All U Can Eat?

4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject: All U Can Eat?

I am trying to bump up sales and customer traffic on off nights like Monday or Tuesday nights. Anybody ever try an all u can eat night with pork, ribs, chicken or whatever is not moving fast enough to get away? Very Happy

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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

I have done it with both chicken, and pork and It worked out well.

I did not schedule a certain night as 'All you can shove down your friggin gullet for a set price" but if I was getting long on any certain item and I needed it to move it, it was a great way to get it out the front door instead of it going out the back door a day later.

How about doing something a little more cost effective, Like AYCE rib-tips?

I have seen people do AYCE specials on their normal menu items, and it backfired for some of them, people would wait until the AYCE day to show up instead of getting it any other day.

Another option I saw was a combo plate with only part of it being AYCE, for instance, The Oaks BBQ in Sarasota FL would have a chix & ribs plate, with endless ribs, or endless chicken for different prices. Some places include AYCE side items too.

Good luck with whatever you choose,
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4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

Pork ribs tips doesn't sound too bad Harry. My GFS distributor has them for less than $1.00/lb in a 30# box. I could have them ACYE till their gone on say a Monday night. Prep them on Sunday night and get them in the smoker on Monday morning early, maybe stagger a few batches throughout the day. I have ACYE Southern Fried Catfish, hushpuppies and cole slaw on Wednesday from lunch till close that has em lining up at the door. I make the breading, hushpuppies and cole slaw from my own recipes.
Thanks Harry. You've justified your existence today! Laughing

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T00lman · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

check sams for cases of rib tips they were if I remember 69 cnts lbs by the case
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4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

John was that for a 30# case? Good deal if it was. I will jump on that deal. I go to Sam's a few times a month to pick up odds and ends in between full blown GFS orders. I would say I could also tell my rep about that and he will probably match or beat it. He usually does. Thanks! Cool

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T00lman · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

not sure on the # per case was talking to the buthcer at sams telling me what he had good deals on got two cases of turkey and one case of butts no rib tips ,.
if ya get a sams business card you can get inthe store at 7 a.m its worth the xtra money ya get in there when very few people are shopping and the shelves are all neat and stocked and the butcher,s like to b.s . over a cup of coffee during the day there running there butts off .
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some of its magic some of its tragic
#37 liar
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4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

Yep. Already have a Sams card. I have a hard time getting there more than a few times a month though. But I bet my GFS rep will work with me on the price of theirs. I get some really good product from them and he usually matches or beats other prices and delivers to me once a week. I can't hardly beat that counting my time and gas (diesel). I also have online access to their website and inventory and can actually log in my order myself if I want.

I want to keep my momentum going. I have run 2 ads (stories) in the local paper and my sales went through the roof. I went from $500/day to over $1500/day on Friday and Saturday with $1000 -$1200 during the weekdays. I'm not sure if anyone thinks that is good but for me right now it is awesome! Very Happy

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Home of "Sam Diggity's Ribs & Sauce"

Pit Boss · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

Before I comment on the topic of "buffets" allow me to give a quick Public Service Announcement (PSA).

PSA: DO NOT EVER...allow me to repeat that...DO NOT EVER...E-V-E-R log in your own order (or call in your order to the warehouse) unless you are absolutely assured your business pricing will be extended to you via these options. As you know, not every restaurant pays the same price for the same products...not even neighboring restaurants. Your salesperson has the ability to instantly adjust your purchase price for every item with the quick click of their laptop keys. Unless you are a very small place, or if you divide your orders up between multiple vendors, you should not be paying the highest rate. If you call your order in to the warehouse w/o going through your salesperson, you are likely paying the highest rate they offer. The only way I would make an online order would be if I was assured my salesperson pricing was reflected online. I also want to have a personal visit from my sales rep once a week. If they don't have time for me, I don't have time (or money) for them. There are too many companies out there to deal with impersonal service.

NOW, on to buffets!

