Looking for a more convenient way to order your dinner than just walking up to a food truck? Well, there’s an app for that. Bistro Planet, a mobile application that connects food trucks to consumers, has launched a partnership with Sequoia Equities, an apartment complex owner. The program, called Why Cook Wednesdays, connects residents at Brio Apartments in Glendale with a different food truck every week through the Bistro Planet app. The residents can order and pay on the app, then pick up their dinner at the food truck parked on the premises. The program is one service that Sequoia Equities is offering to satisfy existing tenants and attract new ones at complexes such as Brio, which it manages. “If you look at their mantra and how they serve their clients, they are really trying to provide concierge service,” said Roie Edery, chief executive of Bistro Planet. Many residential properties nowadays offer unique services beyond the typical gym and pool. To cater to younger residents’ lifestyles, some properties offer amenities such as pet washing stations, bike racks or social nights. In fact, the launch night for Why Cook Wednesdays coincided with Brio apartments’ social happy hour. Edery said the program has been thriving since the launch about a month ago. “We are able to track the utilization,” said Edery. “We have a 70 percent retention rate, week over week with consumers.” On the face of it, the collaboration may seem like just another hip amenity for the residents, and a great marketing opportunity for the Woodland Hills startup. However, Edery said the collaboration is a win-win-win for all parties involved, including the food trucks. “Where the food trucks can be really successful is when they can have the predictability in demand,” said Edery. “Hoping for the best is how the industry began, but that created a lot of challenges, especially with perishable goods and unpredictable demand.” According to Edery, food trucks are a lunch-oriented business, so participating in a dinnertime program can open another revenue stream for the businesses. While most apps in the food delivery sector only connect suppliers with consumers, Bistro Planet offers additional services to food truck owners. For example, the app features a booking marketplace, where owners of the trucks can find available lots and events to book business. Also, it has also launched a point-of-sale service, similar to Square card reader, so that on-the-spot order payments can be processed through the app. So far, the company has about 200 food trucks registered with the application in the Los Angeles area. It plans to add more trucks in the larger Southern California market as Why Cook Wednesdays expands to Sequoia Equity’s Orange County apartment properties. – Iris Lee
