Most food truck owners can't tell you their worst-performing hours because they only track daily totals. This blind spot costs money every single day. Track your revenue per hour and you'll quickly spot which time slots drain your resources.
Why revenue per hour matters
Every food truck has peak hours and quiet moments. Measuring your revenue per hour shows exactly when you earn the most. This data helps you choose locations, times, and events that actually pay off.
💡 Example:
Food truck at office park, Monday:
- 11:30-13:30: €680 revenue in 2 hours = €340/hour
- 13:30-17:00: €120 revenue in 3.5 hours = €34/hour
- 17:00-19:00: €240 revenue in 2 hours = €120/hour
Lunch brings in 10 times more than the afternoon!
The basic formula
Revenue per hour = Total revenue / Number of hours open
But this only gives you an average. For real insights, measure per time block of 1-2 hours. That's how you see which moments actually generate profit.
⚠️ Note:
Only measure the hours you're actually open and can sell. Driving and setup time don't count for this calculation.
Different measurement methods
There are three ways to measure your revenue per hour:
- Per time block: Measure every 1-2 hours how much you've sold
- Per receipt: Note the time of each sale
- Via POS system: Many systems can generate hourly reports automatically
Revenue benchmarks by truck type
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, here's what good revenue per hour looks like:
💡 Benchmarks by type:
- Snacks/fries: €80-150 per hour (peak hours)
- Lunch truck: €120-250 per hour (11:30-13:30)
- Gourmet truck: €150-300 per hour (events/evenings)
- Quiet hours: €20-60 per hour (all types)
Including costs in your calculation
Revenue isn't the same as profit. Also deduct your costs per hour:
- Fuel: Driving and generator costs
- Location fee: Daily rent / number of hours
- Staff: Hourly wage
- Food cost: Usually 25-35% of revenue
💡 Example profit calculation:
Revenue: €200/hour during peak time
- Food cost (30%): €60
- Staff: €25/hour
- Fuel + location fee: €15/hour
Profit per hour: €200 - €60 - €25 - €15 = €100
Plan smarter with hourly figures
With revenue per hour you can make better decisions:
- Location choice: Only go to places that generate at least €X per hour
- Opening hours: Close early if revenue drops below €50/hour
- Events: Calculate whether location fees justify expected revenue
- Staff: Only schedule extra staff during hours that justify the cost
Track digitally
Many food truck owners track their hourly revenue in Excel or specialized apps. A food cost calculator like KitchenNmbrs lets you see revenue per hour while calculating your food cost and profit per time block.
How do you calculate revenue per hour? (step by step)
Determine your measurement periods
Divide your opening day into blocks of 1-2 hours. For example: 11:00-13:00 (lunch), 13:00-15:00 (afternoon), 15:00-17:00 (late afternoon). Keep these blocks the same every day for comparison.
Measure revenue per time block
Note at the end of each time block how much you've sold. This can be done via receipt numbers, a counter, or by checking your register every hour. Also write down how many customers you had.
Calculate and compare
Divide the revenue by the number of hours in that block. Compare different days, locations, and times. After a week you'll see clear patterns of which hours are most profitable.
✨ Pro tip
Track your revenue per 30-minute blocks during your first month at any new location. You'll discover micro-patterns like the 12:15-12:45 lunch rush that can help you optimize staffing and prep timing.
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 driving and setup time in my calculation?
No, for revenue per hour you only count the hours you're actually open and can sell. Driving and setup time are separate costs that you spread across the entire day.
What's a minimum revenue per hour to stay profitable?
This depends on your costs, but as a rule of thumb: if you're below €60-80 per hour (including quiet moments), it becomes difficult to stay profitable. During peak hours you need to hit at least €120-150 per hour.
How do I compare different locations fairly?
Always measure the same time blocks and account for different days of the week. An office park, for example, is dead on weekends, but a market is busy on Saturday.
Should I include VAT in my revenue per hour?
For this calculation it doesn't matter whether you calculate including or excluding VAT, as long as you're consistent. Most food truck owners calculate with amounts including VAT since that's what actually comes in.
What if I have varying prices per location?
Then revenue per hour becomes even more important! At expensive events you can charge higher prices, but location fees are also higher. Measure both and see where you keep the most per hour after all costs.
How often should I recalculate my hourly revenue targets?
Review your hourly targets monthly, especially after trying new locations or menu changes. Seasonal patterns also affect your benchmarks - summer festivals might justify different minimums than winter markets.
📚 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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