Colorado food truck operators say high fuel costs are making it more expensive to reach customers, haul equipment and keep generators running — expenses they are absorbing for now rather than passing on through higher menu prices. Diesel recently averaged $6.04 a gallon, below a record set a little more than two weeks earlier. But the decline has offered little relief to businesses that rely on diesel trucks to tow their kitchens or use fuel-powered generators. Jossy Flores, owner of Machetes Gourmet, which opened in 2020, said her business uses a diesel truck to pull its food truck and to travel for supplies. The operation is known for tortillas made from scratch and its oversized “machetes,” a Mexico City-style quesadilla. “We feel so stressful,” Flores said of the fuel costs. She said the business has not raised prices because she wants families to be able to enjoy its food, but added that further increases could leave the owners unsure what to do. Johnny Rivera, who started Johnny Boy Eatz in 2021, said he now fills his generator with gasoline instead of diesel because of the cost. He drives from Colorado Springs to Denver daily to serve customers, and said filling his truck three times a week costs nearly $300 each time — at least $900 weekly. Rivera said operating costs have at least doubled this year and may have nearly tripled. The truck also travels to events, including the Pueblo Chile Festival, and makes frequent trips to pick up supplies. He said Johnny Boy Eatz is currently absorbing the higher expenses rather than increasing prices. For both businesses, fuel costs reach beyond the pump: they affect the daily trips and event travel that bring their food to customers. Flores and Rivera said they hope to keep prices steady, but continued cost increases could make that harder.