Mobile catering is measured most consistently through the official NAICS 722330 category, Mobile food services. U.S. employment in this segment reached 44,119 workers in 2024, compared with 4,383 in 2000, while the 2023 state data show where employer establishments, jobs, and payroll were concentrated. The figures below describe mobile food services—not every catering business—and the historical figures are not forecasts.
Table of contents
- Employment growth in the United States
- State establishment footprint
- Employment by leading state
- Annual payroll by state
- Sales and payroll benchmarks in 2002
- What changed from 1997 to 2002
Employment growth in the United States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 44,119 U.S. workers in mobile food services in 2024. The same series recorded 4,383 workers in 2000. Across those two measured years, employment increased 906.6%.
These numbers describe employment in mobile food services, the industry that includes meals or snacks prepared for immediate consumption from motorized vehicles or nonmotorized carts. They are useful for understanding the labor footprint behind mobile food operations, but they should not be read as a count of all people working in catering, event food service, or related hospitality businesses.
The 2000-to-2024 comparison also spans a long period, so the two endpoints should be kept distinct from a short-term annual growth rate. The 906.6% figure is the reported change across the full period, not a forecast for future employment.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Food trucks drive fast employment growth in mobile food services”, 2000 and 2024 measurements.
State establishment footprint
The 2023 County Business Patterns State File counted employer establishments in NAICS 722330. California led the listed states with 1,329 establishments. Florida had 1,151, and Texas had 1,140. The next group included New York with 632, Oregon with 498, Washington with 411, and Colorado with 407.
North Carolina had 367 employer establishments, followed by Pennsylvania with 363 and Ohio with 359. Virginia had 339, Arizona had 297, Massachusetts had 274, Tennessee had 274, and Michigan had 251.
| State | Employer establishments, 2023 |
|---|---|
| California | 1,329 |
| Florida | 1,151 |
| Texas | 1,140 |
| New York | 632 |
| Oregon | 498 |
| Washington | 411 |
| Colorado | 407 |
| North Carolina | 367 |
| Pennsylvania | 363 |
| Ohio | 359 |
| Virginia | 339 |
| Arizona | 297 |
| Massachusetts | 274 |
| Tennessee | 274 |
| Michigan | 251 |
The establishment measure is narrower than a count of vendors or food trucks. It covers employer establishments, so the table should not be used as a complete inventory of every mobile operator. It is also a 2023 measurement rather than a current estimate or a forecast.
For readers comparing locations, the three measures answer different questions. Establishments indicate the number of covered employer locations, EMP records people employed in the March 12 reference week, and AP records annual payroll in thousands of dollars. A state can therefore rank differently on establishments, employment, and payroll. The figures are most useful when the definition and reference period remain attached to the number.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 — State File. The industry is NAICS 722330, Mobile food services.
Employment by leading state
The same 2023 source reported employment during the week of March 12, a specific reference week rather than an annual average. California’s mobile food services establishments employed 4,788 people during that week. Texas recorded 3,647, and Florida recorded 3,091.
Oregon’s establishments employed 1,762 people, while Washington had 1,444 and Arizona had 1,329. New York recorded 1,264 workers. Ohio had 1,153, North Carolina had 1,133, and Colorado had 1,120.
Pennsylvania recorded 1,024 workers, Virginia had 1,008, Massachusetts had 927, Tennessee had 923, and Michigan had 598. These state figures show the number employed during the week of March 12 in the establishments covered by the County Business Patterns measure.
Several comparisons stand out without requiring an estimate beyond the reported data. California had the largest establishment count among the listed states and also the largest measured employment. Texas had fewer establishments than Florida—1,140 compared with 1,151—but more employment during the reference week, with 3,647 compared with 3,091. Oregon had 498 establishments and 1,762 workers, while New York had 632 establishments and 1,264 workers. Those differences are descriptive comparisons only; they do not establish why the figures differ.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 — State File. EMP is employment during the week of March 12.
Annual payroll by state
Annual payroll provides a second view of the scale of mobile food services. The Census Bureau reports payroll in thousands of dollars. California’s establishments reported $148,202 thousand in annual payroll in 2023, equivalent to the published figure of $148.202 million when expressed in millions. Texas reported $89,107 thousand, and Florida reported $76,548 thousand.
Oregon’s annual payroll was $52,023 thousand, followed by Washington at $47,589 thousand and New York at $37,278 thousand. Colorado reported $34,860 thousand, while Ohio reported $32,494 thousand. Arizona recorded $28,426 thousand and Massachusetts $28,140 thousand.
Pennsylvania reported $26,562 thousand, North Carolina $25,895 thousand, Virginia $25,017 thousand, Tennessee $20,723 thousand, and Michigan $16,342 thousand.
| State | Annual payroll, 2023 ($ thousand) |
|---|---|
| California | 148,202 |
| Texas | 89,107 |
| Florida | 76,548 |
| Oregon | 52,023 |
| Washington | 47,589 |
| New York | 37,278 |
| Colorado | 34,860 |
| Ohio | 32,494 |
| Arizona | 28,426 |
| Massachusetts | 28,140 |
| Pennsylvania | 26,562 |
| North Carolina | 25,895 |
| Virginia | 25,017 |
| Tennessee | 20,723 |
| Michigan | 16,342 |
Because the source publishes AP in thousands of dollars, the unit matters when comparing states or using these numbers in business research. The measure is annual payroll reported by covered establishments; it is not total sales, profit, household income, or a wage forecast.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 — State File. AP is annual payroll in thousands of dollars.
Sales and payroll benchmarks in 2002
The 2002 Economic Census provides an older national benchmark for mobile food services. In 2002, the industry had 2,336 establishments with payroll. It recorded $801,663 thousand in sales and $140,308 thousand in annual payroll. The same source reported $30,979 thousand in first-quarter payroll.
The 2002 report also counted 9,506 paid employees for the pay period including March 12. That reference is different from an annual employment total: it identifies paid employees in a particular pay period, while annual payroll covers the year.
These historical figures are best used as benchmarks for the scale of the industry at that time. The dollar values are published in thousands, and the Economic Census figures cover establishments of firms with payroll. They should not be presented as a current estimate of mobile catering sales or payroll.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Food Services and Drinking Places: 2002.
What changed from 1997 to 2002
The 2002 Economic Census included a historical comparison with 1997. U.S. mobile food services had 2,593 establishments in 1997, compared with 2,336 in 2002. Sales were $879,397 thousand in 1997 and $801,663 thousand in 2002. Annual payroll was $170,510 thousand in 1997 and $140,308 thousand in 2002.
Paid employees numbered 11,683 in 1997 and 9,506 in 2002. The comparison therefore reports lower establishment, sales, annual payroll, and paid-employee counts in 2002 than in 1997. It is a historical comparison from the Economic Census, not an independently verified current trend and not a forecast.
| Measure | 1997 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 2,593 | 2,336 |
| Sales ($ thousand) | 879,397 | 801,663 |
| Annual payroll ($ thousand) | 170,510 | 140,308 |
| Paid employees | 11,683 | 9,506 |
The historical and current sections also use different measurement periods and source programs. The 1997 and 2002 values come from the Economic Census, while the establishment, employment, and payroll figures above for 2023 come from County Business Patterns, and the 2000 and 2024 employment endpoints come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Keeping those definitions separate is essential when using mobile catering statistics to describe the market.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Food Services and Drinking Places: 2002.