Most food truck owners think they're profitable until they actually crunch the real numbers. You might be tracking ingredients and fuel, but what about insurance, truck depreciation, and paying yourself a decent wage? The math gets uncomfortable fast.
All costs you need to include
Running a food truck means juggling way more expenses than just your ingredients. Every single cost needs to get spread across your actual working hours - that's how you discover your true hourly rate.
💡 Example costs per month:
- Truck payment: €800
- Insurance: €200
- Fuel: €600
- Maintenance: €150
- Permits: €100
- Phone/internet: €50
Total fixed costs: €1,900 per month
Fixed costs vs. variable costs
Fixed costs hit you every month regardless of sales volume. Variable costs fluctuate with how busy you get.
- Fixed: Truck payment, insurance, permits
- Variable: Fuel, ingredients, packaging
⚠️ Attention:
Too many food truck owners skip their own salary completely. You're not running a charity - factor in at least €15-20 per hour for your time.
The hourly rate formula
Your minimum hourly rate breaks down into three core components:
Hourly rate = (Fixed costs per hour + Variable costs per hour + Your salary per hour) + Profit margin
💡 Calculation example:
At 160 working hours per month:
- Fixed costs per hour: €1,900 ÷ 160 = €11.88
- Variable costs per hour: €8.00 (fuel, ingredients)
- Your salary: €18.00 per hour
- Profit margin: €5.00 per hour
Minimum hourly rate: €42.88 per hour
Include seasons and busy periods
Food trucks ride a roller coaster of seasonal demand. Base your calculations on yearly averages, not just those golden summer months that make everything look rosy.
- Summer: 200 hours per month
- Winter: 80 hours per month
- Average: 140 hours per month
Using the average means you won't get caught short during those brutal winter weeks. This approach is the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
Monitor your food cost percentage
Your hourly rate works hand-in-hand with food cost control. Food trucks should target 25-35% food cost to stay profitable.
💡 Food cost check:
Burger menu for €12.00 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €11.01
- Ingredients: €3.30
- Food cost: 30%
That hits the sweet spot within your 35% target.
When to adjust your rate
Review your numbers every quarter and adjust for:
- Rising fuel prices
- Higher ingredient costs
- Increased insurance premiums
- New permit costs
Food cost tracking apps can automatically monitor your recipe expenses, giving you early warning signals before problems eat into your margins.
How do you calculate your hourly rate? (step by step)
List all your monthly costs
Write down all fixed costs: truck payment, insurance, permits, maintenance, phone. Also add up variable costs: fuel, ingredients per working day. Don't forget your own salary - calculate at least €15-20 per hour.
Calculate your average working hours per month
Count your working hours over a full year and divide by 12. Account for peaks and valleys - this way you also cover costs during quiet periods. For example: 160 hours summer, 80 hours winter = average 120 hours per month.
Divide total costs by working hours
Formula: (Fixed costs + Variable costs + Your salary) ÷ Working hours per month = Hourly rate. Add 10-20% profit margin. This is your minimum hourly rate to cover all costs and make a profit.
✨ Pro tip
Track your break-even sales target every 14 days during your first 3 months of operation. Most new food truck owners wait too long to spot cost creep.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I include my own labor in the hourly rate?
Absolutely. You're not volunteering - you're running a business. Factor in at least €15-20 per hour for yourself, otherwise you're working below minimum wage and calling it profit.
How often should I adjust my hourly rate?
Every three months, minimum. Don't wait until rising costs kill your margins. Fuel spikes and ingredient price jumps can destroy profitability faster than you think.
What if my calculated hourly rate exceeds market prices?
You've got three choices: cut costs, boost efficiency, or find customers willing to pay premium prices. An unsustainable rate leads straight to bankruptcy.
How do I handle seasonal fluctuations in my calculations?
Use your full-year average working hours, not peak season numbers. This covers you during slow winter months when revenue drops but fixed costs don't.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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