How much does a food truck cost in the UK? (2026 price guide)
Updated 19 October 2026
A food truck in the UK typically costs £8,000–£30,000 for a used van, £20,000–£80,000 for a new van conversion, and £3,000–£35,000 for a catering trailer (typical estimates). Add £2,000–£8,000 for kit, paperwork, insurance and opening stock. A gazebo stall is the cheapest start at around £3,000 all in. Running costs then add roughly £600–£1,500 a month before ingredients and pitch fees.
This page breaks down every cost: the unit, the equipment, the compliance bills, the monthly running costs, and what a food van can make in a day. For the step-by-step legal process, read our guide on how to start a food truck business in the UK.
All prices are typical estimates for 2026, not quotes. They vary with size, age, region and what's included. Get at least three quotes before you buy.
Food truck prices: van vs trailer vs cart
| Unit | Used (typical estimate) | New or newly converted (typical estimate) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gazebo stall (3 × 3 m with kit) | £500–£2,000 | £1,000–£4,000 | Testing a menu at markets |
| Food cart or trike | £2,000–£6,000 | £3,000–£12,000 | Indoor venues, coffee, small menus |
| Catering trailer (8–16 ft) | £3,000–£15,000 | £10,000–£35,000 | Multi-day events, cheaper entry |
| Motorised food van / catering van | £8,000–£30,000 | £20,000–£80,000 | Daily roadside pitches, quick set-up |
| Large food truck (7.5 tonne, custom) | £25,000–£50,000 | £60,000–£100,000+ | High-volume festivals |
Typical estimates for 2026.
What changes the price
- Size and layout. Every extra foot of counter costs money, but it also speeds up service.
- Fuel and power. LPG cooking is cheaper to run than a big generator. All-electric units need hook-up power or a large battery system.
- Kit included. A "fully fitted" unit with fryers, griddle and fridges can save £5,000–£15,000 on buying kit separately.
- Age and emissions. Older diesel vans are cheaper but may pay daily clean air zone charges. London's ULEZ is £12.50 a day for non-compliant vehicles.
- Paperwork. A unit with a current gas safety certificate, electrical certificate and service history is worth more and saves you a pre-trade inspection.
- Vehicle weight. A car licence covers vans up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). Heavier vans need C1 entitlement. Most car licences also let you tow a trailer up to 3,500 kg MAM; heavier combinations need C1+E. Check before you buy.
Buy, build, lease or hire?
| Option | Upfront cost | Pros | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy used | Lowest for a ready unit | Trade quickly | Hidden gas, electric or rust problems; get it inspected |
| New conversion | Highest | Built for your menu, warranty | Build slots can take months in spring; get a firm date in writing |
| Self-build | Vehicle + materials | Cheapest custom layout | Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe engineer; resale is harder |
| Finance or lease | Deposit + monthly payments | Keeps cash for stock | Total cost is higher; check early-exit terms |
| Hire | £300–£900 a week (typical estimate) | Test the idea for a season | Availability in summer; you don't build equity |
Food truck equipment costs
If your unit isn't fully fitted, here's what the kit usually costs. Prices are typical estimates for new commercial equipment. Second-hand can be 30–60% cheaper.
| Equipment | Typical cost (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Twin-tank LPG fryer | £600–£2,500 |
| LPG griddle (flat top) | £500–£2,000 |
| Pizza oven (gas or wood-fired, mobile) | £1,500–£8,000 |
| Bain-marie or hot-holding cabinet | £250–£1,200 |
| Under-counter fridge (×2) | £800–£2,500 |
| Freezer | £300–£1,000 |
| Hot water heater and handwash unit | £300–£1,500 |
| Fresh and waste water tanks, pump | £150–£600 |
| Extraction canopy and fan | £800–£3,000 |
| Fire extinguishers, fire blanket | £100–£300 |
| Quiet inverter generator | £500–£3,000 |
| Card reader | £20–£100 |
| Probe thermometer, scales, smallwares | £100–£400 |
Compliance and paperwork costs
These are the bills most first-time owners forget.
