If you’re planning a catering trailer or food truck, one of the first questions is always the same: how much electricity do I really need?Most problems at events don’t happen because a catering trailer or food truck “doesn’t have enough power,” but because peak loads are underestimated, circuits are split poorly, or people rely only on the spec sheet without considering real-world operation.
In this article, you’ll find:
- the difference between input power and output (and why people mix them up),
- an overview of the most common appliances and their consumption,
- how to do a simple calculation for your catering trailer or food truck,
- recommended load limits per phase/circuit,
- and a checklist so it doesn’t trip at an event.
Related article: if you’re dealing with 230V vs 400V connections, 16A/32A and CEE connectors, check out our guide: Electricity in a catering trailer or food truck: 230V vs 400V
Input power vs output: what it is and why it matters
These terms are often confused, but they’re key when planning electrics for a catering trailer or food truck.
Input power (W / kW) – how much the appliance “draws” from the grid
Input power is the value on the appliance label: for example 2,000 W or 3.5 kW. It tells you how much energy the appliance draws from the electrical supply when it’s running.
- 1,000 W = 1 kW
- the higher the input power, the more it loads the supply, circuit, and breaker
Output (W / kW) – how much “work” the appliance actually does
Output in everyday speech people use as “how powerful the appliance is” (e.g., a grill that heats up fast). In technical practice, you’ll often find that:
- an appliance has a certain input power,
- and it changes depending on the operating mode (e.g., thermostat, cycles, reheating).
The practical takeaway for a catering trailer or food truck:
When planning electricity, focus mainly on input power and peaks (not marketing “output”). That’s why it’s better to look at the label and the operating mode.
The most common mistake: people add up the watts and call it done
On paper it looks simple: add up the input power of the appliances and you have the answer. In reality, three more things matter:
- Peaks – heating appliances go to max, compressors have inrush current.
- What runs constantly vs occasionally – cooling runs all day, heating runs in cycles.
- Circuit/phase distribution – even if your catering trailer or food truck has enough power “in total,” you can overload one phase.
Approximate overview of appliances and input power (table)
Note: values vary by brand and model. Use this as a practical baseline for a catering trailer or food truck.
Appliance | Approx. input power |
Espresso machine (1–2 group) | 2.0–4.5 kW |
Grinder | 0.2–0.5 kW |
Boiler / water heating | 1.5–3.0 kW |
Contact grill | 1.5–3.5 kW |
Microwave | 1.0–1.5 kW |
Refrigerated beer tap | 0.3–0.8 kW |
Ice maker | 0.3–0.8 kW |
Under-counter fridge | 0.1–0.3 kW |
Larger fridge | 0.2–0.6 kW |
Freezer | 0.2–0.7 kW |
LED lighting + small items | 0.1–0.3 kW |
“The biggest differences in consumption in a catering trailer or food truck come from heating and cooling—not lights.”
Continuous draw vs peak: what it means in practice
- Continuous draw: the appliance runs long-term (e.g., fridges).
- Peak: short-term maximum draw (e.g., espresso machine reheating, starting the ice maker, turning on the grill).
At peak, it can happen that your catering trailer or food truck has enough power “on paper,” but in reality it trips the breaker.
Rule of thumb from practice:
Don’t plan to run at 100% of maximum. A buffer is cheaper than downtime.
How to do a simple calculation for your catering trailer or food truck (3 steps)
Step 1: List your appliances
Write down everything you’ll use—including small items (lighting, pumps, POS, chargers).
Step 2: Split into “runs all the time” vs “runs at peak”
- All the time: cooling, tap system, lighting, POS
- Peaks: espresso machine, boiler, grill, microwave
Step 3: Add a buffer
In practice:
- add +20–30% buffer for peaks and future appliances,
and also consider load per phase, not just the total.
Best practice: load limits per phase/circuit
If a catering trailer or food truck is connected to 400V / 32A and split into 3 phases/circuits, as a rough guide:
- 1 phase can theoretically handle about 7.4 kW (230V × 32A)
- for stable operation, we recommend keeping continuous load closer to 5–6 kW per phase, so there’s headroom for peaks
Practical recommendation:
- Put cooling on one phase (for stability and hygiene),
- heating on the second,
- work sockets/espresso machine on the third.
3 most common configurations (real examples)
1) Coffee concept (catering trailer or food truck)
- espresso machine 3–4 kW (peaks)
- grinder 0.3 kW
- cooling 0.3–0.8 kW
- boiler 2 kW (peaks)
- small items 0.2 kW
Tip: don’t start the espresso machine and boiler at the same time, and spread them across phases.
2) Mobile bar (catering trailer or food truck)
- tap system 0.5–0.8 kW
- ice maker 0.4–0.8 kW
- cooling 0.5–1.2 kW
- small items 0.2 kW
Tip: account for compressor start-up—don’t run it on the edge.
