Business Plan for BBQ Concession Trailer

BBQ Nuts · 11-29-2012, 10:19 PM

Can anybody share a biz plan for a concession trailer. Would like to see if we're thinking of everything. We have a site so it will be a fixed location.

Thanks in advance.

Bbq Bubba · 11-30-2012, 05:12 PM

May i ask why a biz plan?

Most trailer guys just go for it. NO way to predict how biz may go if your in a bad area or your food just doesnt cut it.

BigBellyBBQ · 12-01-2012, 02:19 AM

pay attention to the health permits...make everthing easy to clean...make it bright..watch you flow patterns..set up for one person to work..then busy days you will have 3 people jamned in a small area..good luck..

Jeff Therrell · 12-02-2012, 09:24 PM

We have been open for 3 weeks now. It took 3 different locations to finally get one that works. We even moved 100 feet the last time and business doubled. It took us 3 months to build the trailer a 24 foot with a 7 foot porch, inside we have two 40 lb fryers, a 36" flat top, a hatco 3 drawer warmer, a refridgerated sandwich prep station, and a freezer. We have a 48"w X 36"d X 72"h cabinet style smoker on the back porch. We also had to rent a restaurant for a commisary. It was slow getting started but now we are selling out every day. Best advise I could give with my lack of exrerience myself is don't try to move around to much at first, we have been at this last place for 2 weeks. The best sign you can have is lots of smoke rolling out of your smoker, even if you ain't cooking anything.

We didn't have much of a business plan just kinda fly by your pants, we had a lot of help from the girls at the health dept. They even helped us secure a varience on our cooker that was not NSF approved. We are still struggling with how much food to cook, we are cooking 2 cases of butts for tomorrow and 1/2 a case of chicken.

Try not to have much on the menu, the first couple of days we tried to do hamburgers and hot dogs and didn't sell but about 3 each. Now we only have bbq sandwiches, bbqq plates,and, chicken plates. We also do hand cut fries they are a lot better and about 1/2 the price of frozen.

Thanks, Jeff Therrell
Sweetfire BBQ
Lincolnton NC
828-493-5056

mdsgpro · 01-12-2013, 04:00 PM

Maybe a bit late to the post but I just had my 1st meeting with health dept. yesterday to discuss my Non-Profit Food Truck, Concession Trailer, Catering and got all the answers I needed to start. Was told "It's all about the menu"! Build the rig based upon the Q and sides your cooking, the volume your selling and goal you need to meet financially everytime your open!
My "Q-Truck" is my commissary so it needed the ability to store, prep, cook and sell day to day. Water, # of sinks and waste storage/disposal is huge. Power to sustain refridgeration without a lot of exhaust and noise was another consideration!
Because I am choosing 2 FEC 120s for the truck (for cooking, as a conventional oven and as a holding/warming cabinet) I am able to use a Meadowcreek TS 500 and BBQ42 cookers in the trailer for large events and get by the NSF rule!
The truck can serve 300-500 "meals" a day and the trailer can get me to 1200-1500 if I need to! And it's all for a bunch of great Charities (I get to make a living too)
Mike

11-29-2012, 10:19 PM	#1
BBQ Nuts Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 02-27-11 Location: Fairfax, VA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Business Plan for BBQ Concession Trailer Can anybody share a biz plan for a concession trailer. Would like to see if we're thinking of everything. We have a site so it will be a fixed location. Thanks in advance.

11-30-2012, 05:12 PM	#2
Bbq Bubba somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-07 Location: New Baltimore, Mi. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	May i ask why a biz plan? Most trailer guys just go for it. NO way to predict how biz may go if your in a bad area or your food just doesnt cut it. __________________ Pitmaster @ Lockharts BBQ Beer Snob I cook the best brisket north of Dallas. Get over it. Northern midwest director for OBR www.operationbbqrelief.com

12-01-2012, 02:19 AM	#3
BigBellyBBQ is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 11-15-08 Location: Lake View, New York Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	pay attention to the health permits...make everthing easy to clean...make it bright..watch you flow patterns..set up for one person to work..then busy days you will have 3 people jamned in a small area..good luck.. __________________ TwinTech Pro Double, Backwoods Fat Boy, TwinTech Hawg Kooker, FE 400, SP SPK 700, Empty check book and understanding wife...sometimes..

12-02-2012, 09:24 PM	#4
Jeff Therrell Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 06-27-09 Location: Hickory NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	We have been open for 3 weeks now. It took 3 different locations to finally get one that works. We even moved 100 feet the last time and business doubled. It took us 3 months to build the trailer a 24 foot with a 7 foot porch, inside we have two 40 lb fryers, a 36" flat top, a hatco 3 drawer warmer, a refridgerated sandwich prep station, and a freezer. We have a 48"w X 36"d X 72"h cabinet style smoker on the back porch. We also had to rent a restaurant for a commisary. It was slow getting started but now we are selling out every day. Best advise I could give with my lack of exrerience myself is don't try to move around to much at first, we have been at this last place for 2 weeks. The best sign you can have is lots of smoke rolling out of your smoker, even if you ain't cooking anything. We didn't have much of a business plan just kinda fly by your pants, we had a lot of help from the girls at the health dept. They even helped us secure a varience on our cooker that was not NSF approved. We are still struggling with how much food to cook, we are cooking 2 cases of butts for tomorrow and 1/2 a case of chicken. Try not to have much on the menu, the first couple of days we tried to do hamburgers and hot dogs and didn't sell but about 3 each. Now we only have bbq sandwiches, bbqq plates,and, chicken plates. We also do hand cut fries they are a lot better and about 1/2 the price of frozen. Thanks, Jeff Therrell Sweetfire BBQ Lincolnton NC 828-493-5056

01-12-2013, 04:00 PM	#5
mdsgpro Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match. Join Date: 06-09-12 Location: Cumberland, RI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Maybe a bit late to the post but I just had my 1st meeting with health dept. yesterday to discuss my Non-Profit Food Truck, Concession Trailer, Catering and got all the answers I needed to start. Was told "It's all about the menu"! Build the rig based upon the Q and sides your cooking, the volume your selling and goal you need to meet financially everytime your open! My "Q-Truck" is my commissary so it needed the ability to store, prep, cook and sell day to day. Water, # of sinks and waste storage/disposal is huge. Power to sustain refridgeration without a lot of exhaust and noise was another consideration! Because I am choosing 2 FEC 120s for the truck (for cooking, as a conventional oven and as a holding/warming cabinet) I am able to use a Meadowcreek TS 500 and BBQ42 cookers in the trailer for large events and get by the NSF rule! The truck can serve 300-500 "meals" a day and the trailer can get me to 1200-1500 if I need to! And it's all for a bunch of great Charities (I get to make a living too) Mike