| Item | Typical cost (estimate) | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Food business registration | Free | Once (re-register if you change things) |
| Gas safety inspection and certificate (mobile catering LPG) | £150–£400 | Usually yearly (events expect it) |
| Electrical inspection and PAT testing | £100–£300 | Yearly or as advised |
| Food hygiene course (Level 2, online) | £15–£40 per person | Refresh every 3 years is common practice |
| Public liability and product liability insurance | £150–£600 | Yearly |
| Business vehicle and equipment insurance | £400–£2,500 | Yearly |
| Street trading consent or licence | £0–£1,500+ | Usually yearly |
| Event documents (risk assessment, method statement, fire plan) | Your time, or £50–£200 for templates | Per event season |
Street trading fees vary hugely by council. For example, Elmbridge charges £1,091 for a mobile trader consent in 2026/27 (a £290 application fee plus an £801 issue fee). Some councils charge far less, and markets or private land may need no council consent at all. See our street trading licence guide for how it works.
Monthly running costs of a food truck
A worked example for a used van trading four days a week in summer. All figures are typical estimates.
| Monthly cost | Summer (estimate) | Winter (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and packaging (about 30% of ex-VAT sales) | £3,500 | £1,200 |
| Pitch fees (flat fees and % of takings) | £1,200 | £400 |
| LPG, fuel and generator fuel | £350 | £150 |
| Helper's wages (part-time, £12.71/hour) | £1,300 | £300 |
| Insurance (monthly share) | £120 | £120 |
| Vehicle tax, MOT and repairs reserve | £150 | £150 |
| Van finance or depreciation | £400 | £400 |
| Street trading consent (monthly share) | £80 | £80 |
| Phone, card fees, software, accountant | £250 | £120 |
| Total | £7,350 | £2,920 |
Your biggest variable costs are food and pitch fees. Your biggest fixed costs are the van and insurance, which you pay even when you're not trading.
How much do food vans make in the UK?
It depends on where you trade and how many days. Here's a per-day model for a burger van. Assumptions: VAT-registered (hot food is 20%), food and packaging at 30% of ex-VAT sales, card fees at about 1.7%. All figures are typical estimates.
| Per day | Quiet weekday (office park) | Busy weekend market | Festival day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meals sold | 50 | 120 | 350 |
| Average price inc VAT | £9.00 | £9.50 | £11.00 |
| Takings inc VAT | £450 | £1,140 | £3,850 |
| Takings ex VAT | £375 | £950 | £3,208 |
| Food and packaging | £113 | £285 | £962 |
| Pitch fee | £25 flat | £137 (12% of takings) | £770 (20% of takings) |
| Card fees | £8 | £19 | £65 |
| Gas, fuel, generator | £30 | £40 | £70 |
| Staff (helpers) | £0 (solo) | £110 | £305 |
| Profit before fixed costs | £199 | £359 | £1,036 |
Typical estimates. Festivals can also charge large flat fees up front, so a rained-off festival can lose money.
What does that mean over a month? Sixteen trading days at around £250 profit each is about £4,000. Take away fixed costs of about £1,000 (insurance, van, licence, phone), and you have roughly £3,000–£4,000 a month before tax in a good summer month. In winter, many vans trade two days a week or stop, and the fixed costs carry on.
Not VAT-registered yet? You only have to register once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling 12 months. Below that, you keep the full price, but plan for the jump in costs when you cross the threshold. See VAT on takeaway food.
How long to pay back a food truck?
Payback = start-up cost ÷ average monthly profit. A £25,000 set-up earning an average of £2,000 a month across the year pays back in about 12–13 months of trading. Because trade is seasonal, that's often two summers. Test your own numbers with our break-even calculator.
How to start a food truck with little or no money
You can't start with literally nothing, but you can start small:
- Start with a gazebo stall at a weekly market for around £3,000. Our market stall guide covers the set-up.
- Hire a van for one season before you buy.
- Buy a used trailer, not a van. You tow it with your own vehicle.
- Buy kit second-hand from reputable dealers, and get gas items checked.