A buffet is a great way to handle a large crowd. Getting them in and out is easier than true full-service. The absolute worst thing you can do for a buffet is to have slack time. Buffets are horrible if you don't have business. If you think a buffet is a sure thing for business on slow nights, then go for it. If it's really just a shot in the dark, you might consider furthering your nightly specials menu.

Buffets aren't bad things, but bbq and seafood don't hold well if you have a slow moving hot bar. In that regard, no "dry" foods hold well on a buffet. Wet foods like vegetables hold just fine.

Best of luck with your decision.
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marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

I agree 100%. My rep visits me once a week just like clockwork. However there have been times when he has been on vacation, etc. This is the times I don't want to deal with a fill in. Don't have time to talk to someone that doesn't know me or my business. Having said that, my prices for my items I get are locked into an order guide and those items are in the sytem at the price agreed upon. I keep a very close eye on my prices. I am running by a shoestring and can't afford not to watch them.

On to ACYE. I don't have a buffet or hot table so I would be filling orders from the kitchen or walking out with a basket. I more than likely would have a staggered cooking and have so many coming off at peak times. I'm going to try it and see how it goes.

I appreciate the PSA's and other advice. That's why I keep this page on my computer all day so I can find information at any time. Very Happy

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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

Marv, you really dislike sales people that much?

I bet there is not one single item at sams that cost less than Sysco's highest tier pricing, and Sam's does not deliver or accept returns if you have a problem with their product.

Maybe the keyword is "SERVICE"!

Even If I had a sams right next door, I could not imagine physically shopping for product for each and every party. So I call my rep, or he stops by, we speak, I order, we joke about some stuff, I get my order delivered next day and we get a call from my rep that morning telling me what time to expect the truck, and another call after to verify everything is ok. If something was backordered I would know at the time of ordering (Rare occurence to have a B-O) if something I ordered was a product I was unsure of, he would give me the truth on it's quality. or suggest another product of higher quality for a better price.
Then they have food shows a few times a year to showcase new products, and highlite others. Service is where it counts for me. And having Sysco deliver fits with my HAACP plan for time/temperature control.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

4LittlePigs · Posted: Feb 27 2009 Post subject:

Harry, I will have to give you an amen there brother. My sales rep has actually brought me stuff (ribeyes & chops) that I had run out of himself. I do still watch everything though and Sams is handy for things at the last minute. I also have a GFS Marketplace that has quite a few of the items I use, except fresh meat items like ribeyes, butts and ribs. But that is the reps job. To make sure you are happy and successful in your business. The last food show I went too I got there kind of late on the last day and my rep was just giving me stuff that they didn't want to take back to the warehouse. I bet I brought home several hundred dollars worth of cleaning supplies, etc. I actually did have a bad experience with a Sysco rep. I was practically begging for them to service me and all he wanted to do was talk to me about managing my inventory, my menu, blah, blah, blah. I told him all I wanted was a catalog and I would order what I needed. Never heard from him again. I'm not begging anyone to take my money!!! Mad

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marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

Q Lady · Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 11

My experience with Sysco was similar to Marvs and others. They cost us several sales days, actually, when they delivered food that was beyond it's expiration date. First occured when they delivered cases of buns that were baked on October 6th (and they delivered to me on like the last day of November). The marketing guy claimed "they should be fine". Fine for hockey, not for consumption. I paid 50% more for buns at Walmart but they were fresh. Sysco gave me a prompt refund for the buns. Ok. (And by the way, why does Sysco keep 7 weeks of stock of commodity hamburger buns in their frozen-foods warehouse? Someone should have their butt chewed for that practice! How did they even get mgmt to sign off on space allocation for it in the warehouse design? They're surrounded by local large-scale bakeries and shouldn't have more than 1 or 2 days worth of inventory!)

Sorry...I digress....Next delivery, they shipped cases of meat that had expired. They loaded it back up, apologized, and the rep called pleading that "this isn't like Sysco...it was just a mistake in the warehouse". Having toured the warehouse, I asked "exactly how does this happen? When the box barcode was scanned by the order-picker, it should've told him immediately that the product was out of expiration. All that data is (or can be) included in a bar code." Hmmm.... still waiting for an explanation on that one. (Got a similar non-response when I asked how they'd track defective product if there was a recall. Why'd they invest in bar code technology if they can't track what they sold to whom??)

