How Much Does Food Truck Catering Cost?

Food truck catering prices have a fairly large range, but Roaming Hunger simplifies pricing to a few factors: cuisine type, number of meals, service duration, event location, time of year, and event type.

Here are some average price ranges to see if this fits your budget:

Savory

1-100 People: $1,000+
100-200 People: $1,000-$6,000
200-300 People: $2,000-$9,000
300+ People: $3,000+

Sample Cuisines (based on 100 guests and 2 hours of service)

Tacos: $10-15 per person. On average, the minimum cost for Taco Truck catering is $1,000-$1,500.
BBQ, Burgers, & Pizza: $15-25 per person. On average, the minimum cost for BBQ Truck catering is $1,500-$2,500.
Lobster Rolls: $35-45 per person. On average, the minimum cost for Lobster Truck catering is $3,500-$4,500.

Dessert

1-100 People: $800+
100-200 People: $800-$4,000
200-300 People: $1,600-$6,000
300+ People: $2,400+

Drinks

1-100 People: $800+
100-200 People: $800-$4,000
200-300 People: $1,600-$6,000
300+ People: $2,400+

Why are there minimum costs regardless of the number of eaters?

“Food truck minimums'' are set because food trucks have to bring their entire business to you. Fuel costs, food costs, staffing, and drive time are just a few of the expenses that owners have to consider.

This is different from brick-and-mortar restaurants whose catering is ancillary (additional) to their overall business. Because they already have the staff, etc., they can charge the same prices as when you dine in.

Can pricing be lowered by reducing the service time?

No. A food truck still has to drive to the event, set up, and prepare the food. In fact, reducing the service time could increase the pricing if the truck needs to bring extra staff or change their menu to serve faster.

Other Factors That Affect Pricing

Event Location

Pricing depends on the city your event is located. For example, New York will be more expensive than the national average, because it costs more to operate a food truck in and around the city.

If your event is in a rural area, or the food truck needs to drive farther than normal, a travel fee will usually be included.

Date of Your Event

Prices will vary based on the date of your event. During popular holidays, such as July 4th, many trucks book up, and prices increase with demand (especially for last-minute bookings).

Type of Event

Many food trucks will have different pricing for different types of events. Weddings may be more expensive because they typically require extra work for the food truck.