Rising fuel costs forcing Long Island food truck owners to tweak menus, enforce event fees

Alan Pollack spends Friday nights waking up every two hours to add firewood to his massive meat smoker so his signature brisket will be ready Saturdays to feed hungry Long Islanders visiting his food truck.

But over the past few months, Pollack, who runs Land and Sea Smokehouse, said the cost of fueling his truck and powering his grill jumped by about 50%, as the price of diesel and gas have risen amid the U.S. war with Iran.

Food truck owners use gas, diesel and propane to power their generators and to travel across Long Island. Higher fuel prices, some say, are forcing them to take measures to stem operating costs, including repurposing leftover food, limiting menu options, enforcing travel fees and considering hiking prices.

"It's a struggle," Pollack said. "Unfortunately, at some point I'm going to have to raise prices."

One owner said he would weigh closing if prices rise further.

On Long Island and nationwide, rising gas prices have strained operators, who already face higher food, labor and insurance costs, said Ben Goldberg, the co-founder and president of the New York Food Truck Association.

Allan Pollack serves customers from his food truck, Land and Sea Smokehouse.

At least 445 food trucks operated in New York State in 2024, making up less than 1% of the state's restaurant industry, according to data from the state Comptroller's Office. Just under 60 food trucks operated on Long Island as of 2024, though state data likely undercounts the number of local trucks.

Long Island's food trucks are a core part of food culture on the Island and run on tight budgets, said Stacey Sikes, acting president and CEO of the Long Island Association, the region's business group.

"Food trucks on Long Island are typically very small businesses that operate on extremely tight margins and have a low cost product," Sikes said. "If there is one particular cost driver that increases at a rate that they didn't forecast, that could have a crushing impact on their business."

Gas prices are one of those unexpected costs. The average price of regular gas on Long Island has risen by nearly $1 to almost $4 per gallon since the war began in February. Diesel prices have increased by nearly $2 per gallon at the same time.

And those expenses come on top of existing operating costs, which include permits, payroll, food and maintenance. A new food truck can cost $175,000, and older models go for at least $75,000, Goldberg said. Plus, auto insurance can range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year, depending on the policy, he added.

Higher gas prices add to those challenges.

"It's definitely a hit," Goldberg said. "Trucks try not to raise their prices unless they really have to, because they want to be as competitive with restaurants as possible."

'Still a little frustrating'

Pollack smokes his Texas-style brisket with oak, cherry, maple and hickory wood that burns for 18 hours on the back of his 30-foot trailer. But the rest of his rig runs on gas and diesel.

He usually drives about 5 miles to Olish Farms in Eastport on Saturdays, where Pollack sells brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, sides and more to about 60 customers. Menu prices range from $3 to $26. But if he has an event, his work can take him to Westhampton Beach, Cutchogue or Smithtown.

With diesel hovering at just under $6 a gallon, Pollack said it costs around $177 to fill up the 30-gallon tank on his truck, which he uses to transport the trailer. That's a roughly 50% price increase from what he said it cost before the war. 

Pollack also spends around $22 per day on premium gas to power his generator, which runs his refrigerator, lighting and warming cabinet to keep his meals warm before serving. 

Those numbers might seem small, but Pollack said his business runs on tight margins. He spends about $1,500 a week on meat and supplies and brings in about $2,500 in sales, before he accounts for his own labor and other expenses.

The higher cost of gas means he has to carefully consider doing far away events because of the added travel expenses, he said. He's also tried to repurpose leftover ingredients, such as adding pork to his baked beans side, so he's getting the most revenue out of his recipes, he said.

Pollack's truck is part side hustle, part retirement plan — the 47-year-old works in IT for the Town of Brookhaven during the week. Still, he said he's frustrated by the higher cost of gas and meat. 

"It's definitely a labor of love," Pollack said. "I don't need to rely on the food truck for my livelihood. But on the flip side, it is still a little frustrating, because I'm putting in 24 hours in a day, and I'm not bringing in too much."

Gas prices likely to remain high

Gas prices have dropped slightly amid a shaky ceasefire deal with Iran, but they're likely to remain elevated for months as the Middle East rebuilds its production facilities, said Robert Sinclair Jr., senior manager of public affairs for AAA Northeast.

"It'll take months, if not years, to repair those facilities," Sinclair said.

Steve Heller, owner of Frodo's Franks, said gas prices have already hiked the cost of making his 11-mile commute from his home in Blue Point to his post on Nesconset Highway, where he sees 25 to 50 customers per day. Heller declined to share his profit margins.

Heller gets his gas at Costco, which offers slightly cheaper prices than other retailers. Still, he said it costs around $120 to fill up his 30-gallon tank when regular gas hovers around $4 per gallon. That's up from about $84, when gas cost $2.86 a gallon before the war began.

He said he feared that higher food and gas costs could force him to raise the price of his hot dogs or even close because of rising expenses.

"It's certainly something that I'm thinking about," Heller said.

Cutting costs, enforcing fees

Jim Serpico, who owns Serpico's Bread Co. and a traveling pizza truck, said the higher price of gas has caused him to enforce an event fee.

Serpico typically charges around $250 to $400 to serve at events across Long Island and will offer a more limited food menu for some functions, which helps offset his travel and food preparation costs. He estimates he spends around $325 per week on gas and propane for his generator. Last year, his weekly spending hovered around $250.

He said he usually takes home about $800 to $1,500 per public event in gross profit, but that doesn't account for wages he pays his staff, fuel costs and his own labor. But for private events, he can take home up to $7,500, depending on the size.

"The cost of gas cuts into our profit margin for sure," Serpico said. "There's really not enough left over to make it worth my time to go out to some of these events," so he's choosing to do fewer events this year.

Jim Serpico serves pizzas from his food truck, Serpico's Bread Co.

‘You have to have the skill'

Established food trucks have to grapple the rising costs of food, labor and auto insurance, and need to navigate local parking requirements and unpredictable weather, Goldberg said. Their net profit tends to range between 15% and 20%, though those who sell at private events tend to make more money, he added.

Plus, food trucks need to secure permits from county health departments and meet varying permit requirements from towns and fire marshals, said Ed Graham, who runs the Long Island Food Trucks network. For example, the Town of Islip requires food trucks to secure a "peddler" permit to sell food at a fixed location, Newsday reported.

“They’re paying for permits everywhere they go,” Graham said, adding that permit fees are a "much bigger cost" than higher gas prices.

But a food truck can also be the starting point for businesses to expand to traditional retail, Goldberg said. 

That's exactly what Max Carballo, the owner of Taquero Mucho, plans to do. 

The 36-year-old, who sells tacos and other Northern Mexican fare out of his truck, said he hopes to grow his business from two locations in Bay Shore and Brentwood to a restaurant space. 

Even with the higher price of premium gas, which Carballo uses to power his generators, he remains bullish on Long Island's food truck industry.

"People know food trucks because they always find the best food on food trucks," Carballo said. "In order to be in that lane, you have to have the skill."