How much does a fully equipped food trailer cost? SDG Trailers publishes the price every recent build was built at, so this one has a real answer rather than a range copied off a forum. Across the 45 trailers currently listed in the food and concession line, prices run from $55,995 for a 20-foot concession trailer to $174,999 for a 48-foot triple-axle build. The median is $83,125. What moves a build up or down that ladder is not mainly the length. It is the cooking line, the hood and fire suppression, the refrigeration, the water system, and the generator that has to run all of it at once. This guide walks the cost stack layer by layer, shows what the published builds actually cost by size, and covers the soft costs and financing that decide how much capital you need before you serve a first customer.
Key takeaways
- SDG’s 45 published food and concession builds run $55,995 to $174,999, median $83,125.
- Equipment and power, not length, are usually the largest single drivers. Two 28-foot trailers on SDG’s own list were built at $75,125 and $124,995.
- Health-code items such as a three-compartment sink, a handwash sink, refrigeration, and cooking ventilation are baseline line items, not optional upgrades.
- A food trailer usually costs less to buy and maintain than a comparable food truck because it has no engine or drivetrain.
- Published prices are what each trailer was built at, and are a guide only. Every build is quoted individually on its final spec.
How Much Does a Fully Equipped Food Trailer Cost?
There is no single sticker price, and that is not a dodge, it is how custom fabrication works. But SDG does something most manufacturers do not: it lists what each recent trailer was built at, with the length, the generator, and the color beside it. That turns the cost question from guesswork into a ladder you can read.
Two numbers are worth separating before you use that list. The overall range on the page starts at $17,995, but that unit is a 5×10 refrigerated trailer, which is cold storage with no kitchen in it. If you need to cook and serve, the honest floor is $55,995, a 20-foot concession trailer. From there the published builds climb through the $70s and $80s for 24- to 26-foot units, into six figures once you pass 28 feet with a full cooking line, and up to $174,999 for the 48-foot triple-axle at the top of the list.
SDG builds its food and concession trailers from 18 to 48 feet, with most landing between 24 and 30, at 8.5 feet wide. Every one is fabricated at the shop at 2255 Industrial Blvd in Waycross, Georgia, and quoted from the equipment list rather than a catalog figure. The way to price your own concept is to build it in the 3D studio and request a quote.
What SDG’s own builds cost
Median price a build was built at, by trailer length
Longer trailers cost more, but the jump from one band to the next is driven by the equipment and power a longer floor lets you carry, not by the footage itself.
18 to 22 ft · 7 builds
$68,795
24 to 26 ft · 10 builds
$79,212
28 to 32 ft · 16 builds
$103,060
34 to 48 ft · 5 builds
$143,000
What a Fully Equipped Food Trailer Actually Includes
“Fully equipped” means the trailer can legally cook, hold, and serve food, and health inspectors decide what that requires. The FDA Food Code, a model that state, local, and tribal regulators adopt when writing their own rules, drives the equipment list on every compliant build. That is why a serious food trailer is priced as a stack of systems rather than a bare box:
- Trailer shell and chassis: the frame, axles, walls, floor, and door package sized to the load. Single axle through triple-axle gooseneck.
- Cooking line: griddles, fryers, ranges, or an Ole Hickory pit, installed and plumbed, under a stainless commercial hood with baffle filters and wet-chemical fire suppression.
- Cold storage: reach-in refrigeration and cold wells, or a walk-in cold space on the 40- to 48-foot gooseneck builds.
- Plumbing: a three-compartment sink plus a separate handwash sink, fresh and gray water tanks, and a water heater.
- Power: an onboard generator, sized to the cooking and climate load rather than the floor area. SDG fits Onan, Kubota, Honda, and Durawatt packages up to 21,000 watts, or a shore-power hookup with no generator at all.
- Service and finish: one to three serving windows under a gullwing awning that hinges up from the roof line, a stainless counter, interior lighting, and paint from the 14 factory colors or a matched wrap.
Each layer adds cost, and the ones tied to cooking and power add the most. For how these systems fit a given footprint, see our guide to food trailer size and layout.
The Biggest Cost Drivers in a Food-Trailer Build
The clearest evidence that equipment outweighs length sits in SDG’s own list. Among the published 28-foot builds, one was built at $75,125 and another at $124,995. Same footprint, $49,870 apart. The difference is what went inside. Here is how the major drivers compare:
| Cost driver | Pushes the price down | Pushes the price up |
|---|---|---|
| Length and axles | 18 to 26 ft bumper pull, single or tandem axle | 40 to 48 ft gooseneck, triple axle |
| Cooking line | Single griddle or fryer | Full line plus an Ole Hickory pit and a long hood |
| Fire suppression | Light cooking, small hood | Wet-chemical system over a long cook line |
| Refrigeration | One reach-in or cold well | Multiple units or a walk-in cold space |
| Power | Shore power only, or a 7,000-watt Honda | 21,000-watt Kubota running a full kitchen |
| Finish | Standard paint from the 14-color card | Full wrap and custom trim |
The pattern is consistent: the more you cook and the colder you need to hold product, the more equipment and power the build needs, and the higher the quote climbs. Send SDG the menu you intend to run and the equipment list follows from it.
