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2018 Market Analysis & Industry Outlook: Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors
Overview: the U.S. Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors Industry
Once small and highly localized ventures, mobile food service has now caught the attention of both governments and the restaurant industry by creating viable competition and requiring updated regulation.The industry includes espresso carts, made-to-order hot trucks, and prepared food carts. Presently mobile food service is primarily an urban enterprise and can play a pivotal role in developing local business economies. The industry faces the unique opportunity, or challenge, to work with local governments to develop appropriate ordinances that suit the realities of this growing industry.
This section provides answers to key questions about the industry:
- What is the total market size (industry revenue)?
- What is the industry outlook?
- Market Analysis: Is the market growing or declining, and how quickly?
- Are long-term forecasts positive or negative?
- What is the average company size in the industry?
- How many companies are in the industry?
Market Size & Industry Statistics
The total U.S. industry market size for Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors:
Industry statistics cover all companies in the United States, both public and private, ranging in size from small businesses to market leaders.
In addition to revenue, the industry market analysis shows information on employees, companies, and average firm size.
Investors, banks, and business executives use growth rates and industry trends to understand the market outlook and opportunity.

Statistics | 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 | |
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Market Size (Total Sales/Revenue) |
Order at top of page | |
Total Firms | ||
Total Employees | ||
Average Revenue Per Firm | ||
Average Employees Per Firm |
Market Forecast
Market forecasts show the long term industry outlook and future growth trends. The following five-year demand forecast projects both short-term and long-term trends.

Forecast / Industry Outlook | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
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Market Forecast ($ millions) | ||||||
Projected Industry Growth Rate (%) |
Product & Services Breakdown
Research products and services in the Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors industry generating sales. Note that products are broken into categories with different levels of classification.Product Description | Number of Companies | Sales ($ millions) | Percent of Total Sales |
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Industry Total |
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Groceries & Other Food Items For Human Consumption Off The Premises |
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Alcoholic Beverages Served For Immediate Consumption |
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Beer, Ale, & Malt Beverages Served For Immediate Consumption |
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Meals, Unpackaged Snacks, Sandwiches, Unpackaged Ice Cream & Yogurt, Bakery Items, Other Food Items & Nonalcoholic Beverages Prepared |
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Meals & Snacks Dispensed Via Mobile Vending Service |
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Nonalcoholic Beverages Dispensed Via Mobile Vending Service |
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Meals, Snacks, & Beverages Prepared For Catered Events |
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Meals, Snacks & Nonalcoholic Beverages Served At Catered Events Away From The Caterer's Premises |
U.S. Geographic Distribution: Revenue Statistics by State
Market Size by State ($ millions) indicates how the industry's competition is distributed throughout the country. State-level information can identify areas with higher and lower industry market share than average.
