Food service is one of the biggest revenue streams at any festival, and one of the areas that gets underestimated most often during planning. A poorly designed food court doesn’t just lose money: it creates endless lines, frustrated attendees, and negative reviews that have little to do with the main show.
At SOMOS DER we run the food service operation for events like Buenos Aires Trap and the Fiesta Nacional de la Manzana. What we learned running those operations is what we’re going to share here.
The root mistake: treating food service as an afterthought
The first problem we see at most events is that food service gets planned after everything else. The stage, the sound, the lighting, security, all of that gets its place in the plan from day one. Food shows up late, on a tight budget and in a cramped space.
The result is predictable: the food court ends up tucked in a corner with poor access, the vendors don’t have enough water, there isn’t enough power, and the lines block the overall flow of the venue.
Food service has to be part of the event plan from day one, right alongside the venue design.
How many food vendors your event needs
The general rule we use as a starting point:
- Up to 3,000 people: 1 vendor per 200-250 attendees
- 3,000 to 10,000 people: 1 vendor per 300-350 attendees
- More than 10,000 people: 1 vendor per 400-500 attendees, spread across multiple zones
But the number of vendors is only one variable. The other is distribution. That same number of vendors packed into a single area is going to create long lines. Spread across two or three zones of the venue, the flow balances out naturally.
Distribution has to follow the event’s flow map: where does the crowd concentrate during peak demand? Where is there room for people to eat standing or seated? Which points offer the best access?
Food trucks vs. fixed stands: when to use each
Both have advantages and limitations that depend on the event format.
Food trucks
Advantages:
- Flexible placement within the venue
- Strong visual identity that adds to the atmosphere of the event
- Self-sufficient operation (they bring their own infrastructure)
- Culinary variety without having to manage multiple kitchen suppliers
Limitations:
- Limited production capacity compared to a well-equipped fixed stand
- They need dedicated space (vehicle access, parking, a safety radius)
- At very large events, they can create bottlenecks if they’re badly placed
Fixed stands or booths
Advantages:
- Higher production capacity per stand
- Easier to standardize the menu and pricing
- Better integration with centralized or cashless payment systems
- More efficient for simple, high-turnover items (hot dogs, burgers, pizza, drinks)
Limitations:
- They require setup and teardown
- They depend on the venue’s infrastructure (water, power, gas)
- Less flexibility to relocate if the flow isn’t what you expected
At most large events, the combination works best: food trucks for identity and variety, fixed stands for the highest-volume items.
Infrastructure you can’t forget
Every food vendor needs:
Power: the wattage required varies with the kitchen equipment. Always calculate with a 20-30% margin over the base estimate. Power outages in the food service area during a festival are one of the most common and most avoidable problems.
Water: both for food prep and for cleaning. If the venue doesn’t have enough running water, you’ll need reserve tanks and a plan to refill them during the event.
Waste: one of the most underestimated topics. A festival of 20,000 people generates tons of waste in the food area. You need a collection plan during the event (not just at the end), accessible disposal points for the public, and coordination with the municipal waste service where applicable.
Prep area: vendors selling cooked food need a prep area that isn’t visible to the public and that meets basic food-handling standards.
Payment systems: cashless vs. cash
In recent years, many festivals in Argentina and LATAM have moved to cashless payment systems (wristbands or cards with preloaded credit) for the food area.
The advantages are clear: it eliminates cash handling, reduces transaction times, makes real-time revenue tracking easier, and lowers the risk of theft.
The downsides exist too: if the system goes down, the entire food operation grinds to a halt. And there’s a segment of the public that doesn’t load enough credit and ends up going to the vendors with exactly the cash they have.
Our recommendation: cashless as the primary system, with at least 20-30% of vendors set up to accept cash as a backup.
Permits and licensing in Argentina
This is the area that most often triggers last-minute problems when it isn’t planned ahead.
Depending on the type of event, the venue, and the municipality, running food vendors may require:
- Municipal permit for the event (which covers food activity)
- Food-handling certificates for each operator
- Registration of production with SENASA where applicable
- Specific licensing for food trucks as mobile sales units
Processing times vary by municipality, but generally you should start the process 4 to 6 weeks before the event. Leaving it for the final days means risking municipal inspectors shutting down vendors on the day of the event.
Designing the food court as an experience
Beyond the operation, the food court is part of the event experience. Attendees spend time there, meet up with friends, take photos.
A few elements that make the difference:
Clear signage: attendees need to be able to see from a distance what each vendor sells and at what price. Without signage, people walk up to ask before deciding, which slows down everyone’s flow.
Eating zones separated from the ordering area: if people who already bought stand in front of the vendor to eat, they block the flow of those coming to order. Designing eating zones away from the vendors improves the flow of the whole area.
Lighting: the food area needs its own functional lighting, separate from the event’s lighting design. Poorly lit vendors sell less and make more operational errors.
Need food service management for your event?
At SOMOS DER we handle the selection of food operators, the layout design, permit management, and operational coordination during the event.
Explore our Food Service Solutions →
We work with festivals, corporate events, and municipal events across Argentina. Get in touch with no obligation.