How many completed food-truck orders are needed to break even?
Startup Costs | Blank working worksheet | September 11, 2026
https://startup-costs.com/guides/food-truck-orders-and-break-even/

Result to produce: A whole-order service-window ceiling, annual completed volume, contribution per order, operating result and completed-order threshold for annual operating cash break-even.

Business and format:
Address or service area:
Prepared by:
Date:

BEFORE YOU START
Bring the exact menu, realized order basket, ingredient and packaging issue records, voids and refunds, paid preparation and service hours, service periods, bottleneck timing, truck downtime, base or commissary costs, insurance, fuel, maintenance and the selected owner-pay, debt, tax and replacement-capital boundary.

CALCULATION INPUTS
Service days per year (count):
Usable selling hours per service day (hours):
Whole-order ceiling per selling hour (orders/hour):
Completed orders to test per service day (orders/day):
Realized net revenue per completed order (USD):
Ingredients and packaging share of order revenue (%):
Payment-cost share of order revenue (%):
Annual direct wages for the complete paid crew (USD):
Employer allowance applied to direct wages (%):
Monthly base or commissary occupancy (USD):
Other monthly standing costs excluding maintenance (USD):
Monthly maintenance investment (USD):
Depreciable opening asset base (USD):
Straight-line depreciation months (count):

Use the guide calculator for formulas and results. Enter your own values and retain the evidence for each assumption.

DECISION RECORD
1. Order and menu boundary
Completed-order definition, items per order, realized price, discounts, refunds, tax and tip treatment
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

2. Service-period evidence
Location, permission, date, conditions, selling minutes, bottleneck timing, completed orders and stockouts
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

3. Variable cost
Ingredients issued, packaging, ordinary discard, fees and cost per completed order or applicable revenue share
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

4. Complete paid roster
Preparation, loading, travel, setup, service, close-down, return, cleaning, records and employer allowance
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

5. Standing cash boundary
Base or commissary, insurance, fuel, maintenance, software, marketing, permits and all included or excluded items
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

6. Decision
Capacity ceiling, tested demand, break-even orders, downside case and next action
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

DECISION RULES
If: Break-even exceeds tested completed demand
Action: Revise menu contribution, service periods, paid cost or commitment before increasing prepared stock.

If: Break-even exceeds a whole-order capacity ceiling
Action: Change the menu, station, crew, service window or cost boundary instead of treating the queue as deliverable volume.

If: The result depends on omitted owner work or close-down time
Action: Add that work to the paid roster and rerun the threshold before using the result.

YOUR DECISION
Next commitment:
Conditions still to resolve:
Decision and reason:
Next review date:

Sources and background:
U.S. Census Bureau: NAICS 722330 Mobile Food Services: https://www.census.gov/naics/?details=722330&input=722330&year=2022
U.S. Census Bureau: 2023 County Business Patterns: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2023/cbp23st.zip
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
IRS: state government websites: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/state-government-websites

This is a blank personal planning worksheet. Its completion is not an approval, a market estimate or a completed state research record.
The examples and calculator defaults on the guide are authored illustrations. Keep your own evidence and limitations with any result.
Financial information supports planning and education and is not personalized financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Results do not guarantee costs, revenue, profit or financing.