First big vend

[MattG]

I'm vending a BBQ comp next week and this is my first big event. They are expecting 10000 people. And there are 6 BBQ venders. I'm cooking pulled pork, BBQ nachos, brisket, and chicken legs. Im planning on cooking 3 cases of pork, 3 cases of ribs, 1 case of brisket, and about 200 legs. I can't make up my mind about sides though. How well do sides sell? Are they a must have ? Also do I sell bottle cokes or cans? And last but not least how much money do I take to make change? Thanks

[Mr Tony's BBQ]

I did a much smaller KCBS event 2 weeks ago and sold 700 pounds of meat in 2 days! 1 BBQ vendor didnt show, 1 was selling rubber ribs....and IMHO, my food ROCKS!...LOL!
I found myself at wallyworld at 1 am lookin for any butts they might have, and buying competitors extra briskets in the wee hours of the morning! YMMV!
I brought $450 in singles, used most of them up in 14 hours..YMMV
I priced everything on the dollar - no change to mess with....$6.00 sammy - used portion scoops, heaping 4 ounce pulled beef brisket or heaping 5ounce pulled pork on a nice medium bakery roll, meat falling out - sold out of the 900 rolls I had ordered and switched to basic white bread burger buns, no complaints! I had beans and slaw - all $2.00 each - canned soda and corn bread $1.00 did a platter where I basically threw in the soda or corn bread = sammie, 2 sides and drink $10.00 - had a line 40 people deep for 10 of the 14 hours we were open, not a moment of down time the other 4 hours either, just a tad slower sales....!
Dont overcharge, but dont give it away either - your competitors WILL be walking by checking your prices, do the same to them and be ready to adjust accordingly.
Have a plan if things go extremely well day 1, people will talk and return bringing others with them if it was good! - mine didnt work so well, Costco closed 20 min before I got there.....OOoops!
I swapped food with the non-bbq sellers for a change of pace and taste, I had my biggest competitor [ did huge sausages, stacked fresh potato chips, deep fried anything etc] entire crew was buying from me eventually! I bought dinner for my wife and I from the guy next to me that had almost no business , ate an ok burger for $6.00 just to help the guy out....Nice guy, he gave me a package of napkins when I ran out - oh yea - I went thru 3000 napkins! 1200 sammies, 3k +napkins...people are crooks!! Same with forks - hand them out, dont set out - I watched women fill their purses because my pin head window guy couldnt remember to give them fork and napkin with meal so I set them out by the sauces - bad move on my part, he dont work here no more!! I had people wanting to buy my sauces....something to think about if you have room for little cups to pawn it off in....LOL [ they even loved the $5.00 a gallon stuff from RD] Part of it is the atmosphere making people do odd things!!
I ALWAYS plan big, usually doesnt work out - KCBS event I sold out, usually not the case at other events....YMMV
Its easier to cool or freeze cooked meat than make it magically be done!!!lol! With 6 BBQ vendors, and TONS of "other" food vendors [ I am assuming] its always a tough call though, hence the constant YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary!
I hope my rant was helpful
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[daddywoofdawg]

I wish I could have a couple of those this season.been pretty tight this year.people that have tried it made a point of coming back to tell me how good it was,just people tight with thier money this year.
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[Jeff T]