Concession trailers have their benefits over traditional food trucks when it comes to interior space to prepare and cook food. But those benefits don’t matter unless you have a vehicle that can effectively move your food trailer from one place to another.

The Best Way to Tow Your Concession Trailer

To determine the best vehicle to tow your food trailer, you first need to understand how much your trailer and equipment inside will weigh. A good starting estimate would be between 5,000 and 6,000 pounds – but this weight could differ depending on your menu and equipment needed to prepare your food. Using that weight as a guideline, here are three suitable options you have to tow your concession trailer.

1. Towing Your Concession Trailer with a Pickup Truck

The first option that probably comes to mind is your trusty pickup truck. People use trucks to tow anything from campers to construction equipment. So for most trucks, handling your food trailer shouldn’t be a problem.

If you’re looking to make a pickup truck purchase specifically for towing your concession trailer, you have options.

The majority of newer trucks on the market today are rated to tow at least 6,000 pounds. The larger the engine and bigger the truck, the more it is generally able to tow.

2. Towing Your Concession Trailer with an SUV

If you don’t have a truck, you might be able to get by with your family SUV.

Midsize or compact SUVs won’t work here, you need a full-size model with at least a V6 engine. For example, the only GMC SUVs that you would be able to use to tow your food trailer would be the Yukon and potentially the Acadia Limited.

Check your owner’s handbook to determine the towing capacity of your SUV before hooking up your concession trailer.

3. Towing Your Concession Trailer with an RV

This is where things get a little interesting. Larger RVs may have the towing capacity to pull your concession trailer, but it takes a little bit of math to determine if it will safely work.

Assuming you can tow your trailer, you now have the advantage of being able to travel longer distances (perhaps following a traveling event across the country) because you are bringing your home base with you.

Keep in mind, you may find it difficult to maneuver in tight areas – such as narrow, winding roads or in between other vendors to position your concession trailer in a prime location. However, if you’re able to handle this travel inconvenience, towing with an RV might be your best option if you want to be serious with your food trailer business.

Safety First

Of course, these options are assuming your food trailer and everything in it weighs less than your vehicle’s towing capacity.  Always double check.

The last thing you (and other drivers) want is to discover while traveling down an interstate that your vehicle was not equipped to handle your concession trailer’s weight.