Income Statement (Average Financial Metrics)
Financial metrics provide a snapshot view of a benchmark "average" company. Key business metrics show revenue and operating costs. The data collected covers both public and private companies.Industry Average | Percent of Sales (Industry Benchmark) | |
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Total Revenue | Order at top of page |
|
Operating Revenue | ||
Cost of Goods Sold | ||
Gross Profit | ||
Operating Expenses | ||
Pension, profit sharing plans, stock, annuity | ||
Repairs | ||
Rent paid on business property | ||
Charitable Contributions | ||
Depletion | ||
Domestic production activities deduction | ||
Advertising | ||
Compensation of officers | ||
Salaries and wages | ||
Employee benefit programs | ||
Taxes and Licenses | ||
Bad Debts | ||
Depreciation | ||
Amortization | ||
Other Operating Expenses | ||
Total Operating Expenses | ||
Operating Income | ||
Non-Operating Income | ||
EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) | ||
Interest Expense | ||
Earnings Before Taxes | ||
Income Tax | ||
Net Profit | ||
Financial Ratio Analysis
Financial ratio information can be used to benchmark how a Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors company compares to its peers. Accounting statistics are calculated from the industry-average for income statements and balance sheets.Profitability & Valuation Ratios | Industry Average |
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Company valuation can be measured based on the firm's own performance, as well as in comparison against its industry competitors. These metrics show how the average company in the Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors industry is performing. | |
Profit Margin Gross Profit Margin, Operating Profit Margin, and Net Profit Margin. Show company earnings relative to revenues. |
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Return on Equity (ROE) Return on Equity (ROE) is net income as a percentage of shareholders' equity. Shareholders' Equity is defined as the company's total assets minus total liabilities. ROE shows how much profits a company generates with the money shareholders invested (or with retained earnings). |
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Return on Assets (ROA) Return on Assets (ROA) is net income relative to total assets. The market research on Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors measures how efficiently the company leverages its assets to generate profit. ROA is calculated as Net Income divided by Total Assets. |
Liquidity Ratios | Industry Average |
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Bankers and suppliers use liquidity to determine creditworthiness and identify potential threats to a company's financial viability. | |
Current Ratio Measures a firm's ability to pay its debts over the next 12 months. |
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Quick Ratio (Acid Test) Calculates liquid assets relative to liabilities, excluding inventories. |
Efficiency Ratios - Key Performance Indicators | Industry Average |
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Measure how quickly products and services sell, and effectively collections policies are implemented. | |
Receivables Turnover Ratio If this number is low in your business when compared to the industry average in the research report, it may mean your payment terms are too lenient or that you are not doing a good enough job on collections. |
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Average Collection Period Based on the Receivables Turnover, this estimates the collection period in days. Calculated as 365 divided by the Receivables Turnover |
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Inventory Turnover A low turnover rate may point to overstocking, obsolescence, or deficiencies in the product line or marketing effort. |
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Fixed-Asset Turnover Generally, higher is better, since it indicates the business has less money tied up in fixed assets for each dollar of sales revenue. |
Compensation & Salary Surveys for Employees
Compensation statistics provides an accurate assessment of industry-specific jobs and national salary averages. This information can be used to identify which positions are most common, and high, low, and average annual wages.Title | Percent of Workforce | Bottom Quartile | Average (Median) Salary | Upper Quartile |
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Management Occupations | 3% | Order at top of page |
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Chief Executives | 0% | |||
General and Operations Managers | 1% | |||
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations | 81% | |||
Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 8% | |||
Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 8% | |||
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 6% | |||
Cooks and Food Preparation Workers | 22% | |||
Cooks | 13% | |||
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 8% | |||
Food Preparation Workers | 9% | |||
Food Preparation Workers | 9% | |||
Food and Beverage Serving Workers | 42% | |||
Fast Food and Counter Workers | 25% | |||
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 19% | |||
Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop | 5% | |||
Waiters and Waitresses | 10% | |||
Waiters and Waitresses | 10% | |||
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 5% | |||
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 5% | |||
Other Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers | 9% | |||
Sales and Related Occupations | 5% |
Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors Industry Market Share [PREMIUM]
Largest companies in the industry and related industries, with private company revenue estimates.Company | Address | Revenue Estimate |
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Top Innovators
Company | Innovation Score |
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Additional companies, details and innovation scoring in the full report.