Soft Costs Beyond the Trailer Itself
The trailer is the big number, but it is not the only one. The U.S. Small Business Administration recommends separating one-time startup costs from ongoing monthly expenses when you plan, and both apply to a mobile food business. Budget for:
- Permits and licenses: business registration, a mobile food permit, and a fire inspection, all of which vary by jurisdiction.
- Commissary and health compliance: many areas require a licensed commissary base, and inspectors hold you to the strictest code where you operate.
- Insurance: general liability plus coverage for the trailer and its equipment.
- Tow vehicle: a truck and hitch rated for the loaded weight, which on a triple-axle gooseneck is a serious requirement rather than a detail.
- Point of sale and payments: hardware, software, and processing fees.
None of these change the fabrication quote, but together they shape the capital you need before opening day. Our concession trailer buyer’s guide covers the permitting and commissary side in more detail.
Food Trailer vs. Food Truck: Which Costs Less to Own
When operators weigh a trailer against a truck, cost usually favors the trailer. A trailer has no engine, transmission, or drivetrain, so the up-front build is typically lower and there is far less to maintain and repair over the years. A trailer also separates the kitchen from the tow vehicle, so a mechanical problem in one does not sideline the other, and you can leave the trailer on a pitch and take the truck home. The trade-off is that you need a capable tow vehicle and somewhere to park a rig that may be 30 feet long. We break the decision down further in food trailer vs. food truck.
How to Finance a Fully Equipped Food Trailer
You do not have to pay for a fully equipped build in one lump sum. The SBA lists several ways to fund a business, from self-funding to bank loans, SBA-guaranteed loans, and investors, and a food trailer is a common use for financing because it is a productive, revenue-generating asset. SDG works the opposite way round from most sellers: you spec the exact trailer first, then finance the build you configured, through lending partners and lease-to-own options. The payment reflects your real equipment list rather than a generic package. Start on the financing page, or read our walkthrough of loans, leases, and payment options.
Get a Real Number for Your Own Build
A published price ladder tells you the shape of the market. It cannot tell you what your trailer costs, because your menu decides the cooking line, the cooking line decides the hood and the generator, and those decide most of the invoice. The fastest route to an accurate figure is to configure the build in the 3D studio, pick the length, the pit or the fryer line, the refrigeration and the generator, then send it over for a quote. SDG has been fabricating in Waycross, Georgia since 2001 and ships to all fifty states. You can also call (800) 380-9743 and talk the spec through. Smokers in particular have their own layout rules, covered on the BBQ trailers page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a fully equipped food trailer cost?
SDG Trailers publishes the price every recent build was built at. Across the 45 trailers currently listed in the food and concession line, the range runs from $55,995 for a 20-foot concession trailer to $174,999 for a 48-foot triple-axle build, with a median of $83,125. Where your own build lands depends on length, the cooking and refrigeration equipment you install, and the generator that has to run all of it at once. Every trailer is quoted individually on its final spec.
What is the cheapest fully equipped food trailer SDG has built recently?
The lowest-priced food build on the recent-builds list is a 20-foot concession trailer at $55,995. The list also shows a 5×10 refrigerated trailer at $17,995, but that unit is cold storage with no kitchen in it, so it is not a fair comparison for an operator who needs to cook and serve.
Is a food trailer cheaper than a food truck?
Usually, yes. A trailer has no engine or drivetrain, so both the purchase price and long-term maintenance tend to be lower than a comparable truck. You do need a tow vehicle rated for the loaded weight.
What equipment is required to pass a health inspection?
Requirements are set by your local jurisdiction using the FDA Food Code as a model, but a compliant build almost always needs a three-compartment sink, a separate handwash sink, adequate refrigeration, and proper cooking ventilation. Build to the strictest code in any area you plan to operate.
Can I finance a custom food trailer?
Yes. Financing and lease-to-own options are available through lending partners. Because SDG prices the build from your spec, you can configure the trailer first and then finance the exact unit you designed.
What sizes of food trailer does SDG build?
Recent builds run from 18 to 48 feet, with most landing between 24 and 30 feet. Width is typically 8.5 feet, and goosenecks add length over the truck bed. Every trailer is fabricated at 2255 Industrial Blvd, Waycross, Georgia, and shipped to all fifty states.