Rising fuel prices are putting another layer of pressure on small food businesses across Massachusetts, including operators who rely on trucks to prepare, store and serve meals on the road.
For Richard Cambriello, owner and chef of Greater Boston-based Daddy’s Bonetown Burgers, the increase is showing up in more than just the cost of filling the tank. Higher transportation and operating expenses are also adding pressure to the cost of ingredients and other supplies used by his business.
Cambriello said business has been strong this year, with customers continuing to turn out for the truck. But the stronger demand has not eliminated the squeeze created by rising operating costs.
“I’m just taking it on the chin right now,” Cambriello said. He added that the business may need to raise menu prices within the next week or two if costs remain elevated.
Fuel is particularly important for a food truck because gasoline is tied directly to the truck’s ability to operate. Cambriello said the truck depends on fuel to power equipment needed for refrigeration, lighting, ventilation and other essential functions.
Without that power, keeping the truck running becomes difficult.
The pressure comes as fuel prices remain unusually high for this point in the year. AAA reported that the national average for regular gasoline reached about $4.15 per gallon on Sept. 7, while the Massachusetts average was about $4.21. Massachusetts diesel was nearly $5.86 per gallon.
Those prices are significantly higher than they were a year earlier. Massachusetts regular gasoline was averaging about $3.12 per gallon on Sept. 7, according to AAA, meaning the state’s average has risen by roughly $1.09 over the past year.
AAA has also pointed to continuing volatility around the Strait of Hormuz as a factor behind elevated crude oil prices. The organization said the national average was already at a record level for Labor Day, a period when gas prices would normally begin easing as the summer driving season winds down.
The broader energy market has remained sensitive to disruptions involving oil flows through the region. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz contributed to higher and more volatile crude oil prices during the second quarter of 2026.
For food truck operators, the impact can extend beyond fuel itself. Trucks must travel to customers and events, while ingredients and supplies also move through a supply chain affected by transportation costs.
Cambriello said he has seen increases across the products his business depends on, including the ingredients used to make his burgers and other menu items.
That leaves operators with difficult choices: absorb the higher costs, reduce expenses or pass some of the increase on to customers.
For now, Cambriello appears to be absorbing much of the pressure while continuing to serve customers. But if fuel and food costs remain elevated, higher menu prices could soon become necessary to keep the business financially sustainable.
Daddy’s Bonetown Burgers continues to operate as a Boston-area food truck, with its current business presence and menu listed online.
