NorCal Launch: Are these commissary rates normal, or are we getting ripped off?
Hey everyone,
My partner and I are in the planning phases of launching a food truck in Northern California. We’ve been shopping around for commissaries, and in our area, the baseline is running $950–$1,100/month, plus an additional $15–$40/hour for actual kitchen cook time.
Before we pull the trigger, the math has us a bit stressed. We’d love to hear from active owners about how you actually manage your workflow and expenses:
Prep Workflow: Do you do 100% of your prep at the commissary, or do you handle most of it directly on the truck? (I know this depends heavily on the menu).
Storage & Shopping: Do you store your backup food/inventory at the commissary, or does everything stay on the truck? How often are you shopping to keep up?
Equipment: Do you leave your own pots, pans, and tools at the facility, or do you haul them back and forth every day?
Scheduling: Do you run into scheduling conflicts at your hub during peak morning prep hours?
Scaling for Events: How much does your monthly bill spike when you have to scale up production for large festivals, markets, or private catering?
Average Spend: If you don't mind sharing, what is your total average monthly commissary bill (base + hourly)?
Honestly, the hustle of hauling gear and paying hourly kitchen rates has us wondering if we should just rent a cheap, small brick-and-mortar cafe to use as our own private commissary instead.
Would love to hear your experiences, tips, or any reality checks you can give us. Thanks!