Teacher appreciation week — recs for food vendors?

[Anonymous]

Any good food vendor recs for teacher appreciation week? Our school wants to do a food truck or something fun for our teachers.

[Anonymous]

Just have a few different food trucks come by - a variety like Mexican, American fare, Indian, snow cone/ice scream.

Are you looking for a specific one? Where are you?

[Anonymous]

Are you paying or do the teachers have to pay?

There’s usually a minimum that food trucks want to be guaranteed. So if you have around 120 teachers this may not make their minimum. Just a heads up.

[Anonymous]

Where does the money come from for this?

[Anonymous]

So wasteful

[Anonymous]

How would a food truck work? Would I be expected to stay late for it? Or spend the 10 minute break I get in line? Or skip it and then hear how teachers are so spoiled they don’t even go to the food truck?

[Anonymous]

While this idea sounds great in theory, if it is for lunches, this isn’t that practical. Teachers in reality only get about 15-20 minutes alone during lunch when you factor in walking the class down to the cafeteria and then walking back and picking them back up. It’s not enough time. Even in secondary it ends up being about 20-25 minutes when factoring in students getting out of the room and/or talking to you. We actually tried getting food trucks ourselves last spring, but it didn’t work because of the very short lunch. The lunches at my school that are most appreciated are the boxed chic fil a or Jasons Deli that can be grabbed on the way back from dropping the class off.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree with what everyone said above. We tried to bring in food trucks for a small conference we held and only about a third of the people could get their lunch in time to get back to the after lunch sessions. Although food trucks are a fun idea, they’re not typically fast in service.

[Anonymous]

It’s nice in theory but when my school had a food tuck a couple of years ago I didn’t go and neither did a few others in my department. Lunches were preordered and paid for by the PTA, I think. We had to go and pick them up. It’s a nice idea but lunch is too short to go do that and have time to eat it. I preferred to bring by own.

I saw a food truck at one of my kid’s elementary schools for snow cones or ice cream or something. Again, nice idea, but then the teachers have to give up lunch or stay after school to participate. I would also skip this.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the posters above. Our admin once brought in a food truck for us. While I am grateful, I only have 24 minutes for lunch. By the time I waited in line and got my food, I had 2 minutes left. I ended up eating 4 hours later, after students left. It is a wonderful idea, but impractical for teachers. A much better option would be catered box lunches, maybe a variety from a local restaurant. Time is a commodity for teachers.

[Anonymous]

Our PTA did mini donuts last year and an ice cream truck this year. It worked out great, but I’m also in the type of school where someone in the front office or a coworker on break would grab it for you and deliver it. We’ve also done boxed lunches.

[Anonymous]

Wow - we had a food truck one time for an ice cream and you better believe I went to go get it. Good to make sure there is no line though. And yes I would have gotten one for someone as well if they needed it. Title 1 school - so we don't even always get a meal for teacher appreciation week.

[Anonymous]

It’s been nice when they send out a preorder form on a Google form or sign up genius. We can order from a few options and then box grab and go lunches are set up.

Other times we have gotten box lunches from Jason’s Deli or Chick Fila. Both are great.

[Anonymous]

Teacher appreciation has been drastically scaled back at our elementary school.

If your have the funds, go for it. But know that many parents will roll their eyes at the very idea of teacher appreciation week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you paying or do the teachers have to pay?

There’s usually a minimum that food trucks want to be guaranteed. So if you have around 120 teachers this may not make their minimum. Just a heads up.

Why on earth would the teachers pay?