Diesel Prices Have Strained Colorado Food Trucks
Rising fuel costs have forced Colorado food truck owners to rethink their weekly operations.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Trucks
Live Poll
Do you worry that rising fuel costs will force local small businesses to increase their prices?
The average cost of diesel in Colorado has climbed to $6.04 per gallon, creating a significant financial burden for local food truck businesses. Operators who rely on diesel-powered vehicles to travel between locations are now seeing fuel expenses cut deeply into their weekly budgets.
Why it matters
Diesel fuel represents a major operating expense for mobile kitchens that must travel to serve customers, and the current price level directly impacts business viability. As costs rise, owners are being forced to adapt their logistics to manage the higher overhead required to keep their businesses on the road.
Diesel prices have reached $6.04 per gallon, with some operators like Johnny Boy Eatz spending $900 weekly on fuel alone. This represents the total cost across three fill-ups per week at $300 each, though the impact varies by the distance traveled for individual business models.
The players
Machetes Gourmet
A food truck business known for 20-inch tortillas that has been operating since 2020.
Johnny Boy Eatz
A mobile food vendor established in 2021 that faces significant weekly fuel expenses.
The details
Food truck owners typically pull their mobile kitchens using diesel-powered vehicles, making them highly sensitive to fuel market fluctuations. To mitigate these expenses, some operators have begun using gasoline-powered generators rather than diesel units for their onboard kitchen equipment. The business model relies on constant travel across the state, which ties daily revenue directly to current pump prices.
Timeline
Machetes Gourmet opened their doors in 2020.
Johnny Boy Eatz began operations in 2021.
Record high diesel prices were recorded in September 2026.
The Home Front
This development follows a long-standing pattern where spikes in fuel costs disproportionately affect independent, logistics-heavy small businesses. It highlights the vulnerability of mobile-based service industries to regional price fluctuations.
If you are planning to hire a food truck for a private event, expect to see potential shifts in pricing as vendors navigate rising fuel overheads. It is worth confirming with your chosen vendor whether they have adjusted their travel fees to account for the current price per gallon.
The takeaway
Small business owners continue to adapt to fuel-price volatility by adjusting their equipment and travel routes. Track local fuel trends closely if you operate a business that relies on daily, long-distance diesel travel.
Further reading
Learn more about the business of mobile commerce in our Trucks section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
Live Poll
Do you worry that rising fuel costs will force local small businesses to increase their prices?
