Food trucks have unique costs—fuel, permits, commissary kitchen fees, propane. This calculator helps you price menu items to cover all mobile restaurant expenses.
Optimize your pricing strategy with AI-powered insights
Enter your shop name for a personalized PDF report with your business name.
How many items do you expect to sell each month?
💡 Why needed? Fixed costs (Rent/Labor) must be split by each item. Lower sales = Higher cost per item. We need this to calculate your min break-even price.
Percentage of items that are wasted or unsold.
✅ Price is above break-even $18.35. You are making profit!
How much will you charge for one item?
Net Profit
$3325
per month
Margin
26.6%
profit margin
Break-Even
312
units/month
✓ Margin Detected: Your 26.6% profit margin is healthy for the cafe industry. You need to sell 312 units to break even, currently projecting 500 units.
Required Volume Growth ≥17% to break even
Current Expectation: 30% ✅
Food trucks should run leaner food cost than restaurants — aim for 28–35% — because margins get eaten by fuel, permits, commissary rent and propane. Keep prime cost (food + labor) under about 60–65% and target a higher net margin than a brick-and-mortar (often 6–9%, sometimes more) since you have lower rent but unpredictable volume. Price the menu around your average ticket and daily covers, not just plate cost.
Permits, commissary kitchen rent, fuel and propane are real monthly costs. Spread them across realistic daily covers or your low rent advantage disappears.
Generous portions feel good but push food cost too high. Standardize portions and recipes to hold 28–35%.
Weather and location kill some days entirely. Prices must earn enough on good days to cover the dead ones.
Festivals and lots often take a flat fee or 10–20% of sales. Factor that into pricing for those days.
Once your pricing works, these are the tools small operators use to take payments, keep books, and market.
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Aim for 28–35% food cost — ideally tighter than a sit-down restaurant since other costs (fuel, permits, commissary) are significant. Keep prime cost (food + labor) under 60–65%. The calculator above shows where you land.
Multiply plate cost by 3–4×, then sanity-check against your average ticket and how many covers a day you realistically serve. A $3 plate cost typically sells for $9–12.
Net margins often run 6–9%, sometimes higher than restaurants thanks to lower rent — but only if permits, fuel, propane and commissary fees are priced in.
Events frequently charge a flat vendor fee or take 10–20% of sales. For those days, either raise prices or treat the fee as added cost so you still clear your margin.
Usually portions push food cost past 35%, or overhead like commissary rent and fuel isn't spread across covers. Re-cost your top sellers and overhead with the calculator above.
Many small business owners use the "3x material cost" rule or simply match competitor prices. The problem? This ignores your unique cost structure. Your rent might be higher, your waste rate different, or your labor costs vary by location. This calculator reveals your true break-even point and ensures sustainable pricing.
Download a clean, shareable PDF of your pricing breakdown — cost structure, break-even point, and profit scenarios — completely free, with no sign-up. Useful for partners, lenders, or your own records.