PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Rising gas prices are hitting local businesses hard — and customers are starting to feel it, too. From food trucks to boat tours, businesses in West Palm Beach are grappling with higher fuel costs and making tough decisions about how much of that burden to pass on to their customers.
WATCH BELOW: 'We really want to make it accessible for everyone still,' Kaitlyn Casanova tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
Sherwin Foster, owner of Foster's BBQ food truck, said he thinks about gas prices constantly.
"Every single day, every minute, every second," he said.
Foster operates his food truck off Australian Avenue and 25th Street in West Palm Beach, relying on generators that require daily fuel. He said he typically spent around $450 a month on gas, but that monthly bill has now climbed to $600.
"We use generators, so every day we are having to use gas," Foster said.
He has raised his prices slightly, but said he is using apps to find the cheapest gas and spending extra time shopping around for better deals on food supplies — all in an effort to keep his menu prices as low as possible.
Gas Prices
How to save money on gas as some local prices top $4
"We're just trying to balance the cost of goods and then cost of charging customers," Foster said, "because everyone is suffering."
On the Intracoastal Waterway, the operators of the Hakuna Matata — a boat tour vessel managed through Visit Palm Beach — are also preparing for change.
"This is the Hakuna Matata — we operate every day of the week, we go out for sunset cruises up to four cruises a day, so it's really an asset to the downtown waterfront," Kaitlyn Casanova, a manager with Visit Palm Beach said.
Each cruise typically uses about 5 to 7 gallons of fuel per trip. Over a normal operating month, that adds up to roughly 750 to 900 gallons of fuel. Even small changes at the pump add up quickly — a 50-cent increase per gallon can add roughly $400 to $450 to monthly operating costs, and a $1 increase can add close to $800 to $900 per month.
The organization is preparing for its first rate hike in eight years to offset the rising cost of fuel.
WATCH BELOW: Gas tops $4 at some local stations — How to pay less at the pump
"Just a couple of dollars here and there, which I think everybody understands," Casanova said.
To help make tours more affordable, Casanova said they are encouraging more people per private tour to spread out the cost. She said the goal remains keeping the experience accessible.
"Honestly, the goal is to get the community out on the water," Casanova said.
When I asked Casanova what her message would be to locals who might notice the price changes, she said the community is all in this together.
"We really want to make it accessible for everyone still. Everybody is in the same boat, as they say," she said.
Casanova also noted that while their boats are paused during most of March for the boat show, bike, kayak and paddleboard tours are still running — offering another way for visitors to explore Palm Beach without using any fuel at all.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
