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.
Get a floor plan and a weekly price.
Tell us what you're going to sell and we'll send both back, with no obligation and no credit pull.