JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Rising gas prices are squeezing Jacksonville food truck owners, forcing some to raise prices, rework their menus, and rethink where they park.<\/p>\n
Two Jacksonville vendors talked about how they\u2019re navigating the financial pressure \u2014 and what it could mean for your next meal on the go.<\/p>\n
Steven Holmes, owner of At This Point Let\u2019s Eat food truck, said the costs hit from the moment he opens for business.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time we open this window, it costs us,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cWhether we get one customer, we get 100 customers. It costs us because you got propane burning, you got gas to get to where you\u2019re going and you got a generator running.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holmes said he\u2019s now spending between $700 and $800 a month on gas \u2014 nearly double what he paid before prices climbed.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood, four to five. It\u2019s definitely doubled,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jeff Lavender, owner of Gumbo Man Food Truck, said high fuel costs are limiting where he can take his business.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hurting my business a lot because I\u2019m not able to go to the places that I would like to go,\u201d Lavender said. \u201cIt\u2019s just holding me back because like the other day I paid over $100 just to fill up my truck.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to AAA, Florida gas prices are running higher than the national average \u2014 sitting at $4.18 for regular and $5.81 for diesel.<\/p>\n
To cope, Lavender said he\u2019s had to gradually raise his prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to go up on prices, but not to the \u2014 you just ease up a little bit at a time,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to hurt the people and you don\u2019t want to run your business off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holmes said his operation is trying a different approach \u2014 adjusting the menu rather than passing the full cost to customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not necessarily going up, but we try to play with the menu a little bit so that we don\u2019t have to put the cost on the customer as much,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cBut sometimes you have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
If gas prices continue to rise, Lavender said vendors will have to make even tougher calls \u2014 including cutting premium ingredients.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just got to figure it out as you go,\u201d he said. \u201cSometimes you have to cut back on your high-end meats. Like I do oxtails and things of that nature, my gumbo. I hate \u2014 I\u2019m not going to cut back on my gumbo because I\u2019m the Gumbo Man.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holmes said community support can make a real difference for small businesses trying to stay afloat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more they help us advertise, the more we can open,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cTell a friend and tell a friend \u2014 it don\u2019t hurt to share a post here and there because it helps small businesses. The gas prices are really affecting small businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
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