Taco Cart Catering – An Art and a Science

We know it’s going to be a fun party when the food is tacos. Whether it be a business or social event, there’s an immediate feeling guests get when they see taco cart caterers at work as they arrive at the venue.

This is because mobile taco catering is part art and part science. The art is the appearance and the ambiance that taco service allows. The science is the part most people don’t think about (because they don’t have to). It’s the technical details behind the scenes that make it all possible.

The ambiance and presentation can vary from event to event. At some parties, the taco catering crews take the theme to the hilt: Piñatas, Tejano music, lots of bright colors, and of course a margarita bar. But just because tacos are the menu doesn’t mean it can’t be an event with other themes. What a collection of taco carts distributed around an event enables is an easy mixing of the crowd, a casual approach to eating and socializing that facilitates networking.

Besides, who says taco catering needs to be boring? Besides the standard taco fare, such as al pastor and asada, taco caterers provide fish taco catering, as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free taco catering.

Taco carts are frequently seen at weddings and corporate events, in part because they are so adaptable to a broad range of venues. But the science part of mobile taco catering is the foundation of that ambiance. That breaks down in a number of ways:

Set-up logistics – The mobility of the mini-kitchen that a taco cart is in its essence presents terrific options for how venues can work and even which venues can be selected. Traditional catering requires an on-site kitchen or the expense of setting up a mobile kitchen (often to serve food prepared miles away at a commissary).

Menu versatility – Not only is the food served fresh off the grill to each diner, but a taco party basically allows made-to-order fare. The person in line ahead of you may want shrimp tacos with mild salsa; you might choose chicken or beef or tofu, with salsa several notches higher in spicy heat.

Service logistics – With taco-station events, it’s just easier to serve all guests in a timely fashion because the service is usually distributed around the periphery of the dining floor. Service is fast with less time spent in line than eating and socializing.

These more technical details are largely unseen by the event guests and often their hosts as well. But that falls under the blanket phrase echoed by almost all entertainment gurus: “never let them see you sweat.” At best, guests will leave a memorable party thinking less on the specifics of the meal and more about how much fun they had.