JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rising gas prices are squeezing Jacksonville food truck owners, forcing some to raise prices, rework their menus, and rethink where they park.
Two Jacksonville vendors talked about how they’re navigating the financial pressure — and what it could mean for your next meal on the go.
Steven Holmes, owner of At This Point Let’s Eat food truck, said the costs hit from the moment he opens for business.
“Every time we open this window, it costs us,” Holmes said. “Whether we get one customer, we get 100 customers. It costs us because you got propane burning, you got gas to get to where you’re going and you got a generator running.”
Holmes said he’s now spending between $700 and $800 a month on gas — nearly double what he paid before prices climbed.
“Good, four to five. It’s definitely doubled,” he said.
Jeff Lavender, owner of Gumbo Man Food Truck, said high fuel costs are limiting where he can take his business.
“It’s hurting my business a lot because I’m not able to go to the places that I would like to go,” Lavender said. “It’s just holding me back because like the other day I paid over $100 just to fill up my truck.”
According to AAA, Florida gas prices are running higher than the national average — sitting at $4.18 for regular and $5.81 for diesel.
To cope, Lavender said he’s had to gradually raise his prices.
“I had to go up on prices, but not to the — you just ease up a little bit at a time,” he said. “You don’t want to hurt the people and you don’t want to run your business off.”
Holmes said his operation is trying a different approach — adjusting the menu rather than passing the full cost to customers.
“We’re not necessarily going up, but we try to play with the menu a little bit so that we don’t have to put the cost on the customer as much,” Holmes said. “But sometimes you have no choice.”
If gas prices continue to rise, Lavender said vendors will have to make even tougher calls — including cutting premium ingredients.
“You just got to figure it out as you go,” he said. “Sometimes you have to cut back on your high-end meats. Like I do oxtails and things of that nature, my gumbo. I hate — I’m not going to cut back on my gumbo because I’m the Gumbo Man.”
Holmes said community support can make a real difference for small businesses trying to stay afloat.
“The more they help us advertise, the more we can open,” Holmes said. “Tell a friend and tell a friend — it don’t hurt to share a post here and there because it helps small businesses. The gas prices are really affecting small businesses.”