bdodd444
Knows what a fatty is.
So of course some first time reader is just going to skip to the last page and say "wow, this guy sold out his first two days in business, I'm going to open a bbq restaurant!"
Open a BBQ restaurant, they said. It will be fun, they said
- Thread starter marubozo
- Start date
sliding_billy
somebody shut me the fark up.
Tease!
T-doh
Knows what a fatty is.
Wow he sold out his first two days!! I wanna open up a restaurant! :tongue:
landarc
somebody shut me the fark up.
Yeah, I hate these programs with all the suspense and stay tuned stuff. I need to know! :biggrin1:
THoey1963
somebody shut me the fark up.
markrvp
Full Fledged Farker
So apparently I wasn't watching the Facebook feed close enough... apparently a lady named Jill Morgan posted something uncomplimentary about them running out of food. Did anybody catch what she said? I think Jeremy deleted her comment, but there were a lot of replies directed at her.
Sallenthornton
Knows what a fatty is.
I would just change my hours. Wouldn't it be better to stay open until sold out as opposed to selling out of stuff and trying to stay open?
Hoppy
Full Fledged Farker
The Best "Real BBQ" joint in KC "Porkys" is only open on Fridays,Saturday's and Sundays Stay open until they are Sold Out and Typically they Run Out Every Day but its so good they never have to worry if people will come back or not. By Fridays they are Salivating waiting for the doors to open and they always serve fresh food.
landarc
somebody shut me the fark up.
There is a post of the FB page about the running out, the reason why and how they are working out opening and quantity issues. I think there is always going to be someone who complains about something. The tyranny of social networking I suppose.
castlepines
is Blowin Smoke!
Jeremy really puts himself out there for all to see and comment...the good, bad, and ugly. He has been completely open about darn near everything; way more than I would be, that's for sure. From successes to struggles to blunders, he has been candid about the entire process from the very beginning. Yes, that kind of honesty can invite some undesirables, especially when social networking is involved. But so far his openness hasn't really bit him too hard and I think people have rallied and joined him in wanting to see him succeed. It's really impressive to see someone so honest about so much.
marubozo
is one Smokin' Farker
So, what a day. I honestly can't believe it. I loaded the smoker last night with about 120 pounds of brisket and another 10 butts, just for lunch service. Got the crew in at 6 this morning to prep and start loading the smoker with the other meats for lunch, and big cuts to have for dinner service. By about 11am, the smoker was maxed out. There wasn't an inch to spare.
When it was time to open the doors, there was a line at the door and the parking lot was nearly full. Mind you, it was blizzard conditions, roads were closed because they were impassable, and we were under a state of emergency.We actually thought that because of the awful weather we'd get screwed and nobody would end up coming in. Instead, we had over 100 customers during the two hour lunch rush. By 2pm we were out of EVERYTHING. We had nothing but about a pound of sausage and a half chicken left. Unbelievable.
So, we had to shut it down by about 2:30 and there was still a line and the phone was ringing every few minutes. We had stuff still on the pit that would be ready for dinner, and we loaded it up with everything we had that cooked in 4 hours or less to try to cover as much as we could at dinner.
That still wasn't enough. We let people know that we were going to open at 5 and it was first come first served, and we'd be taking no call-ahead orders. By 4:30, cars started trickling into the parking lot. Then someone got out of their car and stood at the door waiting. That meant others started doing the same, probably fearing they wouldn't get anything if they weren't in right at the start. So here it is, wind chills around zero, under a state of emergency and cops ticketing people who are on the roads when they shouldn't be, and I've got people standing outside in this brutal weather just because they want a piece of brisket. It blows my mind, in a surprising and good way. Then all the food we did have ready for dinner was gone inside an hour.
One thing I did try today was selling burnt ends. I would occasionally go to the dining room with a plate of burnt end samples and have people try them. About 90% had no idea what they were or have ever heard of them, which I guess is expected in these parts. But it worked. You could see the expression on their face as they had an orgasm in their mouth after tasting it. Most of the people I gave a sample to, who were already sitting down eating, came back to the window to order some ends either to eat in addition to their meal or to take home.
