Falafel Van for Hire Near You

We delivered next level parties for exceptional companies

We also did more than 40,000 birthday parties. Probably, including your neighbour’s recent big bash.

Hire a Falafel Van in the UK: The Practical Buyer’s Guide

Falafel vans have become a bit of a secret weapon for outdoor events across the UK. They’re quick to set up, easy to serve, and guests love the bright, fresh flavours. If you’re planning anything from a festival pit stop to a one-night touring show, a falafel van gives you hot food, minimal fuss, and a menu that suits loads of dietary needs. In this guide we’ll walk you through what to look for, how to plan your setup, what you’ll likely pay, and how to book with confidence.

We’re writing from years of seeing what works on the ground, and our goal is simple: help you make a smart, swift decision and get food that goes down a treat.

Why falafel vans win at outdoor events

Falafel is naturally crowd-friendly. It’s vegetarian by default, easy to make vegan, and works brilliantly with gluten-free and dairy-free options. It travels well in a wrap or bowl, handles queues nicely, and doesn’t require long dwell times to enjoy. That’s perfect for events where people are moving between stages, fixtures or attractions.

Typical format options:

• Wraps or pittas with tahini, salad, pickles
• Protein-boosted bowls with grains, slaw, sauces
• Mini boxes for kids or grab-and-go
• Late-night snack portions for post-show crowds

Across the country, we see falafel vans thriving where service speed, compact menus, and flexible power are essential. They’re also a tidy fit for events with mixed dietary requirements where you don’t want to juggle separate caterers.

Events that suit falafel vans

If your activity involves movement, multiple touchpoints, or a rolling audience, a falafel van keeps everyone fed without slowing the flow. We regularly recommend them for:

• Festivals with dispersed stages and roaming attendance
• Touring productions that need repeatable, fast setup across stops
• Multi-site roadshows where you replicate the same service day after day
• Community fairs, club tournaments and charity days with intermittent peaks
• Private celebrations on estates where you want street-food energy, not formal dining

In short, if you’re feeding at pace, a falafel van is a smart pick.

Spaces where they fit easily

Falafel vans are designed for imperfect terrain, tight windows, and wonky British weather. The most common locations we see:

• Fields and showgrounds with event power or a generator
• Car parks outside arenas and theatres
• Private estates, courtyards and driveways
• Sports clubs and training grounds with limited mains access

Before you book, we’ll help you confirm access, turning circles, and ground conditions so the van doesn’t meet a surprise bollard on arrival.

A compact, travel-ready menu

A great falafel van keeps its menu short and sharp. That’s how queues move quickly and quality stays consistent. Look for:

• Two or three core mains, plus one seasonal special
• Clear vegan, gluten-free and nut policy
• A kids’ or small-hunger option
• One hot side and one cold side
• A trio of sauces, not a dozen

Tight menus mean quicker prep and less food waste, which helps keep pricing stable. It also makes life easier when you’re replicating service across multiple locations.

Power-light setups that work anywhere

Many vans run happily from a single 13A socket or their own silent generator. Ask suppliers to specify:

• Total amperage at peak service
• Whether they carry a generator and the noise rating
• Cable runs and matting if you’re crossing public walkways
• Any gas certification if they use LPG appliances

We’ll help you match the right setup to your site plan. The goal is safe, quiet and tidy, without eating into your production power.

Wet-weather planning that actually helps

It’s the UK, so yes, there’s a plan. Good falafel vans:

• Bring serving hatches with drip guards
• Use non-slip mats at the counter
• Offer a simple covered queue solution if space allows
• Keep menus readable in the rain and wind
• Pack spare lighting for gloomy afternoons

If your event is field-based, we’ll confirm ground protection, positioning on higher, firmer ground, and a sensible vehicle exit route should it turn into a mud ballet.

How much you’ll pay

For most UK events, expect pricing in the region of £10–£14 per person for a standard falafel main with sides. Costs vary with guest count, service duration, travel, and late-night hours. Upgrades like loaded bowls, premium salads or desserts add a little. If you’re touring or running multiple dates, ask about a multi-stop rate to keep per-head costs consistent across the run.

