Food Truck & Ghost Kitchen Equipment Guide in Canada: Maximize Volume in Tiny Footprints
Planning a food truck or ghost kitchen in Canada? Discover the essential equipment checklist for small footprints, from fryers to soft serve.
Launching a mobile or virtual food business is currently the fastest way to enter the competitive Canadian food scene. However, whether you are outfitting a 20-foot truck or a delivery-only hub, success hinges on one critical factor: fitting high-volume production into a tiny footprint.
To maximize profit per square foot, you need more than just standard appliances; you need specialized food truck restaurant equipment in Canada and high-efficiency ghost kitchen equipment in Canada that can keep up with the rush. For operators specifically looking for small commercial kitchen equipment in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, the challenge is finding gear that is compact enough to fit your layout but powerful enough to handle peak service.
What Equipment Do You Need For A Food Truck Or Ghost Kitchen In Canada?
If you are launching a food truck or ghost kitchen in Canada, you need a compact, high-output equipment stack that maximizes every inch of space. A typical high-volume stack includes:
Cooking equipment:
Flat-top or two-sided grill (e.g., Taylor®)
High-efficiency fryer or oil-free air fryer (Henny Penny® or Lightfry)
Compact combi oven (e.g., Henny Penny® FlexFusion)
Refrigeration and holding:
Undercounter or prep-table fridges
Heated holding cabinets to keep delivery orders hot
Beverage and dessert (The Profit Center):
Prep, storage and utilities:
Stainless prep tables, sinks, shelving
Ventilation and fire suppression that meet local codes.
For operators in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, TFI Food Equipment Solutions can provide this entire cooking, beverage, and dessert stack using new, certified used, or leased equipment, plus the ongoing service support required to keep a mobile business running.
Food Truck Kitchen vs Ghost Kitchen: What Is The Difference?
What is a food truck kitchen?
A food truck kitchen is a fully mobile commercial kitchen built inside a vehicle. It usually operates in 7–20 m² of space. Efficiency is everything; you cannot afford equipment that generates excess heat or wastes energy, as you are likely running on generator power and propane.
Key Challenge: Power constraints and limited ventilation space.
What is a ghost kitchen?
A ghost kitchen (also called a dark, virtual, or cloud kitchen) is a delivery-only commercial kitchen with no dining room. Orders come from online platforms (UberEats, SkipTheDishes) and are prepared in a compact production space, often around 200 square feet (18.5 m²). According to Grand View Research, the Canadian online food delivery market is projected to reach over $30 billion by 2030, making this one of the fastest-growing segments in foodservice.
Key Challenge: Speed and packaging. You need equipment that cooks fast and keeps food crispy during delivery.
Feature | Food Truck Kitchen | Ghost Kitchen |
|---|---|---|
Location | Mobile (Events/Street) | Fixed (Warehouse/Shared Space) |
Footprint | 7–20 m² | 18–25 m² |
Service Type | Walk-up Window | Delivery & Pickup Only |
Power | Generator / Propane | Grid / Natural Gas |
Menu Strategy | Focused, fast-handhelds | Multiple virtual brands |
Essential Equipment Categories For Canadian Mobile Kitchens
Think in categories first, then pick exact models based on your menu volume.
Cooking Equipment
Two-Sided Grills: For burgers and breakfast sandwiches, a Taylor® two-sided grill cooks from both top and bottom, cutting cook times by 50%. This speed is critical when you have a lineup of 50 people at a festival.
High-Efficiency Fryers: Henny Penny® open fryers are the gold standard because they recover temperature instantly. When you drop a basket of frozen fries, the oil stays hot, preventing greasy, soggy food.
Ventless Air Frying: If your truck or ghost kitchen has limited hood space, the LightFry® commercial air fryer is a game changer. It cooks crispy finger foods (wings, mozzarella sticks, fries) with zero oil and often requires no ventilation hood (check local codes).
Combi Ovens: A compact Henny Penny® FlexFusion combi oven can steam, roast, and bake in one unit—perfect for ghost kitchens running multiple menu concepts (e.g., a roast chicken brand and a bakery brand) from one station.
Beverage & Dessert (The "Hidden" Profit)
In small commercial kitchens in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, you need items that don't take up floor space but drive huge margins.
Soft Serve: A countertop Taylor® soft serve machine fits easily in a truck window. With margins up to 80%, selling just 20 cones a day often covers the lease cost of the machine.
