What Size Generator for a Food Truck?
Get this wrong and you trip out mid-service with a queue out the door. Here's how to size a generator for a food truck properly, so it just runs all day.
List everything that runs at once
Write down each appliance and its running watts: fridge, freezer, coffee machine, grill or bain-marie, fryer, lights, EFTPOS and phone. A busy truck often lands between 3,000 and 6,000 running watts once it's all going.
The surge that trips people up
Fridges, freezers and anything with a motor pull two to three times their normal watts for a split second when they kick in. Size for your running total plus the biggest single start-up surge, or the generator cuts out at the worst moment. Our size calculator works this out for you.
Quiet is not optional
Customers do not want to shout their order over a roaring motor. Honda inverter units run clean and quiet, which is why they suit trucks parked next to seating. Read more on generator noise levels.
Typical picks
- Honda EU32i (3.2 kVA), a simple cart or small truck: coffee, lights, till and a small fridge.
- Honda EU70is (7 kVA), the workhorse for a full food truck running a grill, fryer, fridge and lights together.
Not sure? Tell us your gear and we'll match it. See event and market hire or get a quick quote.
FAQs
What size generator runs a coffee cart?
A single espresso machine pulls roughly 1,500 to 2,000 watts and surges higher on start-up. A 3.2 kVA inverter handles a simple cart with a grinder and lights. Add a fridge and you're safer on a 7 kVA.
Can one generator run a whole food truck?
Yes, if it's sized right. Most trucks run happily on a 7 kVA inverter. Heavy electric cooking on top may need a bigger unit, so tell us your appliance list and we'll confirm.
Need power sorted?
Tell us the job, we'll recommend the right unit and get you a price fast.