question about how many to cook for?

[bobaftt]

So I found out that there is going to be another bbq vendor at this festival we are cooking at. If you were competing with another vendor how many fewer people would you expect? Alternatively what other festival foods would you consider trying to cook instead? we are contemplating doing chicken on a stick... we were thinking we could feed 10% of the 6k to 8k with us being the only bbq vendor...

[Bbq Bubba]

So I found out that there is going to be another bbq vendor at this festival we are cooking at. If you were competing with another vendor how many fewer people would you expect? Alternatively what other festival foods would you consider trying to cook instead? we are contemplating doing chicken on a stick... we were thinking we could feed 10% of the 6k to 8k with us being the only bbq vendor...

Right off the bat, you'll sell half what you expected.
Chicken on a stick? Maybe less.

[KentuckyLandSales]

Bob,

my disclosure is that I am not a vendor guy - we are BBQ caterers, but we do vend from time to time.

I agree Bubba - it is better to take less, sell out and create a buzz, than to have an azz-load of product leftover.

We just did an event where I thought we'd have 500-600 people - with me being the only food vendor. then three days before the event, I find out there will be 6 food vendors. OMG.

But I promised I'd show up, so I did. I brought 1 case of brisket, 1 case of chicken drums (about 100 pieces) and 2 cases of butts. That was about 300 pounds of meat - WAAY too much for that number of people for sure.

We had lines 20-30 deep all night, many people came back for 2nds and some for 3rds. We sold out of brisket first, then coleslaw, then chicken, then pork. We tripled our money (then had to pay only $100 for help and $100 for space rent), but had a good time, spread the word of good Q and made some money.

There isn't a 'real Q vendor' who would ever recommend you do an event that small - or with that competition, but it still worked out well for us - because people love good BBQ.

Think of your max capacity - where you're not killing yourself, make that and roll the dice. Any product leftover can be frozen and mixed in next time - or for back up.

Just make sure you have plenty of counter help and assembly line help. 4-5 is right for us.

BTW - catering is much easier and less stressful, IMHO. :-)

[grillfella]

Nice I would rather cater any day of the week. vending is fun as long as you at the very least break even and probably land a catering gig out of it:-D