Coachella Festival Week Begins as Food Trucks Face Rising Costs and Tough Choices

Festival season is officially underway in the Coachella Valley, as thousands of music fans prepare to head to the Empire Polo Grounds for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Camping check-in begins Thursday at 9 a.m., with the first weekend of the three-day festival kicking off Friday and running through Sunday. This year’s highly anticipated lineup includes Sabrina Carpenter headlining Friday, Justin Bieber on Saturday, and Karol G closing out the weekend on Sunday.

While festivalgoers get ready for music, camping, and food, some of the vendors behind the scenes say this season is coming with new challenges.

Food truck owners, a staple of the festival experience, are dealing with rising fuel and food costs that are cutting into profits. Mickey Williams, owner of the “Get Loaded” food truck, says the price of beef brisket has become so high that he may have to remove it from the menu rather than charge customers more.

Fuel prices are also making it harder to operate. With diesel costs significantly higher than regular gas, some food truck owners are now turning down smaller events because the expense of travel and labor outweighs potential profits.

For many vendors, each event has become a financial calculation — weighing food costs, fuel, and staffing just to break even.

Despite the challenges, food trucks remain a major part of the festival experience. But this year, visitors may notice fewer options or slightly higher prices as small business owners try to keep up with rising costs during one of their busiest seasons.

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