And after eating, someone pulled me aside and asked if I could cater a 500 person event. :shock:
There was another guy who used to live in Texas who came up to me after eating just to shake my hand and tell me that this was the best brisket he's ever had, in Texas or otherwise. Wow, I'm sure he was just being nice so I take it with a grain of salt, but still.
Anyway, I don't want to ramble on, but this has been an incredible whirlwind of a week. This has exploded so far beyond my expectations it's hard to concentrate on, or even have time to sit down and look at all the numbers and see where everything stands. But since we're closed tomorrow due to weather, I've got four days to recover and dig into the nitty gritty and see what changes need to be made to the menu, prices, etc.
I can't wait to sleep in past 5:30 tomorrow.
When it was time to open the doors, there was a line at the door and the parking lot was nearly full. Mind you, it was blizzard conditions, roads were closed because they were impassable, and we were under a state of emergency.We actually thought that because of the awful weather we'd get screwed and nobody would end up coming in. Instead, we had over 100 customers during the two hour lunch rush. By 2pm we were out of EVERYTHING. We had nothing but about a pound of sausage and a half chicken left. Unbelievable.
So, we had to shut it down by about 2:30 and there was still a line and the phone was ringing every few minutes. We had stuff still on the pit that would be ready for dinner, and we loaded it up with everything we had that cooked in 4 hours or less to try to cover as much as we could at dinner.
That still wasn't enough. We let people know that we were going to open at 5 and it was first come first served, and we'd be taking no call-ahead orders. By 4:30, cars started trickling into the parking lot. Then someone got out of their car and stood at the door waiting. That meant others started doing the same, probably fearing they wouldn't get anything if they weren't in right at the start. So here it is, wind chills around zero, under a state of emergency and cops ticketing people who are on the roads when they shouldn't be, and I've got people standing outside in this brutal weather just because they want a piece of brisket. It blows my mind, in a surprising and good way. Then all the food we did have ready for dinner was gone inside an hour.
One thing I did try today was selling burnt ends. I would occasionally go to the dining room with a plate of burnt end samples and have people try them. About 90% had no idea what they were or have ever heard of them, which I guess is expected in these parts. But it worked. You could see the expression on their face as they had an orgasm in their mouth after tasting it. Most of the people I gave a sample to, who were already sitting down eating, came back to the window to order some ends either to eat in addition to their meal or to take home.
And after eating, someone pulled me aside and asked if I could cater a 500 person event. :shock:
There was another guy who used to live in Texas who came up to me after eating just to shake my hand and tell me that this was the best brisket he's ever had, in Texas or otherwise. Wow, I'm sure he was just being nice so I take it with a grain of salt, but still.
Anyway, I don't want to ramble on, but this has been an incredible whirlwind of a week. This has exploded so far beyond my expectations it's hard to concentrate on, or even have time to sit down and look at all the numbers and see where everything stands. But since we're closed tomorrow due to weather, I've got four days to recover and dig into the nitty gritty and see what changes need to be made to the menu, prices, etc.
I can't wait to sleep in past 5:30 tomorrow.
Bperkins01
Full Fledged Farker
Outstanding!!
I love it
I love it
marubozo
is one Smokin' Farker
And I have to say, reading the reviews sure is a mood booster. I'm not much for vanity, but when you see stuff like this, even with all of the problems and just being open three days, you can't help but sleep a little easier:
Elrik
Knows what a fatty is.
So glad to see all your work finally coming to fruition! Have been following the story since the beginning, truly inspiring.
THoey1963
somebody shut me the fark up.
After reading through this whole "experience" to just get open, this *almost* makes it worth it. Almost. Good job Sir...
As a side note, I snuck one of the pickles from his recipe after I made it just about 12 hours ago. It was crunchy, tangy, and flavorful. Didn't catch the heat yet, but it is a simple and great recipe. All credit to Marubozo!
As a side note, I snuck one of the pickles from his recipe after I made it just about 12 hours ago. It was crunchy, tangy, and flavorful. Didn't catch the heat yet, but it is a simple and great recipe. All credit to Marubozo!
DUBBAGA
is One Chatty Farker
Thanks for the update, and congratulations on another successful day. The suggestion to do something similar to Franklin's isn't a bad idea, to simply market yourself as being open until sold out. Supply vs Demand = long lines
