Size guide
What size food trailer do you actually need?
Most people over-buy or under-buy by one size. Both are expensive. Here's how we work it out — starting from your menu and your crew, not from a price list.
- Sized from your menu and peak-hour volume, not from a catalogue
- Real trade-offs at each length, including the ones nobody mentions
- Tow-vehicle and parking reality checks before you commit
No obligation. No credit pull to get a quote. We answer in one business day or we call you.
Start with the rush, not the length
The question isn't "how much space do I want." It's "what has to happen simultaneously at 7:15pm on a Friday." Work through these four and the length falls out on its own:
- How many people are inside during a rush? Two people need about four feet of clear walkway between stations or they'll collide all night. This is the single biggest driver.
- What's the largest piece of cooking equipment? A 48-inch plancha, a six-burner range, an offset smoker — each one sets a hard minimum before you've added a single sink.
- How much cold and dry storage does a full service day need? If you're restocking mid-shift you've bought too small, and mid-shift restocking is what kills a Saturday.
- What's your largest pot or pan? This sets the three-compartment sink, and the sink sets a surprising amount of the wall. Tell your builder this number before the layout is drawn.
| Length | Crew | Typical build | Good for | The trade-off nobody mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft | 1–2 | Plancha or flat-top, single fryer, small hood, compact 3-comp sink | Coffee, raspas, funnel cake, elote, a tight taco program | Almost no dry storage. If your menu grows you will outgrow it within a year. |
| 14 ft | 2 | Full plancha, two-basket fryer, prep cooler, full-size sinks | Taco, birria, burger and torta programs | Sink sizing gets tight if you use big stockpots — say so before the layout is drawn. |
| 16 ft | 2–3 | Full cook line, hood with suppression, fryer bank, prep and cold storage | The default. Most people should buy this size. | Nothing much. It's the size where the layout stops making you choose. |
| 18 ft | 3 | Extended cook line, larger fryer bank, more cold storage | Mariscos, pizza, high-volume taco, three people working | Weight. Check what your tow vehicle is actually rated for, not what it feels like. |
| 20 ft+ | 3–4 | Onboard smoker or heavy equipment, generator bay, extra tankage | BBQ, festival and event rigs, catering operations | Parking. Some city spots, brewery lots and trailer parks simply won't take it. |
The two expensive mistakes
Buying too small to save money. The gap between a 14 and a 16 is real money, and it's tempting. But you cannot add two feet later. If your menu has any chance of growing, or you might put a second person on the line, buy the 16. People who go small almost always sell within two years and buy again — which costs far more than the upgrade would have.
Buying too big because it feels safer. A 20-footer is heavier to tow, harder to park, costs more to insure, uses more propane, and gets turned away from spots that would have taken a 16. If you don't have a smoker or three people on the line, you're paying for square footage you're walking past.
What we'll do
Send us your menu — the actual menu, not the category — and tell us how many people will be inside during a rush. We'll come back with a size recommendation and a drawn floor plan, free, before you've committed to anything. If the answer is "you need less trailer than you think," we'll say that too.
Start selling before you finish paying.
Tell us what you're going to sell and we'll send back a floor plan and a weekly payment — no obligation, no credit pull.