3) Hot kitchen (catering trailer or food truck)
- grill 2–3.5 kW (peaks)
- boiler 2–3 kW (peaks)
- cooling 0.5–1.5 kW
- small items
Tip: with heavy heating loads, consider gas for part of the equipment.
When it’s worth considering gas (especially for heating)
For high-draw appliances, gas can make sense:
- because of kW limits,
- because of electricity prices at festivals,
- because of self-sufficiency where power is weak.
“A hybrid setup for a catering trailer or food truck (electricity + gas) can reduce the risk of outages and cut event costs.”
How we do it at Gastronova: custom electrics + inspection
We don’t do electrics from a template. Wiring for a catering trailer or food truck is always designed to match the appliances:
- circuit distribution based on real operation,
- a design by a certified electrician in Slovakia,
- follow-up checks and an electrical installation inspection.
Checklist: so it doesn’t trip at an event
- Turn on cooling first and let it stabilize.
- Switch on high-load heaters gradually.
- Don’t overload one phase—spread the appliances out.
- Use a quality supply cable (not a cheap thin extension lead).
- Ask the organizer for 400V CEE if possible.
- Have a plan B: what you’ll switch off during peaks.
- For a hot kitchen, consider a hybrid (electricity + gas).
Gastronova’s final recommendation
If you want your catering trailer or food truck to run reliably at events, we recommend planning the electrics from the start based on your appliances and real workflow. As standard, we deliver trailers with a supply 400V / 32A CEE, split into 3 circuits (1 circuit per phase)—and the wiring is always custom-designed for the specific concept, checked, and certified.
If you want, send us your appliance list and concept—we’ll recommend the ideal connection, circuit split, and, where it makes sense, gas as well.
Useful internal links (add internal links):
- Airstream trailers (link)
- Box trailers (link)
- Rounder trailers (link)
- Turnkey solutions / Consulting (link)
- Financing (link)
- Contact / Enquiry (link)
“When power and circuits are designed correctly, sales run without downtime—even at peak.”
FAQ
What’s the difference between input power and output in a catering trailer or food truck?
Input power (W/kW) is how much electricity the appliance draws (the value on the label)—what loads the supply, circuits, and breakers in a catering trailer or food truck. Output is often used to mean “how strongly it heats / how fast it works,” but for electrical planning, input power and its peaks (e.g., during reheating or compressor start-up) are what matter.
How many kW does a catering trailer or food truck need for a coffee concept?
For a coffee concept in a catering trailer or food truck, you’ll typically be in the range of about 6–10 kW depending on the equipment (espresso machine, boiler, cooling). If you have a 1–2 group espresso machine and a boiler, it’s recommended to play it safe and include headroom for peaks—ideally by splitting the load across multiple circuits/phases.
What’s the power consumption of an espresso machine in a food truck?
An espresso machine in a food truck typically has an approximate input power of 2.0–4.5 kW (depending on type and size). The key point is that it doesn’t run at maximum all the time, but has peaks during reheating (e.g., when making lots of coffees back-to-back). That’s why it’s good not to calculate only the average, but to keep a buffer and split circuits appropriately.
What’s the power consumption of an ice maker and tap system in a catering trailer?
An ice maker in a catering trailer or food truck often has an approximate input power of 0.3–0.8 kW, and a refrigerated tap system is also roughly 0.3–0.8 kW. In practice, keep in mind that both appliances have compressors and cycles, so they can have short-term peaks (especially at start-up or during intensive operation).
Why does my breaker trip even though “on paper” I have enough power?
Most often because a peak occurs in the catering trailer or food truck (espresso machine reheating + boiler + compressor start-up), or the load is split poorly across circuits/phases (one branch overloaded). Another common reason is a weak or long supply cable (voltage drop) or a shared circuit at the event. A paper total in kW isn’t enough—real operation and circuit distribution decide.
How many kW is safe on one phase/circuit with 400V 32A?
In theory, 1 phase at 32A is about 7.4 kW (230V × 32A). As a practical best-practice limit in a catering trailer or food truck, we recommend keeping long-term load closer to 5–6 kW per phase, so there’s headroom for peaks and compressor/heating start-ups.
When is gas worth it in a catering trailer or food truck?
Gas is worth considering especially for high-draw heating appliances (grilling, intensive heating), when you’re hitting kW limits, or when electricity at festivals is expensive or limited. In a catering trailer or food truck, a hybrid often makes sense too: sensitive equipment and cooling on electricity, part of the heating on gas—for stability and self-sufficiency.
Is 230V or 400V connection better for a food truck?
For most concepts, the safer and more flexible choice is 400V, because it lets you distribute the load better and handle peaks. 230V can be enough for simpler, low-draw concepts, but you’ll quickly hit limits—especially if you combine heating and cooling. For stable food truck operation at events, 400V is generally the better standard.