Automated Coffee: A Franke® A-Series compact super-automatic machine allows you to serve barista-quality lattes without hiring a barista—perfect for morning food truck routes.
Menu-Based Equipment Stacks
Use these stacks as starting points for your build.
The "Burger & Fry" Truck
Cooking: Taylor® Grill (Speed) + Henny Penny® Open Fryer (Volume).
Holding: Henny Penny® Heated Holding Cabinet (keeps patties hot during rushes).
Dessert: Taylor® C707 Countertop Soft Serve (Upsell shakes/cones).
The "Fried Chicken" Ghost Kitchen
Primary: Henny Penny® Pressure Fryer (Cooks bone-in chicken fast and juicy).
Secondary: LightFry® Air Fryer (For "Healthy/No-Oil" menu options).
Tech: Kitchen Display System (KDS) for managing delivery app orders.
New vs. Used vs. Leasing: What’s Best for Startups?
Cash flow is usually tight for new mobile and virtual concepts. You don't always need to buy brand new.
Certified Used Equipment
TFI offers Certified Used equipment that has been professionally inspected and tested by factory-trained technicians.
Best For: Startups looking for premium brands (Taylor/Henny Penny) at a lower entry price.
Warranty: Includes a 1-year parts and labour warranty (valid in Ontario & Atlantic Canada).
Renting & Leasing
TFI partners with Canadian financing providers to offer flexible lease-to-own plans.
Benefit: Keeps your startup capital in the bank. You pay a monthly fee (often tax-deductible) while the equipment generates the revenue to pay for itself.
Compliance Checklist for Canadian Operators
Whether you are in Toronto, Halifax, or St. John's, do not buy equipment until you check these 3 boxes:
CSA/UL Certification: All equipment must be certified for use in Canada. TFI only sells compliant equipment.
Ventilation: Mobile trucks have strict codes regarding gas appliances and fire suppression. Always consult official guide to starting a restaurant in Ontario for specific safety requirements.
Power Draw: Ensure your truck's generator can handle the startup amperage of your fridges and fryers.
Keeping Your Kitchen Running: TFI Total Care
In a food truck, you don't have a backup kitchen. If your fryer goes down, you go home.
This is why TFI Total Care is popular with mobile operators. It bundles your reactive service calls and planned maintenance into one predictable monthly fee.
Coverage: Available across Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland.
24/7 Support: Access to factory-trained technicians who carry OEM parts in their vans.
FAQs: food truck and ghost kitchen equipment in Canada
What commercial equipment do I need for a food truck in Canada?
You need at least one primary cooking appliance such as a grill, fryer or combi oven, plus undercounter refrigeration, a small freezer, hand and ware-washing sinks, ventilation and fire suppression, and a power source that can handle your total load. Most successful trucks then add a simple beverage or dessert station, such as a coffee machine or countertop soft serve, to drive higher margins.
Can you run a combi oven in a food truck?
Yes, you can run a compact combi oven in a food truck as long as your design accounts for ventilation, fire suppression and power or gas supply. You must confirm that the hood system, clearances and generator capacity are sized for the combi, and that the installation meets local fire and health codes.
Do ghost kitchens qualify for used and rental restaurant equipment?
Yes. Ghost kitchens can use certified used, rental and leased commercial equipment the same way traditional restaurants do. Many operators start with used or rented fryers, combi ovens, grills and beverage units to reduce upfront capital, then move to lease-to-own once volumes are proven.
Ready to Build Your Dream Kitchen?
Success in a mobile or virtual kitchen isn't about working harder; it's about equipping smarter. Don't let a tight floor plan limit your menu or your revenue.
Whether you need high-speed ovens, ventless fryers, or high-margin soft serve machines, TFI Food Equipment Solutions is your dedicated partner for small commercial kitchen equipment in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. We specialize in helping operators design efficient, high-output lines that fit perfectly into trucks and ghost kitchen cells.
Contact TFI Today to start planning your build with Canada's equipment experts.
Nicole Camposeo-Cheung is the Director of Marketing, People & Culture at TFI Food Equipment Solutions, Canada’s leading provider of premium commercial foodservice equipment. She combines her expertise in business management and fashion arts to foster a dynamic, innovative, and people-centric corporate culture. Passionate about empowering teams, building strong client relationships, and driving growth through creativity and collaboration, Nicole plays a key role in shaping TFI’s brand and workplace culture. She also shares her industry expertise and insights through the TFI blog, helping foodservice professionals stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and innovations in commercial food equipment.
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