheese Truck operates vintage Bedford ice cream vans named Audrey and Alfie, serving grilled cheese sandwiches at events across the UK. 

Mother Clucker (London)

Mother Clucker started as a food truck in 2013, offering fried chicken. They have since expanded to include a permanent location in Islington but continue to operate their food truck at various events. 

Greedy Vegan (Essex & London)

Greedy Vegan operates a 100% plant-based food truck, serving vegan classics at events across London and the South-East.  

Belly Bombz (London)

Combines high-resolution food photography, Korean-inspired street food, and flexible combo pricing — often promoted on a bold, digital-style menu board.

The Duck Truck (Norfolk)

Features clean branding, a highly visible open kitchen, and a chalkboard menu with strong typography, offering everything from hoisin duck wraps to duck fat fries.

8. Comply With Local Legal and Health Requirements

Make sure your catering van meets all local rules for food businesses in the UK:

• Register your catering van with your local authority at least 28 days before you start trading:FSA guide

• Get a street trading licence from your local council if operating in public areas: GOV.UK

• Display your Food Hygiene Rating, which your council will issue after inspection.

• Ensure allergen labelling is clear and compliant with Natasha’s Law (for pre-packed food): FSA allergen rules

9. Add Digital & Social Touchpoints

• Include a QR code linking to a digital menu or pre-order system.

• List your Instagram and TikTok handles where you post dish photos and daily specials.

• Use handheld devices or mobile POS to speed up payments and improve flow — a key trend in the UK right now.

10. Final Thoughts: Make It Strategic, Make It Yours

Here's the thing about your catering van menu – it's doing way more work than you might realize. Sure, it tells people what you're selling and how much it costs. But it's also quietly convincing them to trust you, helping them decide faster when there's a queue forming behind them, and maybe even talking them into adding that extra side or drink.

When you get the design right, everything flows better. Customers order quicker because they can actually read what you're offering. They spend a bit more because the good stuff catches their eye. And they walk away with a better impression of your whole operation.