The Salary for a Taco Truck Chef
The late 2000s saw a noteworthy spike in the popularity of taco trucks. Spurred by a sluggish economy, these cheap moveable eateries went from the bottom of the food chain to legitimate business ventures in no time. Because each taco truck business is different, it's impossible to determine an “average” salary for a taco truck chef. Location, experience, menu and operating costs – among other factors – have a huge influence on earnings.
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Owners
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In many cases, truck owners also serve as taco chefs. Of course, chefs stand to make a much higher salary if they also own the truck; instead of a base wage, chef owners reap the profits of their business. Thomas DeGeest, food truck owner from Austin, says that a “good truck should make $1,000 a day (before expenses are subtracted).” At the very high end, lunch truck owner Joshua Henderson of Seattle grossed $400,000 in 2008, according to the “Wall Street Journal.” However, this is an exceptional case. As food truck owner Marvin Gapultos says, “don't open a food truck business expecting to make a million bucks.”
Employees
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Each taco truck owner determines the wages paid to her taco truck chefs. Any taco truck operating legally is a licensed business and must pay the state minimum wage. In California – perhaps the most prominent location for taco trucks – the minimum wage was $8.00 per hour at the time of publication. For part-time taco chefs earning minimum wage, this comes to about $8,000 per year, or about $16,000 for full-timers. New York taco truck chefs can expect to earn a minimum wage of at least $7.25 per hour. Roy Choi, owner of Korean-infused Kogi taco trucks in Los Angeles, says his truck managers earned an annual salary of $38,000 in 2009.
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Expenses
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Wyss Catering Trucks, a food truck manufacturer out of Sante Fe Springs, estimates the cost of a taco truck at $85,000 to $115,000 at the time of publication. Data from a 2010 MSNBC article puts a used taco truck at around $40,000. After the truck itself is paid for, taco truck owners must pay for licenses, permits, labor, insurance, fuel, supplies and parking. During the year, truck owners often have to make repairs or improvements to their trucks in response to mechanical needs or health department inspections.
Considerations
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In some cases, a taco truck chef might earn a low salary. Taco trucks often operate only at night or for limited hours, placing many taco truck chefs squarely in part-time territory. Scott Baitinger, owner of a very successful food truck in Milwaukee, says that as of 2010, he has no plans to leave his regular day job.
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References
- “The Wall Street Journal”; Food Truck Nation; Katy McLaughlin; June 2009
- MSNBC; How to Open a Successful Food Truck; Christine Lagorio; June 2010
- United States Department of Labor: Minimum Wage Laws in the States – January 1, 2011
- “The Wall Street Journal”; The King of the Streets Moves Indoors; Katy McLaughlin; January 2010
- Serious Eats; Behind the Scenes with a Food Trucker...; Marvin Gapultos; September 2010
- American Express Open Forum; Food Truck Envy...; Elaine Pofeldt; October 2010
Resources
- Photo Credit Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
