Food truck, small businesses in metro Atlanta struggle with high gas prices

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - With gas prices soaring to new heights, small businesses are struggling.

Some are raising their prices to make up for rising costs.

The owners of Rio’s Italian Ice say they are paying double what they paid this time last year for fuel.

“It’s getting rough on everybody. Especially our customers because with the rise in gas prices, we ultimately have to pass that on to our consumers which is rough. So, it affects us with our catering quotes, it affects us with the events we choose to do and where we choose to go,” said Destry Carrasquillo, who owns the business with his wife, Noreen Rios.

They say last weekend, between two trucks, they spent $300 in gas. Last year, it was about $150. Now, Carrasquillo says they’re forced to raise their prices. Within the last week, they’ve increased the price of their ice cream by about 20%.

“With the prices going up with no end really in sight, it’s kind of making us pick and choose what we can do daily,” said Carrasquillo.

And he’s unfortunately not alone. Tony Harrison, President of the Board of Directors for the Food Truck Association of Georgia, says many of these mobile businesses are struggling.

“It’s affecting us from just a traditionally operational standpoint driving around, but then also fueling our generators that are required to power the inside, the actual kitchens on the truck,” said Harrison, who is a business owner himself.

He says he, like Carrasquillo, will likely have to raise his prices and so will other food truck operators. “100 percent. It’s going to happen. There’s really no choice. We already operate on very thin margins and again with all the price increases around the pandemic and now this, you know there’s no question people will be raising their prices.”

Carrasquillo says the struggle goes beyond just the food truck industry. “The food trucks in Georgia are struggling. Anyone with a mobile business in Georgia is struggling. It’s not just our industry. It’s everyone who’s involved with a mobile business. It’s hurting everyone at this point.”