Stadium on Wheels Entertains with Baseball Food and Fun

Aiming for Sustainable Growth, the Food-Truck Franchise Has Teamed with Franchise FastLane

The classic song “Take Me Out to the Ball Park” conjures up thoughts of iconic baseball foods and on-field action. But what if that ball park fun could come to you? Stadium on Wheels, a food-truck franchise, does just that, bringing the spirit of America’s pastime to all kinds of parties, school events, sports competitions, family reunions, community festivals and corporate celebrations. 

Co-founders Steven Guistolise and his wife, Olivia, (above) launched their innovative, baseball-themed business in 2019 from a food truck he bought off Craigslist. The couple previously had held workaday jobs primarily in the corporate world, so they learned the ropes of operating a food truck by trial and error for many months. 

As they refined the Stadium on Wheels business model, they heavily leaned into its baseball motif. The menu is steeped in ballpark flavor: 100% beef foot-long hot dogs, foot-long nachos, foot-long pretzels, fresh lemonade and, coming soon, Kettle Jacks, a caramel-drizzled popcorn-and-nut combo that’s the Guistolises’ version of Cracker Jacks. Stadium on Wheels trucks also tote along an inflatable stadium for home run derbies. “A lot of birthday parties love that feature,” Steven says in a podcast. Their brand’s baseball graphics “are really cute, a nostalgic baseball touch,” he adds, and create ideal photo ops. Oh, and one more Major League flourish: Stadium on Wheels’ business cards resemble baseball trading cards.

Food-Truck Franchise

With much of their branding cleverly nailed down, the couple began thinking of ways to grow the company. Olivia says they realized the two of them couldn’t staff a fleet of trucks dispatched to far-flung destinations. So she and Steven figured franchising would be the way to go.

But they concluded they would need expert help to scale effectively, and to that end, they’ve enrolled in CarPool, a program of Franchise FastLane, a franchise acceleration and development company. CarPool empowers franchisors’ growth through its in-depth development coaching and administrative support. 

“We knew we had something special with Stadium on Wheels,” Steven says, “but after finalizing our Franchise Disclosure Document, we quickly realized we needed guidance to grow the right way. After exploring different options and learning about the power of consultant networks, we kept coming back to Franchise FastLane. Their successes with other mobile concepts made them stand out. When a FastLane team member told us about CarPool, it felt like the stars aligned. We’re confident that its mentorship will help us expand responsibly into more communities.”

Advantages of Mobile Businesses

Mobile franchises like Stadium on Wheels appeal to many entrepreneurs because they generally are economical and quick to launch. As a further plus: The food-truck franchise isn’t tied to the geographic location of a brick-and-mortar business so they can relocate to serve a broader customer base. 

Stadium on Wheels offers brand-specific advantages as well. For instance: 

• Its food is easy to prepare and made to order, so there’s little waste. 
• Serving hours are short, usually three to four hours. 
• The business can be owner-operated or semi-absentee.
• Owners can opt for a seasonal or year-round schedule. 
• Franchisees market their businesses as they drive because the food trucks serve as mobile billboards. 

Among the nation’s many mobile businesses, food trucks have proved especially strong. Starting in 2017 – before the COVID pandemic – the food truck market averaged growth of 7.9% per year in the United States, according to Toast, a leading software brand used by restaurants. “Since then, it has stayed steady even during times of economic uncertainty,” says Toast, which valued the U.S. market at $1.8 billion last year and predicts consistent growth in the future. 

FastLane’s Take

Within that market, FastLane President and Chief Operating Officer Tim Koch sees huge potential for the Stadium on Wheels food-truck franchise. “We were immediately drawn to what Steven and Olivia have built with Stadium on Wheels. It’s more than just a mobile food concept. It’s an immersive ballpark experience that brings people together, and it’s versatile – suited for all types of events. We’re excited to help them bring the magic of the ballpark to neighborhoods across the country.”

Koch and FastLane CEO Carey Gille emphasize that Omaha, Neb.-based Franchise FastLane helps all of its franchisor partners develop sustainably. Yes, their 9-year-old firm handles more than sales to help franchisors – for instance, it provides territory checks and operations support, too. FastLane also offers a MasterMind program that coordinates online meetings of franchise leaders to share business experiences and solve business challenges.

To Learn More

The Stadium on Wheels website provides more details about investment opportunities with the franchise. Visit Franchise FastLane’s CarPool webpage for further information about this turnkey coaching program for emerging franchisors.