What size generator do I need to run a food truck or outdoor cooking setup with a griddle, freezer, and fridge?

Running a food truck, tailgate kitchen, or outdoor vending setup means you have a high-draw cooking appliance and refrigeration equipment that all need to start and run reliably at the same time. The griddle is your biggest continuous draw, but the freezer and mini fridge each carry a starting surge well above their running wattage, and those surges can stack if the compressors kick on at the wrong moment. Getting the generator size right means you can cook without tripping a breaker every time the freezer cycles.

The load

• Electric griddle — 1200W running
• Chest freezer — 250W running, 1200W starting
• Mini fridge — 90W running, 700W starting
• LED lights (per room) — 30W running

Field note: Start your griddle first and let it reach operating temperature before powering on the freezer and mini fridge, so the compressor surges don't hit at the same moment as the griddle's initial draw. If you're running this setup for long events, keep the chest freezer lid closed as much as possible — a full freezer holds temperature for roughly 48 hours without power, so it can tolerate a brief outage or refueling stop without losing product. A soft-start kit on the freezer or mini fridge can meaningfully reduce the compressor surge, which may let you run a smaller, quieter generator.

Adjust for your setup

Different fridge? Bigger AC? Uncheck and re-check below — the plate recomputes live.