Advice on vending my first fair.

Pa_BBQ

Pa_BBQ

is one Smokin' Farker
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Our county fair is not huge, we are a very small rural community so its a great place to start. BBQ is almost un heard of and to be honest do not ever remember seeing a BBQ vendor at our fair ever.

I am mainly going to do pulled pork, chips and canned drinks to keep it simple.

I do have to submit a menu in the next few days and can not offer anything that is not approved on that menu.

I am wondering if I should add ribs and chicken to the menu in case I want to cook those some days, but have the pulled pork as the main offering.

I am guessing you do not HAVE to keep stock of each item but you can not decide to offer it if it was not already approved on the application.

For those who do fair's what do you offer and are there any items to avoid.

The nice thing about our small fair, is that the space is quite inexpensive, so will be great to get our cooking out to people for very little cost.
 
getyourrubonbbq said:
How are you going to store the food and what will use for cooking? How many days will you vend?
Click to expand...

We are in the process of building a vending trailer, although it will be a temp food permit and not have to be an approved mobile facility. We were in the process of getting a mobile vending license when we decided to do the fair.

Here in Pa you can get 3 temp permits a year with out having to have a regular vending license. We should have our regular permit by then, but if not can easily have the temp permit.

We will have a clean dry place with refrigerator, coolers and 3 compartment sinks along with a hand sink to prepare food. Food will be brought in mornings that are sealed and in coolers from Sams. I will also have a 10X10 tent with table and chairs to serve under.
I will be vending for 6 days.
 
For the first outing, keep it simple. Pork sandwiches, chips, and drink is a great start. Next year or next time you can add to the menu! :-D
 
chad said:
For the first outing, keep it simple. Pork sandwiches, chips, and drink is a great start. Next year or next time you can add to the menu! :-D
Click to expand...

Listen to the old fart. :thumb:
 
Go with you original idea then add turkey legs to the menu. They hot-hold very well and that's something you are going to need to consider.


I find that turkey legs sell out big time! With a family on a budget they tend to look for the best bang for the buck, we post a big ol sign announcing the turkey legs (aprx) weight and price. It's easy math for the customer- Buy a 1/4 pound cheese burger or a 1 pound smoked fresh turkey leg for about the same price? Everyone sells processed burgers but turkey legs offer more for less and two people can eat off one.

Whenever anyone orders one the girls at the front start yelling "TURKEY LEEGEGGGGG!!! and ring the triangle. It's a huge attention getter. I even started autographing the finished bone then zip tied my business card to it. Bring it back tomorrow and we give you a buy one get one half price.

We try and make food fun at events like festivals.
 
Things are way different over here, we go .50p above whatever the burgers (usually around 3.30-4.00 for a burger from a festival vendor.) are going for at other vendors. I don't know anyone that vends them here so it has to be a a good price being new to the masses. We could be asking more but most places have been overloaded with food stalls.

They are not too expensive direct from the butchers.
 
Last edited:
Just contacted the fair, with the deadline this Friday to sign up, they are excited to have their first BBQ vendor (us)

I believe I am going to offer BBQ chicken (thighs) and Ribs. I find ribs and chicken easy to cook and I will have my cooker there. I will not have Ribs every day, may offer them on day 3 and advertise them as while they last and see how they go.

I am looking forward to this especially since they have never had a BBQ vendor before.
 
Odd as it my sound, I've added smoked chicken legs to my festival menu. People like them because they are easy to eat while walking around. They get done in a couple of hours or so and hot hold pretty well. Selling price is $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 making for a nice margin. I get them at Sam's and they are pretty good size, approximate cost each is $0.50. The price gets better if you purchase by the case.
 
Chicken thighs are not a hot seller unless you use them for pulled chicken. Make sure you sell ribs everyday, there are no repeat customers usually when vending so be ready to sell your menu at all times. Most people visit a fair once so you will only have that time to sell to them. Be ready. Make sure you put pork on the menu its the #1 seller!
 
when we are vending a local event that is mulitple days, we get a good bit of repeat customers, when we are traveling to larger more populated areas, definately allot less repeat, especially if its just a 2 day event, Good luck with your first event.
 
Your extra menu items will depend on where you are located and people can be creatures of habit. Pulled pork is not easy to sell over here but sliced and called a hog roast is.

If I did french fries (chips) I would make a killing! We often have people buying them from the fish and ciop guys then coming to us for them BBQ beans to go on em. A quid get's them a large spoon full.
 
I am no expert at all of this, but:

I would think really hard about vending ribs till I had a bit of experience.
Unless you are buying them "really right", margin is not that great and chances for error seem high.

Maybe some of the experts could elaborate on this.

Butts and Chicken parts seem like a safe way to get started.

Are you doing plates or just pieces and parts of meat/sandwiches??

I have heard that bbq beans are cost effective. I know I make them cheap.
Some of the guys seem to use commercial Coleslaw and/or potatoe salad with good luck.

I am just throwing out some questions here--not advice.

Hope you have a great and profitable experience.

TIM
 
I'd offer smoked sausage as well. Easy and quick to heat as needed. Either on a stick or bun. That's what I'd choose over a sandwich in most cases. Beer in one hand, and sausage on a stick is easy to eat.
 
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