When guests visit Hersheypark, they’re expecting thrilling rides, family fun, and of course, great food. Behind some of those unforgettable dining experiences is a fleet of custom-built food trucks designed specifically to meet the park’s operational needs.
Custom Mobile Food Equipment (CMFE) partnered with Hersheypark to design and manufacture a fleet of four custom food trucks, each built to deliver efficiency, reliability, and an exceptional guest experience. Among them was a specialized kosher food truck—an exciting project that required thoughtful planning, precision engineering, and close collaboration.
A Long-Standing Partnership
CMFE’s relationship with Hersheypark didn’t start with this fleet — it goes back over a decade.
“We’ve been working with Hersheypark for years. They reached out to us in 2015 for their vans, and it’s just been an ongoing conversation ever since,” says Jay Celona, Lead Engineer at Custom Mobile Food Equipment. Over the years, that partnership has grown to include everything from 20- to 22-foot step vans to carts and other specialty units, including a Chick-fil-A van and a branded truck for Yingling, one of the park’s longtime sponsors.
A Fleet Designed for High-Volume Service
Unlike a standalone food truck serving local events, food trucks operating inside a major amusement park face a unique set of challenges. Thousands of guests move through the park each day, creating periods of extremely high demand where speed and consistency are essential.
Each truck in Hersheypark’s fleet was custom designed with workflow, durability, and service efficiency in mind. From equipment placement to storage solutions, every detail was planned to help staff serve guests quickly while maintaining food quality.
Building a Specialized Kosher Food Truck
One of the most distinctive parts of this project was designing a fully customized kosher food truck.
Creating a kosher mobile kitchen often involves additional planning beyond a traditional food truck build. Equipment selection, kitchen layout, and operational requirements must all support the customer’s intended food preparation process while meeting their specific needs.
For CMFE, this meant navigating requirements the team hadn’t encountered before.
“The kosher van was the one thing that was new to us,” Celona explains. “We had to work directly with a rabbi, who had to bless the truck in order for it to be certified kosher. We also had to install a sink on the outside of the truck so customers could wash their hands before eating.”
Before the truck could officially be classified as kosher, a rabbi had to inspect and bless it in person — a step that added a layer of care and precision the team hadn’t built into previous projects.
Collaboration from Concept to Completion
Throughout the Hersheypark project, CMFE worked alongside the customer from the initial design phase through final production. By understanding the park’s operational needs, guest traffic, and menu concepts, the team was able to create food trucks that were both practical and visually appealing.
Custom fabrication allows each customer to receive a solution tailored specifically to their operation rather than adapting to a one-size-fits-all design.
Engineering for Durability
Food trucks in amusement parks experience long operating hours and heavy daily use, making durability just as important as appearance.
Each truck in the Hersheypark fleet was built using commercial-grade materials and equipment designed to withstand demanding service environments while remaining easy to maintain.
The result is a fleet built for longevity, helping operators keep food service running smoothly season after season.
A Custom Solution
No two food service operations are exactly alike. That’s why CMFE approaches every project with customization at the forefront.
Whether it’s a fleet of amusement park food trucks, a specialty concession trailer, or a fully customized mobile kitchen, every build begins with understanding how the customer plans to operate.
The Hersheypark fleet is a great example of how thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and close collaboration can create mobile kitchens that perform as well as they look.
Projects like Hersheypark showcase what’s possible when innovative design meets expert manufacturing. As parks, venues, and organizations continue looking for flexible food service solutions, custom mobile kitchens are becoming an increasingly valuable investment.
At CMFE, every project represents an opportunity to solve a unique challenge and build something that helps customers serve their guests more efficiently.
Interested in a custom food cart, truck, or trailer of your own? Get in touch with our team to start the conversation.
