Local food trucks trying to survive amid rising gas prices

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - “It has significantly impacted the business.”

South Cow Food Truck owner, Patrick McKinney, says typically it would cost about $50 to fill up his truck.

“Of course we drive daily. We use gas for the generators so I immediately saw an increase in our weekly spending and it’s been rough,” McKinney said.

Now, he’s spending up to $100 to fill up his truck, which he drives daily. And for his generator, that cost rose from $10 to $30 to fill it up.

“I know, myself personally, ten to fifteen dollars a day is what the increase I saw and that’s daily with us traveling sometimes 4,6,7 times a week. So, it can add up,” McKinney said.

Many food truck owners around the world have been increasing the price of their menu items to help cover the rising gas prices. McKinney, however, has chosen not to. He says he doesn’t want to see the impact on his customers.

“What I’m going to do is just continue to serve my customers and not pass off any of this to my customers because they’re already kind of impacted by this themselves. So, that would be like double impact if I charge them more, and then they’re already getting charged more to go to work and do what they’ve got to do. So, I’m just kind of bearing through it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair because everyone’s impacted. So, you shouldn’t have to pay more to get to work, to pick your kids up from daycare, etc. and then have to pay more to get food from me. So, I’ve decided I’m not going to pass that on to the customers, we’re just going to deal with it and at some point it’ll get back to normal, if not then this will be the new normal. We’re use to normal changing so we can adapt and grow and be ok.”

South Cow runs one generator, but many other larger trucks run up to four generators while running.

“My food truck, I created out of an old Chevy van so I couldn’t compare what gas prices are to like say for instance Lady Bugs or Empanadas who has a gigantic truck, who was already probably having passes fuel bills.”

Average prices of unleaded self-service gasoline in Bowling Green is $3.945 per gallon.

“If we didn’t have gas, if all the sudden there was a complete shut off of gas, if I couldn’t propane then I would be freaking out, but as far as right now, I’m just glad the skies are shining, the summer is fixing to be on us, and I think we’re going to be ok.”

McKinney and his business are just getting by day-today, hoping to soon see a light at the end of the tunnel.

“A lot of times I find myself putting just enough in hoping it might be the next time just a little bit better,” he said.

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