Nearly 73% of food truck owners underestimate their weekly fuel expenses by at least €50. Unlike traditional restaurants with simple gas and electricity bills, mobile food businesses juggle three energy sources: generator diesel, cooking gas, and transport fuel. Most trucks spend €150-300 weekly on fuel alone.
Three types of fuel costs
A food truck doesn't run on one energy source, but three different types that drain your wallet:
- Diesel for the generator: Powers your kitchen's electrical needs
- Propane/butane gas: Fuels cooktops, fryers, and grills
- Diesel for transport: Gets you between locations
💡 Example food truck per week:
Food truck operating 5 days a week, 3 different locations:
- Generator diesel: 80 liters × €1.45 = €116
- Cooking gas: 2 bottles × €35 = €70
- Transport diesel: 120 km × €0.18/km = €22
Total per week: €208
Generator: your biggest expense
That generator powers everything - refrigeration, fryers, registers, lighting. Most trucks burn through 10-15 liters of diesel daily. At €1.45 per liter, you're spending €14-22 just on electricity each day.
⚠️ Watch out:
Older generators are fuel hogs. A 10+ year old unit can guzzle 20-25 liters daily. That's an extra €1,500+ per year down the drain.
Gas consumption for your kitchen
Your cooking fuel depends entirely on your menu style:
- Fryer intensive (fries, snacks): 2-3 gas bottles per week
- Grill focus (burgers, steaks): 1-2 gas bottles per week
- Light kitchen (salads, wraps): 1 gas bottle per 2 weeks
Each 13kg gas bottle runs €35-40. Fry stands typically spend €70-120 weekly on gas alone. And that's a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials - the more fried items you serve, the steeper your energy bills climb.
💡 Example gas consumption:
Burger truck with 2 grills and 1 fryer, 5 days per week:
- Monday-Friday: 8 hours per day cooking
- Average 150 burgers + 200 portions of fries per day
- Consumption: 2.5 gas bottles per week
Costs: 2.5 × €37 = €93 per week
Transport between locations
Those daily location changes add up fast. Food trucks weighing 3.5-7.5 tons get just 1 in 6 to 1 in 8 fuel economy. Every kilometer costs €0.16-0.20 at current diesel prices.
Smart route planning matters. Amsterdam to Utrecht on consecutive days means:
- 50 km distance
- Consumption: 6-8 liters of diesel
- Costs: €9-12 for that single trip
How do you cut fuel expenses?
Successful operators slash energy costs with these moves:
- Fixed locations: Less driving equals lower diesel bills
- Energy-efficient equipment: Induction cooktops draw less power
- Generator maintenance: Clean filters and fresh oil cut fuel use by 10-20%
- Smart routes: Plan your week to avoid crisscrossing regions
💡 Example savings:
By having 3 fixed locations per week instead of 5 different ones:
- Less driving: -60 km per week
- Transport savings: €10 per week
- Per year: €520 less in diesel
Building fuel costs into your prices
Too many food truck owners skip energy costs in their pricing. That's financial suicide. Your fuel expenses are as real as your ingredients.
Calculate your energy costs per portion:
- Total fuel costs per week: €200
- Number of portions per week: 800
- Energy costs per portion: €200 ÷ 800 = €0.25
Add this to ingredient costs. If your burger costs €3.50 in ingredients, your true cost is €3.75 including energy.
⚠️ Watch out:
Always factor energy costs into break-even calculations. Trucks that ignore these expenses think they're profitable while actually bleeding money.
How do you calculate your weekly fuel costs?
Measure your generator consumption
Fill up your generator and note the meter reading. After one workday, check how many liters you've consumed. Multiply this by the number of workdays per week.
Count your gas consumption
Keep track of how many gas bottles you use per week. Multiply by the price per bottle (average €35-40). Watch out for seasonal differences: you use more gas in winter.
Calculate transport costs
Note your weekly kilometers between locations. Multiply by €0.18 per kilometer (average fuel costs for heavy commercial vehicles). Add everything up for your total weekly fuel costs.
✨ Pro tip
Track your generator hours against daily revenue for 30 days. You'll discover that busy lunch rushes use 40% more fuel per hour than slow dinner periods, helping you optimize operating schedules.
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
How many liters of diesel does a food truck generator need per day?
Most generators consume 10-15 liters per 8-hour workday. This varies based on your equipment load - trucks with multiple coolers and fryers use more than those with just grills. Older units can double this consumption.
Is it cheaper to buy large gas bottles?
Yes, 47kg gas bottles cost less per kilo than 13kg bottles. But they're heavy and eat up valuable truck space. Most operators find 13kg bottles more practical despite the higher per-unit cost.
What does it cost to transport a food truck 100 km?
Food trucks get 1 in 6 to 1 in 8 fuel economy. For 100 km you'll burn 12-17 liters of diesel, costing €17-25 at current prices. Route planning can make or break your transport budget.
📚 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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