The global food truck market is on track to grow from $4.41 billion in 2025 to $6.46 billion by 2031, registering a 6.52% compound annual growth rate, according to new research from Mordor Intelligence. The findings carry direct implications for commercial kitchen equipment dealers and manufacturers supplying mobile foodservice operations — a segment that sits squarely at the intersection of compact cooking suites, ventilation, refrigeration, and power infrastructure.
Electric Fleets, New Specs
The shift toward all-electric food truck powertrains is accelerating, and it's forcing a parallel rethink of on-board equipment loads. As more municipalities expand EV charging infrastructure at event venues and commissary lots, operators are evaluating how cooking equipment draw — fryers, griddles, combi ovens — fits within battery capacity constraints. For equipment specifiers working on cooking-equipment selection for mobile kitchens, that means closer attention to induction-based platforms and energy-efficient appliances that minimize peak demand. The report notes that lower operating expenses and tightening urban emissions rules are the primary drivers pulling operators away from internal-combustion builds.
Franchise models are reshaping how new operators enter the market and, critically, how they source equipment. Established food truck franchise brands are bundling equipment packages, supplier networks, and operational playbooks into their agreements — compressing the timeline from concept to street service. Independent operators facing rising food and labor costs are increasingly drawn to these arrangements for the economies of scale they provide. For dealers and prep-and-storage equipment reps, franchise network accounts represent a high-volume channel where standardized equipment specifications can drive recurring orders across dozens or hundreds of units simultaneously.
Regional Demand Signals
North America — led by the United States — remains the dominant market, with ongoing licensing reform opening food truck activity in secondary and tertiary cities beyond traditional coastal hubs. That geographic spread creates demand for regional commissary infrastructure, cold chain solutions, and service networks capable of supporting mobile units far from major metros. Canada's multicultural urban centers sustain demand for diverse menu formats, though seasonal operating windows compress annual throughput for northern operators.
Asia-Pacific is flagged as the fastest-emerging growth region, underpinned by dense street-food culture across China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Organized vending parks, digital payment adoption, and local vehicle manufacturing are lowering the barrier to entry — and creating export opportunities for compact cooking and refrigeration equipment suppliers willing to navigate varied regulatory environments.
For equipment consultants and dealer-channel partners tracking mobile foodservice as a growth vertical, the Mordor data underscores a market in structural expansion rather than cyclical rebound. The combination of franchise-driven fleet standardization, EV adoption pressure, and geographic diversification points to sustained demand for purpose-built mobile kitchen equipment across vehicle classes — from sub-14-foot carts and vans to full-size trucks above 22 feet.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
