Picture this: your food truck crushes it at the downtown office plaza but barely breaks even at the weekend farmer's market. Different spots deliver wildly different returns on your time and fuel. Smart location tracking turns guesswork into data-driven decisions.
Collect data per location
Fair comparisons need consistent metrics from each spot. Track at least 3-5 service days per location for reliable averages.
- Daily revenue: Total sales excluding taxes
- Customer count: Orders processed each day
- Location-specific costs: Fuel, parking fees, permits
- Operating hours: Total time on-site
? Example:
Location A (office district) - 5-day average:
- Daily revenue: €420
- Customer volume: 35 orders
- Site costs: €45 (fuel + parking)
- Hours worked: 6 per day
Calculate profit margin per location
Your location-specific profit formula:
Profit margin = ((Revenue - Food costs - Site costs) / Revenue) × 100
Food costs cover your ingredients and prep materials. Site costs include fuel, parking, and location permits.
? Example calculation:
Location A breakdown:
- Revenue: €420
- Food costs (30%): €126
- Site expenses: €45
- Net profit: €420 - €126 - €45 = €249
Margin: (€249 / €420) × 100 = 59.3%
Measure revenue per hour
Some spots deliver quick bursts of sales rather than steady streams. Calculate hourly revenue to compare time efficiency across locations.
Hourly revenue = Total daily revenue / Hours on location
? Comparison:
Location A: €420 over 6 hours = €70/hour
Location B: €380 over 4 hours = €95/hour
Location B wins on time efficiency despite lower total sales.
⚠️ Watch out:
Account for every location-specific expense: toll roads, special event permits, additional staff. Missing these costs inflates your actual profitability numbers.
Analyze customer value per location
Each location draws different customer types with varying spending power. Track average transaction values to identify your highest-value customer bases.
Average transaction = Total revenue / Customer count
- Business districts: Higher spending (expense accounts, lunch budgets)
- Festival crowds: High volume, smaller individual orders
- Neighborhoods: Family orders, moderate spending
This pattern appears repeatedly in restaurant financials across different service models - location demographics directly impact per-customer revenue.
Create a location scorecard
Combine all metrics into a single comparison framework. Rate each location across these four dimensions:
- Profit margins: Net profitability after all costs
- Time efficiency: Revenue generated per hour
- Customer value: Average spending per transaction
- Revenue stability: Consistency across service days
Your top-scoring locations deserve the most scheduling priority. Focus your limited time and resources on these proven performers.
Related articles
How do you calculate profitability per location?
Measure 5 days per location
Record daily: revenue, number of customers, location costs (fuel, parking) and time present. One day can be misleading due to weather or events.
Calculate profit margin per location
Subtract from your revenue: food cost (usually 25-35%) and specific location costs. Divide the result by your revenue and multiply by 100 for percentage.
Compare revenue per hour
Divide your total revenue by the number of hours present. This shows which locations use your time best, even if total revenue is lower.
Create a top 3 ranking
Rank locations by profit margin, revenue per hour and consistency. Focus your planning on the top 3 and only test new locations if they have potential to make it in.
✨ Pro tip
Track your top 3 locations over the next 30 days and note which external factors (weather, nearby construction, local events) impact your daily revenue by more than 15%. These patterns help you predict and avoid slow days.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
How often should I re-measure locations?
What if a location performs well some days and poorly other days?
Should I factor in equipment wear per location?
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
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.
More in this category
Related questions
Explore more topics
Food cost tools made for food trucks
Small menu, big impact on your margin. KitchenNmbrs is light, fast and mobile — perfect for food truck entrepreneurs who need to count every cent. Try it free for 14 days.
Start free trial →