Throughput and service speed

The two questions we ask first: how many, how fast. A well-drilled falafel team can serve roughly 80 to 120 portions per hour from a single hatch. To hit higher peaks, look for:

• Pre-assembly of cold components
• A dedicated till/runner
• A simplified menu for rush periods
• Clear signage so guests choose before reaching the hatch

If you’re feeding a stadium-size burst at half-time, we’ll line up two vans or set a two-queue system to protect service times.

Dietary needs and allergen clarity

Falafel vans are naturally strong here, but we still check the details. Ask suppliers to provide:

• Full allergen matrix and cross-contamination policy
• Separate utensils for vegan and gluten-free builds
• Labelling on sauces, especially sesame and nuts
• Clear signage at the hatch

If you’re running a public event, we’ll make sure allergen info is both available in advance and visible on the day.

Logistics that save you headaches

The smoothest event days start with crisp information. Here’s what we confirm as standard:

• Vehicle size, weight and ground clearance
• Arrival, build and breakdown times
• Parking location and turnaround route
• Power plan and contingency
• Waste removal and recycling policy
• Water supply or onboard storage
• Serving side orientation, to match your site plan

We’ll also capture the name and number of the on-the-day lead so your site manager can coordinate in real time.

What to look for in a great supplier

You’re not just booking food, you’re booking a team. We recommend prioritising:

• Consistent reviews and recent event photos
• A compact, well-maintained vehicle
• A tidy, minimal footprint around the hatch
• Clear communication, fast responses and simple pricing
• A willingness to tailor for your crowd size and schedule

If you’re running a roadshow or tour, ask for a short pilot service at the first stop, then lock in the process for the remaining dates.

Smart ways to tailor the menu

Keep it small, make it memorable. A couple of simple tweaks lift the experience:

• Offer a wrap or a bowl for choice without complexity
• Add one seasonal salad or slaw that reflects the time of year
• Include a mild and a punchy sauce to please both ends of the spice scale
• Provide kid-sized halves during family sessions
• Create a “crew menu” with quick-fire portions for staff

These small touches mean happier queues and less decision fatigue, while still feeling personal to your event.

Sustainability and waste

Falafel is already a strong choice from a sustainability angle. Push it further by asking for:

• Compostable or recyclable packaging
• Bulk water options instead of bottled
• Portion controls sized to your crowd profile
• A plan for donating safe surplus where permitted

We’ll align this with your event’s waste streams so bins are clearly signed and easy to manage.

Compliance and safety, handled quietly

No one wants to wrestle paperwork on event day. We ensure suppliers provide:

• Public liability insurance
• Food hygiene certification and recent inspection rating
• Gas and electrical safety documents where relevant
• Risk assessments and method statements

Everything is shared ahead of time so your safety officer can sign it off early.

Example service formats

To help you picture it, here are common ways we set up falafel vans:

• Fast-flow festival service: Short menu, prepped salads, bowls or wraps, two-sauce choice, card-only. Designed for speed during headline sets with steady trade across the day.
• Touring production catering: Daily lunch window for cast and crew, then a public-facing service pre-show. Repeatable load-in, power-light, simple changeable salad special for variety.
• Club and tournament days: Early start for coaches and volunteers, peak around lunch, small second peak late afternoon. Kid portions available, allergen signage prominent, quick service between fixtures.
• Private estate celebration: Late-afternoon serving as guests arrive, second serving later in the evening. Wrapped portions for roaming or bowls for garden seating, generator sited away from speeches.

If you’re unsure which format fits, we’ll propose one based on your running order.

Quick checklist before you confirm

Use this to wrap things up neatly:

• Guest count, service window and peak times
• Menu format, dietary notes and kid portions
• Power source, cable runs and any generator needs
• Access, parking spot, ground type and exit route
• Allergen signage and waste plan
• Contact details for both sides on the day
• Price per person agreed, extras noted, and payment schedule

If you’re running multiple dates, we’ll store all of this in a single plan and roll it across each stop.

Ready to go

If you’re searching for falafel vans in the UK and want a clean, dependable solution, we’ve got you. Tell us your date, guest count and location. We’ll show instant prices around £10–£14 per person, help you pick the right setup for your site, and keep everything clear from first message to final wrap served. Let’s get your plan in place today.