Need some prices

I'm not cooking anything for 200 for $600.00 bucks.

Several will say ten to fifteen dollars per head, to some in other areas costs are different, that would be cheap or even high. Point is your local market is just that.Consider calling others in the field, do quick market research and you will be better off.Need more details to offer more, i.e.,you serving or selling bulk product? Plate service or buffet? Who supplies what? See where I'm headed here? As anything, plan a menu and ask questions, allergies,taste profiles, likes dislikes, insurance obligations and so on to mention a few. Wish you luck, Steve.

Here are some places in your state...

http://www.goodoldays.com/catering.php

http://www.moonlite.com/index.php?php&catering&dinners#links

http://www.bootlegbbq.net/1675665.html

trp1fox said:

I'm not cooking anything for 200 for $600.00 bucks.

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Agree 100%.

jestridge said:

Only thing I 'm furnishing is the pork no plates or nothing

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you are suppling the time to cook, charcoal,wood, gas, foil to wrap. are you pulling or are they. now where can anyone go and get pulled pork for $3.00

To buy the butts, prep, inject, rub, cook, foil & rest, pull, put in disposable foil 1/2 pans, lightly spice / sauce and then deliver for $600.00?

If you just figure the meat cost x 3 it comes out 12 butts x 8 lb each = 96 pounds @ $1.50 = $144.00 x 3 = $432.00 . Or figuring on a 50 % yield, 96 pounds = 48 pounds finished product @ $8.99 / lb = $431.52.

Kinda depends what you're paying for the butts & how far you have to travel, but for a "drop & run" it might not be too bad :biggrin:. YMMV

The above pricing is for the PP only. Sides are a whole 'nother story.

$12-15/lb cooked meat.// you are cooking 100lbs. Yield will be 55-ish %

$12x55lbs=660.00

12 butts at 8 lbs per butt = 96 lbs

with 50% yield = 96 lbs * 0.5 = 48 lbs

48 lbs * 16 oz per lb = 768 oz

768 oz / 200 people = 3.84 oz per person


On a catering where people fill their own plates, you will never get 200 people served with this kind of quantity. I've cooked for 45 people at the office and the first people in line always put a lot of meat on their sandwhich and then some extra on the plate. I always account for this, but if one person takes 4 oz, someone else is getting shorted.

I would tell the person requesting the catering that they may not have enough food to go around and that they should increase the quantity. I would suggest nearly doubling what you are doing.....well maybe not double but certainly more.

Cooking 12 pork butts should be worth at least $150 bucks in your pocket for your time ($10 per hour). Add on the meat cost, supplies, insurance and then mark up of 15% - 20%.

At $1.29 per lb, you have 96 * $1.29 = $123.84 in meat
Assume 40 lbs of Kingsford at $6.99 a bag = $13.98 in charcoal
Assume 2 rolls of aluminum foil at $4.99 a roll = $9.98 in foil
Assume rub at $10
Assume misc at $25
Assume $20 delivery fee
Assume $150 labor
Assume $50 overhead recovery for smoker, insurance, etc

Subtotal = $402.80
20% markup = $80.56
Subtotal = $483.36

6% tax = $29.00
Grand total = $512.36

I'm not a caterer and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I think you are way under on your cost.

Just for comparison
$512.36 / $123.84 = 4.13 times your meat cost

JMHO :-D

Hey Mista, Bootleg BBQ is the BOMB! Seriously. I know how people feel about Q joints but this place does it right. Best restaurant wings I ever had.

$600 for cooking 12 butts? Not bad if it is cash money. If doing it legal, that is waaaaaaay too low. Uncle Sam, insurance, on and on...


Of course i would always pay the proper taxes.

Next weekend I'm doing two parties of 35. Doing Pulled Pork only. Just a cook and deliver. Charged $200.00 for each. $600.00 seems way to low for 200 people.

It appears from a "food cost" standpoint you are making some sense. It appears to me that you are not putting enough value in your own time. It's something a lot of people do when figuring out things like this.

You and your time are worth more than the cost of some pork butts. What is of more value in this equation? Pork butts? Or the expertise to cook them?

It's the expertise that's worth the most here. If it wasn't they'd just be throwing them in the oven with a little liquid smoke and be done with it.

Theres a reason my recent freezer repair was $15.00 for the part and $165 to put it in. I could have bought the part, but I wouldn't have known what to do with it. It's the same principle here. Your customer could just go buy pork butts, but they aren't going to know what to do with them.

Never, ever short changed yourself when it comes to your time and skill.

If I were doing that gig here would be my thinking:

200 people - eight ounces per person = 100 pounds cooked = 200 pounds raw.
I charge $9.00 per pound for PP so it would be $900.

Period, paragraph.

jestridge said:

Thank Fox I know where you coming from. But this is prolly the only real hobby I have ever had in my 57 years . I dont even hunt , fish or do sports .As long I can come out even and make a few bucks . I dont buy charcoal get wood free. Also I am the only kid on the block that does real Q, maybe when I retire I go for the big buck.

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The only person that needs to be happy with the price you charge is YOU. Looking at it from your point of view...do it. Be happy and make others happy.

trp1fox said:

The only person that needs to be happy with the price you charge is YOU. Looking at it from your point of view...do it. Be happy and make others happy.

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Now we're talking!

Keep in mind that doing a feed for 200 people, chances are good you'll get a couple "hey can you", if people know the price per head on this gig they'll be expecting similar....

Retread said:

Now we're talking!

Keep in mind that doing a feed for 200 people, chances are good you'll get a couple "hey can you", if people know the price per head on this gig they'll be expecting similar....

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Really, it isnt worth underpricing your deal.

My .03 cents...You gotta calculate your cost of meat and fuel (obvious), add a reasonable percent for profit (your call), and then how much is your time and skill worth...add that.

If you go too cheap and people want you in the future, youre stuck at the low price.

Retread said:

Now we're talking!

Keep in mind that doing a feed for 200 people, chances are good you'll get a couple "hey can you", if people know the price per head on this gig they'll be expecting similar....

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That is exactly what happened to us. We cater a yearly BBQ for a good friend and give her the "Family Discount". It was NOT a freebie, but a very good deal for her. A friend of hers at the party wanted us to cater her family reunion and asked my friend what she paid. Sigh! Fortunately she had a whole different menu so we did get a good price on that one. But yes, it does make one think about giving someone a realllly good deal. If we cater our friends BBQ again next summer we'll ask her to not divulge how cheap it is, or we'll have to charge her double. :-D

P.S. Our friend takes me to San Jose Sharks hockey games so she does deserve the "Family Discount!"