The menu you pick decides more than what’s on the sign. It sets your food cost, how fast the line moves, how much equipment you need, and how big your trailer has to be.
The good news? Some of the most popular fair and festival foods are also some of the cheapest to make. Below are 10 proven sellers, with real food cost numbers from industry sources, typical price ranges, and the trailer setup each one needs.
One quick note before we start. Food cost percentage is the share of your selling price that goes to ingredients and packaging. It does not include labor, fuel, booth fees or permits, so treat these numbers as a starting point and run your own math with local prices.
1. Coffee and Specialty Drinks
Coffee is the ultimate habit purchase. People buy it every day, often more than once, and they’ll walk past three food vendors to find a good latte.
- Food cost: Specialty coffee drinks commonly run an 18% to 24% pour cost, including milk, cups and lids.
- Selling price: Lattes often sell for $5.50 to $6.50.
- Setup: Espresso machine, grinder, refrigeration for milk, a solid water system and plenty of electrical capacity. Our coffee trailers are built around exactly this kind of layout.
2. Lemonade
Fresh lemonade is a hot weather money maker, and the smell of cut lemons pulls people in.
- Food cost: A 24 oz cup costs about $1.10 in lemons, sugar, cup and ice, or roughly 22% of a $5 sale.
- Selling price: About $5 to $6 for 24 oz and $7 to $8 for 32 oz, according to the same pricing guide.
- Setup: Juicer, ice storage, sinks and a big serving window. It pairs well with almost any food menu as an add-on.
3. Shaved Ice and Snow Cones
Shaved ice is mostly frozen water and flavored syrup, which makes it one of the lowest cost treats you can sell.
- Food cost: WebstaurantStore breaks down a 6 oz snow cone at about 15 cents and a 12 oz shaved ice at about 37 cents. Southern Snow puts its 12 oz snowball at about 10% COGS.
- Selling price: Basic servings often sell for $3 to $4, with premium flavors at $4.50 to $6.
- Setup: Commercial ice shaver, freezer space, a syrup station and a fast service window. This concept fits nicely in a compact concession trailer.
4. Cotton Candy
Cotton candy might be the best food cost story in the business.
- Food cost: Floss sugar and a paper cone run about 10 to 13 cents per serving, around 2% of a $6 sale.
- Selling price: Fresh servings sell for roughly $4 to $8 at fairs and entertainment venues.
- Setup: A cotton candy machine, dry storage and a dedicated electrical circuit. It’s an easy add-on to a kettle corn or snow cone menu.
5. Kettle Corn and Popcorn
Kettle corn sells itself. The sound and smell of a popping kettle draws a crowd, and the raw ingredients store well for a long time.
- Food cost: One kettle maker reports cost of goods (corn, oil, sugar, bags, propane) at about 10% to 12% of gross sales.
- Selling price: Large bags commonly sell for $5 to $7.
- Setup: A kettle corn popper (often propane), a sifting and bagging station, good ventilation and dry storage. See our kettle corn trailers.
6. Funnel Cakes
Funnel cakes are a fair classic, and toppings let you push the ticket higher with very little extra cost.
- Food cost: Gold Medal Products puts raw ingredients at about $1.00 per serving, and other vendors estimate around 50 cents for a medium cake. That works out to roughly 5% to 20% of a $5 to $10 sale.
- Selling price: Often $5 to $10, with fruit and whipped cream toppings at the high end.
- Setup: Funnel cake fryer, exhaust hood, fire suppression and a topping station. Our funnel cake trailers can be built around your fryer.
7. Mini Donuts
Hot mini donuts made right in front of the customer are hard to walk past.
- Food cost: Estimates vary. One industry writer puts it near $3 to $4 per dozen against a $6 sale, while equipment maker Lil’ Orbits shows an example with ingredients and bags at about 5% of sales. Either way, margins are strong.
- Selling price: Around $6 per dozen is a common baseline.
- Setup: Automatic mini donut machine, hood and fire suppression, refrigeration for toppings and a bagging counter. Check out our donut trailers.
8. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are fast, familiar and easy to train staff on.
- Food cost: Hot dog operators often aim for 25% to 30% food cost.
- Selling price: About $3 to $4 for a basic dog and around $5 for a combo.
- Setup: Roller grill or steamer, bun warmer, refrigeration and a condiment station. Specialty toppings (chili, slaw, cheese) raise your ticket. See our hot dog trailers.
9. Tacos
Tacos let you build a real meal menu with great flexibility on proteins and toppings.
- Food cost: Food trucks generally target 28% to 35%. One sample carne asada taco costs about $1.86 to make, which points to a menu price near $6.
- Selling price: Varies a lot by market and protein, so check what local trucks charge.
- Setup: Flat top griddle, steam table, refrigeration, prep space, hood and fire suppression. Our taco trailers are laid out for this kind of line.
10. BBQ
BBQ has a higher food cost than sweets, but it also commands a much bigger ticket and a loyal following.
- Food cost: The usual target for a BBQ truck is 28% to 35%, with brisket on the higher end and sides much lower.
- Selling price: A pulled pork sandwich with a $3.50 plate cost works out to about $11.75 to $12 at a 30% target.
- Setup: A smoker (often on a porch), warming cabinets, refrigeration and prep space. BBQ usually needs one of our longer floor plans. Browse our BBQ trailers.
How to Choose the Right Menu for Your Trailer
High margins on paper only matter if you can sell volume where you set up. Here’s how to narrow it down.
Match Your Local Events
Look at the fairs, festivals, ballgames, markets and farm events near you. Sweets and snacks do great at big crowds with short visits. Full meals like BBQ and tacos shine at longer events, breweries and lunch spots.
Check Permits Early
Rules vary by state, county and city. Call your local health department and fire marshal before you finalize your menu, since fryers and open flame often bring extra requirements like hoods and fire suppression.
Favor Low Waste Ingredients
Shelf stable items like popcorn kernels, floss sugar, donut mix and syrup keep well, so a slow day doesn’t mean tossing product. Fresh proteins and dairy need tighter planning.
Plan for Holiday Market Season
Fall and winter markets are happening now. Hot coffee, cocoa, kettle corn, mini donuts and funnel cakes all fit the season, and kettle corn bags make great take home gifts. A cold weather menu can keep your trailer earning after summer fair season ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most profitable concession food?
By food cost, cotton candy, shaved ice and kettle corn are hard to beat, often landing in the single digits to low teens as a percentage of the selling price. Your actual profit still depends on volume, labor and event fees.
What size concession trailer do I need?
It depends on your equipment. Our floor plans run from 8.5×16 up to 8.5×42, with Econo, Mid-Range and Deluxe designs. Single item snack menus can work in a compact plan, while BBQ and full meal menus usually need more room. See our floor plans.
Can I finance a concession trailer?
Yes. Renown offers financing and rent to own options, so you can get on the road and let your trailer start earning sooner.
Do you deliver outside Georgia?
Yes. We’re based in Douglas, Georgia, and we offer delivery nationwide through vetted, professional drivers.
Ready to Build Your Concession Trailer?
Renown Cargo Trailers sells new concession and food trailers built in the USA, customized around the menu you want to sell. Financing and rent to own are available, and we deliver nationwide.
Tell us what you plan to serve and we’ll help you design the right setup.
- Call: 888-287-3954
- Text: 912-325-3578
- Email: quotes@renowncargotrailers.com
- Messenger: https://m.me/1536682019781890