Food Cart/Truck Statistics & Trends
The Food Cart/Truck Market Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
The number of food truck businesses in the U.S. increased by 15.9%
between 2018 and 2024, totaling over 58,000 food trucks
The mobile food truck and cart industry grew from $1.8B in 2023 to $2.1B in
2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.6%
No single company owns more than 3% of the food truck market, and 90%
of all food truck businesses in the US are privately owned and operated
Revenue and Cost Analysis
The average revenue for food trucks in 2024 was $346,000, with larger markets generating more
revenue. Below is average revenues per top and bottom 5 states:
Top 5 States:
New York: $492,545
California: $482,751
Arizona: $443,130
Texas: $437,843
Florida: $434,797
Bottom Five States:
Minnesota: $308,538
Alaska: $308,690
South Dakota: $312,875
Montana: $315,423
North Dakota: $316,602
In 2024, the average food truck profit margin was 6.2%, which is significantly higher than that of
restaurants, which typically sits at around 1% to 3%
The average food truck owner made between $24,000 and $153,000 in profit in 2024 and employed
1.2 employees on average
Wage costs have continued to rise, increasing by 14.8% from 2019 to 2024. The average wage for a
food truck or cart worker is $57,109, which is over 10% higher than a restaurant line cook.
2024 saw a rise in prices of goods in the food truck industry, with the average cost of operation rising
7.8% in 2024 over 2023
Permitting and parking remain some of the highest costs (besides food) in the industry, with
permits reaching almost $2,000 annually and parking between $300 and $1000 monthly
Consumer Behavior
37% of consumers indicated in a FLIP survey that they hear about food festivals and farmers
markets via social media, while 30% hear of them from family and friends (word-of-mouth)
Operators report that evenings are still the busiest hours (if they are set up), followed by lunch
93.2% of food truck operators report that direct conversations with their customers are the best way
to get feedback, while 61% use social media
Owners report that french fries (21%), burgers (19%), and BBQ (15%) are their most popular
items, followed by fried chicken (11%), tacos (10%) and mac and cheese
A US Foods Report found that vegan and plant-based menu items were amongst the top meal
options for consumer demand in the modern food truck industry
Fusion cuisine continue to interest customers to try new food trucks according to surveys
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