Western Pa. food trucks roll on despite inflation, supply shortages, gas hikes

While Ian Sayre enjoys connecting with patrons of his food truck at small events, he had to do away with attending them for now while increased grocery and gas prices cut into his profits.

Sayre sees Tin Shack BBQ as offering quality food at working-class prices, but skyrocketing costs have made that difficult to maintain. Based in the Greensburg area, he’s become choosy with events he will attend, opting for larger ones to pay the bills over more intimate gatherings.

“They just don’t cut it,” he said.

Food trucks around the country have been faced with tough decisions as rising food and gas prices throw a wrench into the mobile businesses with inflation hitting a 40-year high in June. Some have passed on price increases to customers, whereas others have absorbed what they can while staying on the road.

Food trucks have been increasing nationally and in Pennsylvania. There were nearly 6,000 licensed food truck establishments in the U.S. in 2018, almost double the amount five years earlier, according to Census data.

Consumer prices were 8.5% higher in July than in the same month in 2021, following a 9.1% year-over-year increase in June, according to the Associated Press. Grocery prices were 13% higher in July than the previous year.

Those behind the wheel of local food trucks have felt it. The amount Wok on Wheels pays for chicken has doubled and sometimes tripled, said Jessica Lieu, who co-owns the East Vandergrift-based truck with her husband, Mark. They’ve had to increase menu prices twice since 2020.

“With the high prices of food and gas … we really have to pick and choose what events (to attend) and how far we travel,” she said.

Shelby Brown of Main Squeeze, a raw, cold-pressed juice and smoothie truck based in Tarentum, said her biggest cost increase isn’t in food but plastic containers. Previously, a pack of bowls, cups and lids for both ran between $300 and $400. Now, the same pack, which lasts about a month, is $600.

“It’s what I call a ‘break-even season,’ ” she said.

The truck has been spotted in Tarentum, Lower Burrell and Cheswick this summer, and Brown said staying in the local area with events and spots she’s familiar with have been a priority.

“Now, I’m like I can’t take the risk of it not being profitable,” she said.

Mobile eateries that attend Concerts and Food Truck Thursdays in Jeannette typically sell out, said Carole Babish, president of the Jeannette Business Association. Usually there are four food trucks, plus local restaurants that set up booths and dessert options.

“The bands are what bring the people in, but the food trucks obviously add because it’s a great night out,” she said.

More food stories

• Back in business: Salad bars, buffets bounce back after pandemic restrictions
• Raising Cane's will open first Pittsburgh location in South Fayette
• Western Pa. dishes out Italian beef sandwiches featured on 'The Bear'

Food trucks have descended on Z&M Harley-Davidson in Hempfield during summer Tuesdays for the past few years, drawing a crowd of old and young customers. Sally and Merril McMahan of Hempfield are regular visitors to the weekly event and car cruise, which Sally said gives her a night off from cooking.

“It’s good here,” Sally said of the sandwich she purchased this week from L&I’s Food and Spirits of Penn. “We always buy the food … because I’m not cooking tonight.”

Gas prices have been easing a bit recently after hitting a national average of $5 a gallon in mid-June, according to AAA. The national average was $4.01 earlier this month, but that’s still about 75 cents a gallon more than in August 2021.

Terry Speal of Speal’s on Wheels, based in New Alexandria, said he never has a full tank of gas in the truck “just because it’s so expensive to do it.” He typically fills up with enough gas to get to or from an event.

The truck has been setting up at Speal’s Off Wheels near the intersection of routes 119 and 22, which opened in July and offers similar menu options but in a static location.

Sayre said he has had a great season despite the challenges. The barbecue truck regularly serves food outside the Shop ’n Save on Route 66 in Hempfield, just outside of Greensburg, and at Jeannette’s food truck night, among other events.

In addition to gas costs for the food truck, it’s become more expensive to drive a vehicle Sayre uses for grocery runs. And he’s also been plunking down more cash for meats such as chicken, pork and brisket. All of those factors have made it hard to keep prices reasonable.

“It’s just sad,” he said.