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What a coffee cart costs.

Tell us about the day and see what to expect to pay, from value carts to premium ones. Then find your cart below and ask it for a quote.

a guest, at most carts
$8 to $15
the usual minimum
2 hours
drinks an hour, each barista
45 to 60

Price calculator

01The kind of cart

02The level of cart

Each with its price for your day

A finished cart and a full menu. Where most carts price it.

03The day

A two-hour minimum; the first 30 miles free

guests
hrs
mi

04Add-ons

Optional

Standard carts: $1,105. From $881 to $1,479, value to premium.

Expect to pay

Espresso cart · 100 guests · 3 hrs

$881 to $1,479

For this day, from value to premium carts.

Standard carts

$1,105

$11.05 a guest · $7.37 a drink · 150 drinks

Service, 3 hours
$1,105
Total
$1,105

1 barista and 1 cart: about 150 drinks over 3 hours, 50 an hour. A barista comfortably pours 45 to 60 an hour.

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Typical prices from more than 60 carts, not a quote. Each cart sets its own.

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The model, explained

What drives the price.

  1. 01Guests

    The biggest lever. More guests means more drinks, and past about fifty an hour, another barista: each one a step up, not a smooth rise.

  2. 02Hours

    Carts price a package for the first two hours, then a lower rate for each hour after. Setting up and packing away take the same time either way.

  3. 03Baristas

    A barista comfortably pours 45 to 60 drinks an hour. Squeeze the same guests into fewer hours and you need more hands.

  4. 04Travel

    Most carts include a local area, often about 30 miles, then charge by the mile beyond it.

  5. 05Add-ons

    Branded cups, your logo on the foam and a cart in your colors add to the bill, and to what guests remember.

  6. 06Minimums

    Prep, loading in and packing away cost the same at 20 guests as at 200, which is why short or small days are priced as two hours.

Good to know

Questions planners ask about price.

How much does a coffee cart cost?

Most carts charge about $8 to $15 a guest. For 100 guests over three hours, an espresso cart typically runs $880 to $1,480, from value to premium, before travel and add-ons.

Is there a minimum?

Most carts have a two-hour minimum, because setting up and packing away take the same time however long they pour. A shorter event is usually priced as two hours.

How many baristas will I need?

Guests have about one and a half drinks each, and a barista pours about 50 an hour. So 100 guests over three hours is one barista; the same guests over two hours, plan on two.

Do carts charge for travel?

Most include a local area, often around 30 miles, then charge about $2 to $3 a mile beyond it. Ask about it when you request quotes.

Do you charge a booking fee?

No. Find Coffee Carts is free for planners. Carts send you their quotes, and you book and pay the cart directly.