- Take private bookings first. Weddings and parties pay a deposit up front, which funds your stock.
- Apply for a Start Up Loan (£500–£25,000, government-backed, fixed 7.5% a year, repaid over 1 to 5 years).
Ways to cut your food truck costs
- Keep the menu to 4–6 items. Less stock, less waste, faster service. Price each dish with the GP calculator.
- Share pitches and events with another trader to split fees.
- Use a QR code menu instead of reprinting boards when prices change. Our free QR code menu costs nothing.
- Take pre-orders at office parks and events. You prep the right amount and cut waste.
- Avoid paying commission on your own regulars. Delivery apps charge around 30% plus VAT on delivered orders.
CTA: take orders from the queue, not just the hatch. Menuthere gives your food truck a commission-free ordering page and free QR codes, so customers can order and collect when it's ready. Free covers up to 50 orders a month. Lite adds unlimited orders, card payments through your own Stripe account and scheduled pre-orders, for US$17 a month (billed in US dollars; your bank converts it). Create your free ordering page or see Menuthere for food trucks.
Food truck cost checklist
- Unit price and inspection (gas, electrics, chassis)
- Equipment list priced (or confirmed as included)
- Gas safety certificate and electrical checks budgeted
- Insurance quotes: public liability, vehicle, equipment, employers' liability if you hire
- Street trading fees for the councils where you'll trade
- Pitch fees for your first 10 events
- Opening stock, packaging and a cash float
- Three months of fixed costs as working capital
- Clean air zone charges checked for your van
FAQs
How much does a food truck cost in the UK?
As a typical estimate, a used food van costs £8,000–£30,000, a new van conversion £20,000–£80,000, and a catering trailer £3,000–£35,000. A gazebo stall can start from around £3,000 all in.
How much does a catering trailer cost?
Used catering trailers typically sell for £3,000–£15,000, and new fitted trailers for £10,000–£35,000. Size, kit and certificates make the biggest difference.
What are the monthly running costs of a food truck?
Fixed costs (insurance, van, licence, phone) are often £600–£1,500 a month. On top, ingredients are usually around 30% of sales, and pitch fees can be 10–30% of takings at markets and events. These are typical estimates.
How much do food vans make in the UK?
A quiet weekday pitch might make £150–£250 profit before fixed costs, a busy market day £300–£500, and a good festival day over £1,000. Summer months can earn about £3,000 before tax for a small van, but winter is much quieter.
Is a food truck cheaper than a restaurant?
Yes, usually much cheaper. A food van can start for £10,000–£40,000, while a restaurant often needs £150,000 or more to fit out. But a van earns less on quiet days and depends on the weather.
Can I hire a food truck instead of buying one?
Yes. Weekly hire is often £300–£900 (typical estimate), depending on size and season. Hiring for one summer is a good way to test the idea.
How much is a street trading licence for a food van?
It depends on the council. Fees range from free (some private sites and markets) to over £1,000 a year. For example, Elmbridge charges £1,091 for a mobile trader consent in 2026/27.
Do I pay VAT on food truck sales?
Only once you're VAT-registered. You must register when taxable turnover passes £90,000 in 12 months. Hot food is then 20%, and most cold takeaway food is 0%.
Sources (8)
- GOV.UK, Street trading licence (England and Wales), gov.uk/street-trading-licence (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- Elmbridge Borough Council, Street trading consent fees from 1 April 2026 (peripatetic £290 application + £801 issue), elmbridge.gov.uk (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- Transport for London, ULEZ daily charge (£12.50), tfl.gov.uk (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK, VAT registration threshold (£90,000), gov.uk/vat-registration (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (£12.71 from 1 April 2026) (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- NCASS, mobile catering resources and LPG safety guidance, ncass.org.uk (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK, Apply for a Start Up Loan (£500 to £25,000, fixed 7.5% a year, 1 to 5 years), gov.uk/apply-start-up-loan (accessed 11 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK, Towing with a car (trailers up to 3,500 kg MAM; C1+E for heavier combinations), gov.uk/towing-with-car (accessed 11 Oct 2026).