How To Build A Food Service Cart

Need to know how to build a food service cart? How you build your cart depends on what type of foods and services will be offered by your business. There are companies that can custom build these food service carts based on your plan, or you can build the cart yourself so you will have full control over the design and cost of materials to be used. As a general rule, you can build a cart that may be used to serve different foods and beverages. The tools, materials and equipment necessary to build a food service cart may vary.

To build a food service cart, you will need:

• Aluminum and stainless steel flat sheets
• Various sizes of steel rods for frames
• A welding machine
• Adhesives
• Stainless steel fixtures
• Wheels
• Umbrellas
• Power tools (including a saw, ceramic tile cutter, drills, a sander and nail guns)
• Paint for decorating
• Gas or electric burners
• Beverage containers
• A refrigerator or cooler
• Grills and cabinets

1. Build a blueprint for your food service cart. Drawing the plan for your cart will make it easy to design where the fixtures will go. Keep the size of your site in mind when deciding the dimensions of your food service cart. Lay out the fixtures so that it will be easy to move around when preparing your customers’ orders.
2. Start by cutting the flat sheets and steel rods according to your measurements. Using a welding machine or heat gun, build a sturdy frame for your cart. Align the frame so that the fixtures will fit perfectly. Umbrellas are commonly used as a cart roof, otherwise you can build the head part of the food service cart with the same flat sheet material as this will endure any type of weather.
3. Weld the aluminum and stainless steel flat sheets together to create the body of the food service cart. Check the strength of the materials and their connections. Provide spaces where ready-made fixtures could go, as well as slots for electrical outlets in case you need electric appliances such as blenders. Use the drills to reinforce the frame and body with nails, screws and bolts. Ceramic tile cutters likewise make it easy to cut shapes.
4. Put all the equipment together. Affix each piece to the food service cart with screws to prevent spillage. Install cabinetries, wheels, umbrellas, burners, coolers, sinks and all other mobile kitchen equipment you have selected. You may choose to retain the stainless steel or have it painted according to the color motif of your business. Label your business with a name that customers will remember.