The Top 4 Advantages of Drop Deck Concession Trailers

Drop deck concession trailers offer a huge advantage for certain types of mobile food service businesses.

Traditional concession trailers can quickly become an operational nightmare. They force team members to interact with customers from a high, awkward vantage point.

Traditional concession trailers can still transmit movement through their tires, suspension, and stabilizing system while people work inside. Some vendors experience this as a great deal of rocking, shifting, and shaking.

They introduce the risk that you might drop food on a customer’s head. Repeatedly reaching down from a raised service window can create an awkward working posture for staff over a long service day, which can result in aches and pains.

Note: without further customization, our concession trailers are, by Washington L&I standards, currently classified as food warming trailers, not as food prep trailers. Please keep that in mind when considering your own business and set-up needs.

#1) Eye-Level Engagement
#2) Easier Logistics
#3) Optimize Foot Traffic
#4) Rapid Deployment & Stability
FAQ
Key Takeaways
Good Service with Good Trailers

#1) Eye-Level Engagement

Ground-level food service is a game-changer for mobile food vendors.

Don’t believe us? Just take a moment to consider what serving out of a concession truck or trailer is usually like.

You’re 3-4 feet above your customers. You bend way down to hand customers food and take their money. You strain your back. You strain your neck. Any wind, rain, or event commotion makes it that much harder to hear customers. There’s always the concern that someone will drop food or money.

In a high-profile trailer, you’re often talking to the top of a customer’s head. You miss the smiles, the nods, and the genuine connection that turns a one-time buyer into a regular.

The entire experience becomes impersonal, and somewhat risky.

Compare that to the experience you can have when using a drop deck concession trailer.

At set-up, you lower the entire trailer to the ground so you’re eye-level with your customers. You get a more personal, welcoming, and natural interaction that mimics a traditional brick-and-mortar storefront.

You hand customers their food safely and without strain. They pass you some money nobody is likely to fumble or drop. You exchange a smile and maybe a little light conversation.

Your team has a more pleasant experience. The interaction can feel more comfortable and personal for customers. Ground level service impacts perceived friendliness, which impacts how good customers feel about doing business with your food trailer.

#2) Easier Logistics

Need to move portable beer taps, beverage dispensers, coolers, or other large, heavy pieces of equipment onto your food trailer so that you may do business for the day?

A drop deck concession trailer reduces the risks associated with moving everything from a dolly full of soda cases to delicate and more expensive pieces of equipment. These trailers make set-up a breeze.

You protect your inventory. You gain operational efficiency during load-in and load-out. You reduce the likelihood that a member of your staff might get injured while moving items in and out of your food trailer.

Want to take a tour of our 19′ drop deck concession trailer? Check out the video below.

#3) Optimize Foot Traffic

Ground-level service lets every customer approach your window without barriers. Traditional food trailers may exclude some members of the populace who need to roll up on wheelchairs or scooters, or who have to contend with strollers. Note: we do not certify that your drop deck concession trailer set up will necessarily ADA-compliant: that’s a whole separate issue of specific requirements.

We simply mean that lowering the trailer can remove one significant physical separation between you and your customers.

Drop deck concession trailer - Haywire Brewing serving beer to soccer game attendees at Stocker Fields, Snohomish, WA — *This drop deck concession trailer is one of our older models, but demonstrates how easy ground level service can be. Haywire Brewing at Stocker Fields, Snohomish United Soccer, Snohomish, WA*

#4) Rapid Deployment and Stability

Traditional trailers require extensive blocking, stabilizing jacks, chocks, and ramp assembly.

With the hydraulic precision of a Good drop deck concession trailer, you can lower your concession unit to the ground in less than a minute. The trailer chassis rests securely on the ground, producing a stable serving platform.

You’re now working on a stable surface instead of sitting on tires and jacks.

The old way: blocking, leveling jacks, and messing with wheel chocks. Awkward 4-foot towering height above the crowd.

New way: take 60 seconds to lower the trailer flush to the ground with a remote control. Gain a natural, eye-level transaction window. Enjoy zero-sway action because the frame rests firmly on solid earth.

You don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s Shannon Butler of Haywire Brewing talking about this very feature.

FAQ

Does the hydraulic system need to be plugged into shore power to lower the trailer?

No. GoodMFG® trailers use an on-board battery to operate the hydraulic drop-deck system, so you do not need an electrical hookup at the event simply to raise or lower the trailer. The battery can be kept charged through the tow vehicle or an external charger, depending on the setup.

Your food service equipment is a separate question. Warmers, appliances, and other equipment may still require an appropriate electrical supply for your particular configuration.

What should I check before lowering a concession trailer at an event?

Choose a safe, level location with enough clearance around the trailer for set-up and customer service. Follow the GoodMFG® operating procedure, including chocking the wheels, checking for people or objects around and underneath the trailer, and uncoupling the tow vehicle before operating the hydraulic system.

Also, think beyond the trailer itself. Make sure customers will have a clear approach to service windows, that opening the lift panels will not interfere with neighboring booths or pedestrian routes, and that cables, hoses, or other equipment will not create unnecessary obstacles.

Key Takeaways

Ground-level service changes the customer interaction. Bringing the serving area closer to customer height can reduce the amount of reaching down from a raised trailer and support a more natural face-to-face interaction. Your cited research can support the connection between service height and perceived friendliness.
A lowered deck can simplify load-in and load-out. Supplies and compatible wheeled equipment have a much shorter climb into the trailer than they would with a conventional raised deck.
Ground-level positioning can create a steadier working platform. Once properly positioned and lowered, the trailer chassis rests on the ground rather than remaining supported at normal towing height. Operators still need to follow the required setup procedure.
Choose the food-service configuration around what you actually plan to serve. The standard GoodMFG® unit is a food-warming trailer; cooking equipment requires customization and additional regulatory review.

Good Service with Good Trailers

If you’re ready to change the way your mobile concession stand interacts with customers and the spaces where you operate, it’s time to take a second look at the GT13AL-C or the GT19AL-C. These drop deck concession trailers can be a game-changer for you and your business!