Honestly, how legal do you roll?

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twinsfan

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Without incriminating yourself, answer these questions if you don't mind. I'm curious to see the consensus...


1. Where do you sell? Do you cater? Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? A roadside stand?
2. Where do you prepare your food? In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD?
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID?
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor?
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road?
 
1. Where do you sell? Road side Do you cater? Yes Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? Festivals and Fairs, Special Events A roadside stand? Yes
2. Where do you prepare your food? In my mobile kitchen In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD? Yes
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID? Yes and Inc.
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? Varies a lot, the highs are hi and the lows are low, not getting rich.
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? Yes
 
What ever happened to those stands on the country road serving 'cue sandwiches without a script of paperwork...
 
1. Where do you sell? Roadside / Convenience Store Do you cater? Yes Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? A Little A roadside stand? Trailer
2. Where do you prepare your food? Trailer and at home / seperate building. Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD? Yes
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID? Both
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? Wow, that's personal. Over $100,000 is as far as I'll narrow it down.
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? See Above
 
If you are running a real business, there is a benefit to doing it right and legal, actually, there are several. Least of which is that you can actually do the things that allow you to make money, real money, becuase you are a legitimate business. There is also sleeping well at night becuase you do not worry about being checked. And then there is the whole ethics angle, where doing things per the law is just how you roll.

1. Where do you sell? Do you cater? Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? A roadside stand? A couple of times, maybe three times a year, I cater an event. Private only.
2. Where do you prepare your food? In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD? I prepare the food on-site, service is hot and I control all elements. It is not, nor is it requiired to be inspected.
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID? I have a seperate business from the catering, but, since I am working privately under my own name, I simply record and report the income under by SSN. If I needed to report a larger income, I can just roll it into my tax I.D. number
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? I cover only my showing up and cooking, all other expenses are paid by the client. I make between $300 and $1000 per event.
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? no
 
Argh, I was wondering since I'm planning on selling at three town fairs/parades (Town Day, Memorial Day, maybe July 4th, and local fair) and I was wondering how legal I should go.
 
twinsfan said:
Argh, I was wondering since I'm planning on selling at three town fairs/parades (Town Day, Memorial Day, maybe July 4th, and local fair) and I was wondering how legal I should go.
Click to expand...

As legal as you possibly can. If you're unlicensed, and just one person decides to complain or God forbid get's sick (even if it's not your fault but...) and sues, it's all over.
 
1. Where do you sell? " vend on roadside Do you cater? "Yes" Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets?"Yes, Yes, and Yes" A roadside stand?
2. Where do you prepare your food? "In HD approved and inspected trailer" In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD?
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID? "Yes"
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? "six figures"
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? "Most every week when no events or catering" And don't forget to get liability insurance, very important.
 
1. Where do you sell? roadside Do you cater? yes Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? yes A roadside stand? yes
2. Where do you prepare your food? in HD inspected and certified trailer In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD?you bet
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID?both and so much more
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? a little on the personal side there hoss
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? 5 days a week
 
twinsfan said:
Argh, I was wondering since I'm planning on selling at three town fairs/parades (Town Day, Memorial Day, maybe July 4th, and local fair) and I was wondering how legal I should go.
Click to expand...
I would contact the fair or event organizers about what they are going to require. There are often differences in every municipality. You can also check into using a church kitchen or other kitchen resource if you are serving non-packaged food. There are options for specific events that may not apply if you are running a regular business.
 
twinsfan said:
Damn, can't believe all these people r legal.
Click to expand...

As a teenager, now is a good time to learn to avoid shortcuts. Do your research, obey the law, then work hard.

CD
 
Twinsfan, check your state. In Virginia you can pull up to 4 temporary permits to vend at festivals or roadside per year with out having all the legal stuff. It costs like $40 per permit and HD comes that morning and checks you out.
 
Good answers! You never know when one of those HD types are around.:spy:
 
twinsfan said:
Argh, I was wondering since I'm planning on selling at three town fairs/parades (Town Day, Memorial Day, maybe July 4th, and local fair) and I was wondering how legal I should go.
Click to expand...

More than likely these places wont even let you in without insurance and liability. If you can get that and fill out a temp permit, doing it right is a lot easier than doing it wrong. :tsk:
 
1. Where do you sell? Do you cater? Do you sell at fairs, parades, farmers markets? A roadside stand? Mostly catering, a few select festivals.
2. Where do you prepare your food? In a rented kitchen? At home? Has this area been inspected and approved by the HD? Mobile kitchen, fully inspected and approved by the HD
3. Do you have a business license and/or tax ID? Yes, and insurance
4. How much money do you generate, without subtracting expenses or labor? Depends on the size of the gig. Biggest single project this year was $4,500
5. Anybody ever sell BBQ at a stand on the road? Food trucks and roadside vending are illegal in the suburb I live in. Other nearby cities barely tolerate them, the rules and licensing requirements are oppressive, so I don't do that.

I will echo several of the other comments here. Contact the festival organizer and learn what they require. In my state, you can get a temporary permit to vend with a minimum of equipment as long as your food is prepared in a licensed establishment. Good luck.
 
1. Catering & festivals
2. Mobile kitchen built to NYS Sanitary Code Subpart 14-4. Yes.
3. Federal EIN, DBA, LLC, Insurance, Sales Tax Collection Registration, Worker's Comp Waiver, ServSafe Certification, blah, blah, blah
4. I don't fire up the smokers if I'm making less than $500, did $1500 last night.
5. Zoning laws in my area prevent roadside stands for the most part.
 
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