Energy costs often account for 5-8% of your total expenses as a food truck owner. I'll admit it—I used to skip this calculation entirely, thinking ingredient costs were enough. But forgetting energy costs means you're unknowingly bleeding money on every single order.
Why include energy costs?
Running a food truck means juggling multiple energy sources: gas for your cooking equipment, electricity for cooling and appliances, plus a generator for spots without power hookups. These expenses pile up fast—we're talking €50-150 daily.
⚠️ Heads up:
Most food truck operators focus only on ingredient costs and ignore energy expenses. This creates a false sense of profitability that'll bite you later.
Calculate your daily energy costs
Track your actual consumption for one full week. Document both gas and electricity usage per operating day—no guessing allowed.
💡 Example daily costs:
A typical food truck burns through:
- Gas (cooking): €25 per day
- Electricity (cooling, lighting): €20 per day
- Generator (4 hours): €15 per day
Total energy costs: €60 per day
Divide across your portions
Split your daily energy costs by however many portions you normally sell. Simple math gives you the energy cost per serving.
Formula: Energy cost per portion = Daily energy costs ÷ Number of portions sold
💡 Calculation example:
Daily energy costs: €60
Portions sold per day: 120
€60 ÷ 120 = €0.50 energy cost per portion
Add to your total cost price
Bundle the energy costs with your ingredient expenses for your true cost per portion. Don't overlook packaging, transportation fuel, and location fees either.
- Ingredient cost per portion
- Energy cost per portion
- Packaging cost per portion
- Other costs (location fees, fuel)
💡 Complete cost price example:
- Burger ingredients: €3.20
- Energy costs: €0.50
- Packaging: €0.30
- Other costs: €0.25
Total cost price: €4.25 per burger
Account for seasonal differences
Your energy usage swings wildly by season. Winter means extra gas for heating, summer demands more electricity for cooling. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen energy costs fluctuate by 30-40% between seasons.
⚠️ Heads up:
Energy prices shift constantly. Recalculate every 3 months minimum to dodge nasty surprises on your bottom line.
Track digitally to save time
Manually calculating energy costs per portion eats up hours you don't have. Digital tools like a food cost calculator help you automatically factor in all cost components, so you'll always know your real profit margins.
How do you calculate energy costs per portion? (step by step)
Measure your daily energy consumption
Track how much gas and electricity you use per working day for a week. Also note generator hours and any extra equipment you use during busy periods.
Calculate your average daily costs
Multiply your consumption by current gas and electricity prices. Add up all energy costs for one average working day.
Divide by number of portions sold
Divide your total daily energy costs by the average number of portions you sell per day. This gives you the energy cost per portion.
Add to your other costs
Add the energy costs to your ingredient costs, packaging costs, and other costs for your complete cost price per portion.
✨ Pro tip
Replace old equipment with energy-efficient models rated A+ or higher within the next 18 months. You'll recover the investment through reduced energy costs per portion.
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
Do I need to calculate energy costs separately per dish?
No, distribute energy costs evenly across all portions. A burger and sandwich require roughly the same energy to prepare.
How often should I recalculate my energy costs?
Update every 3 months or after significant price changes. Energy markets are volatile, so regular updates prevent profit erosion.
What if I operate at locations without power?
Factor in your generator expenses: fuel, maintenance, and equipment depreciation. This typically adds €15-25 daily to your operating costs.
Can I deduct energy costs from taxes?
Yes, business energy costs are tax-deductible. Save all receipts and separate business usage from personal consumption for accurate records.
What are normal energy costs for a food truck?
Expect €40-80 per working day, depending on your equipment and location. This translates to roughly €0.30-0.70 per portion sold.
Should I factor in equipment maintenance costs too?
Absolutely. Include regular maintenance, repairs, and eventual replacement costs. These hidden expenses can add another €0.15-0.25 per portion over time.
📚 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.
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 →