Latest Industry News
- Reminder - District of Columbia Sales and Use Tax Filing - Taxpayers are now required to file and submit payment via MyTax.DC.Gov for the following Sales and Use Tax returns: Sales and Use Tax (includes bulk filings) Specialized Sales Tax Sales and Use Tax Special Events Street Vendors and Mobile Food Services ... (01/04/2018)
- Restaurants And Mobile Food Services Global Market Research Report 2017 - 5.11.2. Global Mobile Food Services Market, 2016, By Segment; Nonalcoholic Beverage Stands; Food And Coffee Carts; Ice-cream Truck Vendors; Snack Stands; Street Vendors; 5.11.3. Market Trends And Strategies; 6. Restaurants And Mobile Food Services Market ... (01/02/2018)
- Turf War at the Hot Dog Cart - the owners of the Street Sweets food truck, a mobile trove of croissants, cupcakes and cookies that got rolling last month. The couple loaded the truck by 6 a.m., parked in front of the Museum of Modern Art at 7, traded hostilities with other vendors from ... (10/28/2017)
- Here are the best street food vendors in NYC - The Vendy Awards is an annual street food competition that determines the best street food vendors in ... Vendor Project, a membership-based non-profit organization that stands up for vendors’ rights while providing legal and small-business services. (09/16/2017)
- Mobile food vendors must obtain annual licenses - Question: Every now and then, at the corner of Northland Avenue and Meade Street, there’s a food ... The other is a mobile service base license. It is issued where the vendor stores food and cleans equipment. "If that service base were in Appleton ... (12/03/2016)
- New York City street vendors protest permit cap with parade outside City Hall - Vendors vented about the city’s long-standing permit cap Tuesday at a City Hall rally. Hundreds of street sellers waved signs demanding ... “It makes no sense to increase the number of mobile food vendors when the city already can't properly enforce ... (04/26/2016)
- Mobile food vendor rules proposed - The Walla Walla Planning Commission on Monday will review several proposed ordinances aimed at setting new guidelines for mobile food vendors. The push for the ... tents or booths set up at 509 E. Main Street. According to city documents, Walla Walla ... (01/31/2016)
- Debate on rules for food vendors heats up - According to the ordinance, a mobile food vendor may apply for a permit to sell food items on any public street, except those streets classified as “arterial” or “minor arterial." A majority of downtown streets, classified as arterial or minor ... (04/13/2015)
- Lawyer for food truck operators urges Birmingham City Council to reconsider mobile food ordinance - based civil liberties law firm also has offered to help the Birmingham street food vendors fight the proposed ordinance and today sent a letter to the council members asking them to reject it. According to Donaldson’s letter, the mobile vendors are ... (12/06/2012)
- Street Food Evolves, and So Do Awards for It - But awards coordinators said they decided to add the category after they had to turn away a flood of nominations last year for vendors who operated only in markets. “It’s totally captured the public’s attention, both mobile street food and these ... (07/17/2012)
Government Contracts
In 2016, the federal government spent a total of $325,410 on Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors. It has awarded 23 contracts to 12 companies, with an average value of $27,118 per company.Top government vendors:
Company | Federal Contracts | Total Award Amount |
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Growth Opportunities / Competitive Threats
Companies in other industries may also sell similar products. Since there is an overlap in the customer base, there may be an opportunity for companies in Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors to sell additional products/services offered by these adjacent industries. Alternatively, these industries may identify further products in this industry to target. Products most at risk are those with the highest profit margins and lowest barriers to entry.The following industries are competing channels for sales of similar products/services.
Meals, Snacks And Beverages Prepared For Immediate Consumption
Competing Industry | Sales Relative to Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors | Opportunity/Threat |
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Limited-Service Eating Places | ||
Coffee Shops, Bagel, Donut & Ice Cream Shops | ||
Hotels & Motels | ||
Supermarkets & Grocery Stores | ||
Cafeterias, Grill Buffets & Buffets |
Since sales from Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors are a small fraction compared to other industries selling Meals, Snacks And Beverages Prepared For Immediate Consumption, companies in the Mobile Food Services & Street Vendors industry have the opportunity to expand their product offering to take share from these adjacent industries.
Meals, Snacks And Beverages Prepared For Immediate Consumption Product Sales Report


Segments classified within this market research report
This industry market research report includes companies whose primary business is any of the following:Coffee carts, mobile, Refreshment stands, Beverage stands, nonalcoholic, Lunch wagons, Street vendors, food, Canteens, Food carts, Mobile food stands, Food concession stands, Snack stands, Ice cream truck vendors, etc.