Food Truck Break-Even Calculator
Daily sales target to cover fixed and variable costs.
Inputs
$
$
%
%
Results
Monthly break-even revenue
$8,888.89
≈ 9 smartphones
Break-even customers/month741
Daily revenue target$404.04
Daily customer target34
Customers per hour needed7
Contribution margin45%
Comfortable revenue target$10,666.67
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter total monthly fixed costs (truck payment, insurance, commissary, permits, POS, etc.).
- Set the average ticket price per customer and food cost as a percentage of revenue.
- Enter operating days per month and labor cost as a percentage of revenue.
- The calculator shows monthly break-even revenue, break-even customers per month, daily revenue and customer targets, customers per hour needed, contribution margin, and a comfortable 20%-buffer revenue goal.
- Compare daily customer target to realistic foot traffic at your chosen locations to validate your business plan.
How the result changes with Monthly fixed costs ($)
| Monthly fixed costs ($) | Monthly break-even revenue |
|---|---|
| 5,000 | $11,111.11 |
| 17,500 | $38,888.89 |
| 32,500 | $72,222.22 |
| 45,000 | $100,000.00 |
What each input means
- Monthly fixed costs ($)
- Truck payment, insurance, commissary, permits, POS, phone, etc.
- Average ticket price ($)
- Average amount each customer spends per transaction.
- Food cost (%)
- Ingredient cost as a percentage of revenue. Industry target: 28-32%.
- Operating days per month
- Number of days your truck is open each month.
- Labor cost (%)
- Staff wages as a percentage of revenue. Typical range: 20-30%.
What each result means
- Monthly break-even revenue
- Total monthly revenue needed to cover all costs.
- Break-even customers/month
- Number of customers needed per month to break even.
- Daily revenue target
- Revenue needed per operating day to break even.
- Daily customer target
- Customers needed per operating day.
- Customers per hour needed
- Customers per hour during a 5-hour service window.
- Contribution margin
- Percentage of each dollar that covers fixed costs after variable expenses.
- Comfortable revenue target
- 20% above break-even for a healthy safety margin.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersMonthly fixed costs ($) = 4000, Average ticket price ($) = 12, Food cost (%) = 30, Operating days per month = 22 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Monthly break-even revenueMonthly break-even revenue = contributionMarginPct > 08888.89 = $8,888.89
- Calculate Break-even customers/monthBreak-even customers/month741 = 741
- Calculate Daily revenue targetDaily revenue target = breakEvenRevenue / operatingDays404.04 = $404.04
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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