Food truck menu price calculator
Free · no signup · price any menu item from its plate cost
Price too low and every busy service loses money. Price too high and the line walks. Enter what one plate costs you to make and the food cost percentage you aim for, and get the menu price, a rounded price that reads well on a board, and your profit per plate.
How the calculator works
The standard rule is menu price = plate cost ÷ target food cost %. A $3.20 plate at a 30% target is $10.67. Most trucks land between 28% and 35%, because rent is low but fuel, commissary and event fees are not.
- Plate cost is every ingredient in one portion plus the box, foil, cup or napkins. Weigh a real portion, don't guess.
- Card fees come off the top. If a delivery app takes 25%, price that channel separately.
- Rounding: prices ending in .00 or .50 read faster on a board and speed up the line; the calculator rounds up to the nearest $0.50.
Quick reference (30% food cost, 3% card fee)
| Plate cost | Menu price | Board price | Profit / plate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 | $6.67 | $7.00 | $4.79 |
| $3.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $6.70 |
| $4.00 | $13.33 | $13.50 | $9.10 |
| $5.00 | $16.67 | $17.00 | $11.49 |
*Board price minus plate cost minus card fee, before labor, fuel and fees.
Prices change with ingredient costs. If you reprice often, see the free menu board font size calculator and food truck menu ideas.
Change prices without reprinting. MenuDecal makes custom QR menu decals for food trucks: one 8x10 in window decal plus four 3x4 in counter decals, on outdoor-rated vinyl, linked to a menu page you can update any time. See a sample menu page or get notified when orders open.