The Project for Converting an Enclosed Trailer to a Food Trailer in California

Can an enclosed trailer be converted to a food trailer? Yes! Most of our mobile food trailers for sale are products of trailer conversion. At ETO DEVICE, we have been providing clients all over the world with turnkey mobile catering solutions as a leading custom food trailer manufacturer specializing in food trailer designs and customization as well as trailer conversion to food trucks. With over a decade of experience in this industry, we know how to convert enclosed trailers to food trailers on the premise of a guarantee to meet standards and regulations in a specific country or state. This project we share today is about converting an enclosed trailer to a food trailer for the fried food business in California, USA, on a fixed budget. It involves how to select an ideal enclosed trailer within your price range, how to convert it to a standard food truck, and how to choose kitchen equipment for your food trailer.


 

How to Convert an Enclosed Trailer to a Food Trailer?

“How to convert a trailer to a food trailer with kitchen equipment cheap? Like for less than $10,000.” That is a question asked by Fiona, one of the new clients in California. She wanted a fried food truck, but there was no option for that on our website. Then, Fiona sent us an inquiry asking for the service of trailer conversion to food trucks.

Converting an enclosed trailer to a food trailer is a tricky task that entails knowledge of electrical and mechanical works and a lot of free time. It can really give an enjoyable experience of DIY indeed. However, it is more like a nightmare for most people when they start. Hence, it is highly recommended to get professionals to do it because they know what to do, particularly know how to convert it within your budget.



Now, let us expiate on the steps of trailer conversion to food trucks, starting with how to choose an ideal enclosed trailer for your business.

 

Buying a Quality Enclosed Trailer Near You

It is the first step of converting an enclosed trailer to a food trailer. There is a wide range of enclosed concession trailers priced from $2,200 to $12,000 in our gallery. Fiona had a specific demand for the food trailer size - she wanted a trailer of 10ft or 12ft, which helps us narrow down the list of the proper mobile unit for her. We have 3 types of hot enclosed food trailers for sale in the USA markets, namely the GL-FR350WD, the GL-FS350, and the GL-SS350. The CL-SS350, an airstream trailer, was not given into consideration because of its high price. Fiona found the GL-FS350 an ideal vehicle that could serve as a mobile unit for her fried food business.

The GL-FS350 is an 11.4x6.5ft square concession trailer. When Fiona contacted us, there was one in stock that was designed as a mobile kitchen and installed with the standard electrical system and water system. That made the trailer conversion to food trucks much easier! The enclosed trailer had a compact interior layout and configuration which satisfied Fiona most, but what really enticing was its best price for such a fully equipped enclosed trailer.

 

GL-FR350WD	GL-FS350	GL-SS350

 

Do some Electrical Works

A steady supply of electricity ensures a smooth operation of the fired food business. Not all kitchen machines are driven by gas or propane, such as freezers and ice makers. So, wiring an enclosed food trailer is one of the essential tasks in production. The FS350 is wired by a certified electrician and it has an electric panel and sockets with switches. However, the electrical system was modified a little because it was designed in accordance with EU standards. Then, all electrical sockets were replaced with USA sockets for type B plugs to avoid trouble in using adapters.



 

Build the Water System in Your Food Trailer

Water is as important as electricity. A standard food trailer water system involves plumbing, water sinks, faucets for hot/cold water, clean water tanks, and cley water tanks. We upgraded the sinks to an NSF-certified 3 compartment sink with a hand washing sink and mounted a water heater to the system, as the federal regulations demand. Besides, stainless steel water tank with a large capacity was fixed under the sink for minimizing the strain on the water supply.


 

Select Kitchen Equipment and Cooking Appliances for Your Trailer

This step is important in the trailer conversion to food trucks because it not only decides the food trailer design but the generator size you should have. When choosing these machines to turn your enclosed trailer into a mobile kitchen, there are 3 factors you should consider - size, power, and price.

1. Cooking appliances should take up no more than 2/3 countertop in your enclosed food trailer. Instead of emphasizing large capacity, it is advisable to focus on functional appliances with a compact design. They can spare a lot of space for working and storing. Alternatively, you can buy multifunctional cooking appliances that allow you to cook many kinds of dishes.

2. Calculate the total wattage of your kitchen appliances to make sure your generator will not be overloaded when everything is in full operation. You can choose more gas cooking machines, just as Fiona did. Here are the kitchen appliances on her list:  
 

• Gas burns with oven
• Ice maker
• Salad fridge with 6*1/4 refrigerated pans
• Gas Griddle
• Gas Fryer

3. The GL-FS350 is a fully equipped food concession trailer for sale, so some of the cooking equipment is included. Fiona paid about $2,000 for the extra appliances. If you have no idea how to equip a kitchen to your enclosed trailer, here are two kitchen equipment packages for you:
 

Food trailer kitchen equipment package under $1,000
170L under bench fridge	$575.00
Countertop gas fryer with a tank	$120.00
Electric Griddle with all flat	$150.00
Electric bain marie	$130.00

 

Food trailer kitchen equipment package under $3,000
Salad fridge with 8*1/4 refrigerated pans	$760.00
Countertop gas fryer with 2 tanks	$480.00
Gas griddle with all flat	$330.00
Gas Stove with 2 heads	$430.00
Microwave oven	$140.00
Juice dispenser	$400,00
Gas BBQ	$185.00
Electric Food warmer 6 pans	$205.00

 

Consider the Extra Customization

The process of converting an enclosed trailer to a food trailer is done when the above work is finished. However, there are tons of extra customizations for the food trailers. In addition to the mobile kitchen equipment, we provide custom build-outs service for building a food concession trailer in accordance with clients’ concepts and ideas. We mounted extra accessories to Fiona’s food trailer to add to the convenience and effectiveness of the operation of the food trailer business, according to Fiona’s requests. Here is what we did:
 

• Mounted a food trailer air conditioner to the mobile unit for cooling an enclosed food trailer and provide a comfortable working environment during hot summer
• Customized a generator box and welded it on the trailer tongue as a strong and safe enclosure for the generator
• Installed a brake system for safety
• Added a canvas top to the concession window to provide shelter from sunlight or rain.

 

Let Us Handle the Work of the Trailer Conversion to a Food Truck for Your Needs!

At ETO DEVICE, a professional team provides turnkey solutions for trailer conversion to food truck trailers of all types, such as mobile coffee shops, burger trailers, and high-end catering trailers, and they are all designed to meet your business needs. Our expertise in food trailer conversion, design, and customization ensures a successful production through every process, from CAD and food trailer design to building and converting an enclosed trailer to a food trailer for your business. Check our gallery for inspiration and choose an ideal mobile unit for trailer conversion now! A custom solution will be created within your budget!