How much propane does a food truck use?
Short answer
A typical food truck uses 10 to 45 lb of propane in an 8-hour day. Add up the BTU/h rating of your gas appliances, multiply by hours open and by how hard the burners actually run (30 to 50% for a steady service), and divide by 21,548 BTU per pound. A burger truck with a griddle and twin fryers is rated 300,000 BTU/h and burns about 44.6 lb a day, so one 100 lb cylinder lasts about 18 hours of service.
Last reviewed by the Trailer3D editorial team. Uses the same equipment data and checks as our 3D studio.
Burners rarely run flat out: a griddle cycles, a fryer idles between baskets. 30 to 50% is typical for a steady lunch service; use more for a non-stop rush.
The formula
Pounds per day = total BTU/h × hours open × burner use ÷ 21,548. One gallon of propane holds about 91,502 BTU and weighs 4.24 lb, so a 20 lb cylinder holds about 4.7 gal and a 100 lb cylinder about 23.6 gal.
Burner use is the share of the day the burners actually fire. Thermostatic griddles and fryers cycle on and off once they are hot; a wok or charbroiler on full for a rush can be near 100%.
Sizing the tanks
Carry enough for a full day plus a margin, so you never swap cylinders mid-service. Two cylinders on a manifold let you run one while the other is the reserve.
In cold weather a small cylinder can struggle to vaporise propane fast enough for a big cook line, and the flame drops. If your appliances total more than about 200,000 BTU/h, prefer 100 lb cylinders over 20 or 30 lb ones and ask your builder about the regulator size.
How much propane you may carry, and where the cylinders must sit, is set by NFPA 58 and your fire marshal. Most food trailers keep cylinders outside on the tongue, never inside the kitchen.
Worked examples
| Menu | Gas appliances (BTU/h) | Propane per day | 100 lb cylinder lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacos | 195,000 | 29 lb | 28 h |
| BBQ | 230,000 | 34.2 lb | 23 h |
| Pizza | 80,000 | 11.9 lb | 67 h |
| Burgers | 300,000 | 44.6 lb | 18 h |
| Gyro | 195,000 | 29 lb | 28 h |
| Wok | 295,000 | 43.8 lb | 18 h |
| Ice cream | None | None | None |
| Smoothies | None | None | None |
| Coffee | None | None | None |
| Breakfast | 90,000 | 13.4 lb | 60 h |
Menus use the equipment our studio places for that menu (see menu benchmarks). Estimates for planning, not engineering approval: your builder, health department and fire marshal have the final word.
Questions
How long does a 20 lb propane tank last on a griddle?
A 36 in griddle is rated about 90,000 BTU/h. At 40% use it burns about 1.7 lb an hour, so a 20 lb cylinder lasts roughly 12 hours of service; at full fire, about 5 hours.
Is it cheaper to run a food truck on propane or electric?
Propane is usually cheaper per unit of heat and does not need a big generator, which is why most hot lines are gas. Electric makes sense for small loads and where events forbid open flame.
Can I refill tanks on the truck?
Usually not: most suppliers exchange or fill cylinders at the station. Plan your daily use so you only swap at the commissary.
Sources and assumptions
- Propane energy content: 91,502 BTU/gal and 21,548 BTU/lb (US Energy Information Administration; NFPA 58 handbook)
- Appliance BTU ratings: Trailer3D studio catalogue, from manufacturer spec sheets
- Cylinder storage on mobile units: NFPA 58, Chapter 16 and local fire marshal rules