Well, to add insult to injury, the very next morning the same thing happened...on the same product (cases of pork butt). Finally the sales rep confessed that sales are so far off the mark for Sysco that product is sitting in the warehouse longer than normal. I asked if there was any way I could get a heads up on expiration dates before they load the truck (they're 80 miles from my place) and they said no, I'd get what I get. So, I haven't placed another order with Sysco and we haven't heard a whisper from the sales rep. Down economy? You'd expect a sales rep would be 100% followup on every customer...but not Sysco (or at least not this rep). Sorry, but I'm not impressed. At least at Sams and Costco, I can talk to the meat manager and look at every freshness date. Hopefully USF will be much better as this is chewing up alot of time!

AYCE - I favor the approach of using it to promote product that isn't flying out the door rather than setting it up on a set schedule. In our business, we ask every customer if they'd like a free sample of XXX - whatever we want to promote. It's never cost us a nickel - it always results in a sale and it's cheaper than setting up and staffing a buffet line. Just a thought.

4LittlePigs · Posted: Mar 03 2009 Post subject:

Well, again I am not setting up a buffet line. I plan on cooking up several batches to come off around lunchtime and again around dinner so we can serve them up.
I also refuse to talk to Sysco. But if you have a GFS rep in your area I highly recommend them. I have not had a single glitch with anything being out or out of date. My rep has even taken care of a problem for me when I screwed up my own order. He called and asked me if what I had was correct. It wasn't, he took care of it and actually picked up the product I didn't need because he had another customer that could use it. They also took my logo and made a prototype label and put it on a bottle of water that I can sell. Obviously I would be buying them from them but I still thought it was pretty cool. My rep has actually run several restaurants in his career so he has some good ideas and tips that has come in handy. Cool

I love Sams Club when I have time to hit it. It is about 30 minutes away in Lexington so I really can't justify going unless I have several items to get or am already over there for some other reason. My GFS marketplace is in the same vicinity. The only thing I absolutely hate about Sams Club is the wait in the checkout line. Ours is always packed and you will spend a minimum of 2 hours in there easy. Rolling Eyes

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Sam Diggity's BBQ
MEAT, FIRE, GOOD!!!!!
Home of "Sam Diggity's Ribs & Sauce"

browe · Posted: Mar 03 2009 Post subject: Re: Sysco, Sams, Costco, etc. and AYCE

4LittlePigs · Posted: Mar 03 2009 Post subject:

I don't mean to bash a company. I'm sure they have good and bad salesman all over. As does GFS. I happen to have a great sales rep. I'm sure when I had the sales rep call on me from Sysco he was a wet behind the ears rookie that didn't really pay attention to my needs. He was just using the "new sales guy playbook".

Don't mean to digress from the topic I started. I'm going to try the ACYE rib tips for the next few weeks. I'll let everyone know how it goes.
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Sam Diggity's BBQ
MEAT, FIRE, GOOD!!!!!
Home of "Sam Diggity's Ribs & Sauce"

Q Lady · Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 11

browe · Posted: Mar 03 2009 Post subject: Re: Sysco, Sams, Costco, etc. and AYCE

Pit Boss · Posted: Mar 04 2009 Post subject:

Don't forget, most areas have at least one or two smaller more regional (sometimes family owned & run) food service companies. You don't necessarily have to deal with one of the "big boys".

Your experience with any food service supplier will only be as good as your salesperson. They are the face of the company. If you don't have a good one, you're in for a lousy ride. Either get a new salesman or find a company that will provide you with better.

What I don't like is for a salesman to make me feel like he doesn't have time to service my business simply because I'm a small account. I don't feel that the guy down the road with 10 locations is any more important than my place that only has 20 chairs...and my salesman should make me feel that way also.

Just because SYSCO is the largest in the nation doesn't mean that you'll get the best price or the best service from them.

If you were buying a new car, you'd likely shop around before you made the purchase. Shopping for a food service company should be the same way. Shop around.
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