BBQ Business Start-Up - Concession Trailer

[cbQ]

Made lots 'a Q, over lots 'a years in my backyard, figured maybe I should actually try and make a livin' at something I really like to do. Catered alot of BBQ events for another outfit, never owned my own BBQ restaurant, but why should they get to make all the $$$, and have all the fun? To get started with least expense, and build a following, want to buy a BBQ concession trailer with a SP 500 rotisserie smoker, fully outfitted with all equip (sinks, fryers, etc.), as my primary kitchen for health dept. Found a location I can sell from, across from a McD's, growing area with already pretty high-traffic, also very close to the interstate. I'll own the trailer versus rent, have opportunity to get known to the local community / interstate traffic / build a customer-base, also cater, then, if successful next year two or three, open more permanent walk-up or sit-down location nearby. Question is this, this strategy makes sense to me, but any experienced & constructive input welcome. I've read before people aren't as inclined to stop at a concession trailer, especially for traffic off the interstate, versus say, whippin' into McD's, a true building. I can also see it, which I know would happen sometimes, he or she wants some REAL BBQ, but the other says, "honey, we ain't going there, 'cause I gotta P, and so do the kids, and they ain't got no bathroom". But I think locals and area travellers, once known, Field of Dreams, if the food is good, they'll come, something like that. Appreciate any input ... THANKS!

[CarolinaQ]

Welcome to the ring, cbq...

Start with a visit to your local health department. You must play by their rules when it comes to offering food to the public. In some places (like my county) a mobile food kitchen has to be licensed to a restaurant or commissary. Tell them what you want to do and let them help you get there legally. You don't want to spend big bucks only to find out it was all for nought because of the rules where you reside!
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Ole Hickory EL-EDX
UDS
New Braunfels El Dorado
Weber Kettle
KCBS CBJ

[Virginia Q]

What CarolinaQ said!

As far as travelers not willing to stop at a concession trailer, we have found just the opposite. Some people who travel get very tired of the fast food scene and love something different. We were set up next to a BK recently when a family of 4 came out and saw us after already purchasing their lunch. They decided to try a sample of ours to see if they should get some for later in that day. One taste and they gave their dog their BK food and bought lunches from us (as well as food for later).

Clean trailer, friendly service, visable smoker, and GOOD FOOD and you can do alright if your location is good and you are willing to lose a little sleep.
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Virginia Q
"The Best of the Wests"
Lang 84 with dual smoke-n-pits mounted.
Killer cabinet smoker.

[hoverlover]

cbQ, have you been listening to the thoughts inside my head? Your initials are even the same as mine I am starting my vending business next month. Trailer is almost complete. I would also like to parlay it into a restaurant in a year or two. I plan on (if time permits) to document my journey on my website, very similar to what sugarmedia is doing with his restaurant. If you, or anyone else, is interested you can follow along here. The page also includes an RSS feed for those lazy folks out there (I'm one of them!).
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Southern Smoke BBQ - BBQ caterers in Springfield MO
http://www.southernsmokebbq.com
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Ole Hickory EL-EC
DPP Fat 50
WSM
Webber Kettle

[cbQ]

Thanks for everyone’s response, thanks for the welcome! Input very helpful, and will be checking with county health dept. today. Wasn’t planning on buying anything until I get all my legal questions answered, and Carolina Q, you hit the nail right on the head, appreciate that advice. An hour or two prior to my thread post, stopped by a concessionaire near my house yesterday, guy’s doing Okay (but no Q), real generous answering my questions, about how he got started, and he’d said similar about health dept., and about how each county (his different than one I’m targeting) can have different regs regarding where and when trailer can be, or if they even allow trailer. What you both said is obviously a pretty critical thing. Hopefully that won’t be an issue for the location I want.

Virginia Q, good to hear your comments about the interstate and travelers stopping. That dog lucked out, had a better lunch that day, and the people lucked out, I’m sure they had some pretty great Q by you!

And hoverlover, very cool! We got the same cosmic plan going on … listening to the thoughts in your head?, uh, where do you think I got the idea? Hey, good luck! I’ll definitely be checking your web-site, following your journey, cool you’re going to try and do that too. Good PR, and hopefully I can learn some stuff from your experience.

[BBQMAN]

Welcome to the ring cbQ!

There are numerous threads here on roadside BBQ, check out the search function for more info.

Chefhog, jingle, and a few others do some roadside.

I myself am new to roadside vending, but not new to BBQ catering.

We have supplemented our income by trying some roadside vending ourselves.

One effort has not worked, the other appears to have some promise.

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22738

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23683

I also have the advantage of having a great year-round climate for this type of business (with the exception of 4 bloody hot month's of summer!)

Good luck with your venture!
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[Ridge View BBQ]

I too will be roadside vending on my free days and full time trough the late fall and winter. I see it as one of the few ways to get started in the restaurant business right now, low overhead,low inital cost, lower insurance then a "sit down"and zero labor cost. Plus you can always pack it in and move if business is bad,,,,,,kinda hard to do with a "stick and stone".......Jim
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www.ridgeviewbbq.com
http://www.facebook.com/RidgeViewBBQ
Lang 108
Wells Cargo 20' Concession Trailer w/porch 24"

[cbQ]

Thanks for the welcome BBQMAN, and the links! Helpful for me to read about your experience, learned a few things, gave me a few things to think about. I’m pretty stoked to do it, but it does sound like it can be a hit , less of a hit, or a miss , depending upon location of course. I better check into my Plan B or C locations in case Plan A ultimately don’t work out! Pricing sounds important too, especially if you’ve got Taco Bell Gut Grenades and the like nearby, which I hadn’t really thought about. Are you having to pay any rent for your locations, or they just allow you to be there no charge based on your reputation?

Jjsinglespeed, good luck with your vending! Hope that leads to a real restaurant, same as me …

[BBQMAN]

My new location is also a (repeat) corporate client.

They don't charge me for the parking lot use (but they were interested in a copy of my insurance and license for CYA purposes).

I voluntarily give the host company employees a discount off of my to the public prices as a thank you.

I also have a reciprocal agreement at my commissary location (a homeless shelter). They don't charge me a monthly fee (most do) and I supply (and have for years) the shelter with leftover food from catering events, as well as a couple of fund-raisers a year where they supply the food and I supply the equipment and labor.

Devleoping great working relationships is what this business is all about (aside from making a living that is).
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[yndio]

[SoEzzy]

It's an HD approved kitchen or prep area, it must meet and pass the regs to be used, check with your HD, but also check your local VFW / Church / Elks etc, some of their kitchens are approved for use as a commissary, but be careful some are grandfathered in for their use only.
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Here's a change Robert.

I still work here!

[kingconsulting]

It is a health department certified kitchen. Usually most of us rent one from an existing restaurant. Church's, VFW halls are some other options.
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Robert King
DP 70
WSM
New Braunfels El Dorado

[Pit Boss]

Remember...even if your rig is HD certified for kitchen use, you still have to have a certified place to dump your waste & grey water.
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Somewhere in Kenya...a village is missing their idiot.