People's Choice

[Vince RnQ]

Originally Posted by ThomEmery

The 50/50 split works when you are just selling the BBQ you cooked but did not turn in

I guess if you say it often enough then maybe people will think it's true. A simple analysis of the math proves otherwise.

I can easily sell "restaurant/catering" quality meat for the following:

Pork - $10/lb. or $0.625/oz.
Ribs - $20/rack (10 bones) or $2/bone
Brisket - $12/lb. or $0.75/oz.

Under a 50/50 split where the price is $2.00 for a 2 oz. sample, a team would be generating the following:

Pork - 8 samples per pound @ $2/sample = $16 gross and $8 net
Ribs - 20 samples per rack @ $2/sample - $40 gross and $20 net
Brisket - 8 samples per pound @ $2/sample = $16 gross and $8 net

Final comparison:

Pork - $10/lb. Private vs. $8/lb. PC = Net Loss of $2/lb.
Ribs - $20/Rack Private vs. $20/rack PC = Break Even
Brisket - $12/lb. Private vs. $8/lb. PC = Net Loss of $4/lb.

What is not addressed in the Private vs. PC numbers above is that I have to provide the additional labor involved in selling the 2 oz. samples, provide and transport the additional equipment (chaffing dishes, sterno, etc.) needed to comply with safe food service guidelines and usually provide the containers, utensils and napkins. And remember, these numbers are for "restaurant/catering" quality food, not "competition" quality food. (I can produce "restaurant/catering" quality food in larger quantities and with far less labor than it takes to produce my "competition" quality food making my profit margin even higher.) I have sponsors, supporters and friends who have done one helluva lot more to deserve my competition leftovers then simply selling it at a loss to whoever happens to be on hand at the event and then giving away half the proceeds to a non-charitable entity.

So, the best I can do on the meat alone is break even.

Yeah, that 50/50 split sure does work...for the promoter.

[Bigmista]

Vince,

The spirit of the People's choice is to:
1. Involve the crowd at a contest and allow them to taste the BBQ instead of just watching you cook it.

2. Allow teams who have extra food to get rid of it. (Most teams I talk to prefer not to take a lot of extra meat home.)

3. Allow people to make some extra cash to at least cover gas and/or meat costs.

Not all teams have sponsors, do catering or finish in the top 5 in every contest and leave with a boatload of money in their pockets. People's choice gives those who choose to participate a chance to make a little cash and continue to compete.

[Vince RnQ]

And the 80/20 split, as is practiced at events like the Pork & Brew in Rio Rancho, NM, serve all those points admirably.

[NotleyQue]

New Mexico isnt California.

At an event like Stagecoach, its whatever the promoter says goes.
If you dont like the 50/50 split, which you dont, there is a very simple solution.
Dont participate in the Peoples Choice. No one is forcing you. That way there are less people selling it, making teams like Neils and I very happy with the extra traffic, and you get to make your sponsers happy with all your leftovers.

I like peoples choice, I make money at peoples choice, why, who knows.

We also sell lots of chicken and pork which runs around $1.00 a pound. So by your math we make $8.00 a pound, for meat we are already cooking, and meat I dont want to take home. So if I cook an 8 pound pork butt, and after shrinkage its 6 pounds I make $48.00 on my initial $8.00 investment. Good deal to me. If you are giving people brisket and ribs, well that isnt very smart business.

I also do quite a bit a catering as well, so I know how much I can make catering (average $15.00 a person), and I know its no where near Peoples Choice, but I would never compare the two. Catering is cateing, and peoples choice is peoples choice.

[Scottie]

I never have a dog in this fight, as I don't do People's Choice. More to the fact on the size of my team and I am usually gravel throwing right after rewards...

But, if a contest organizer pockets money, I don't see what the problem with that is? THose people are there for a reason and more than likely that is because of the organizer. If you don't like how the split works, then do what I do and not participate? Easy peasy.

Hope it's nice and warm down in the valley of the sun Vince.

[Vince RnQ]

Guys, plain and simple, here's my point:

We're all being told that a 50/50 split is fair and works for everyone. That isn't true and the numbers don't lie. No one has refuted that argument. I take exception to the fact that we're continually asked to believe otherwise.

I agree with Scottie and choose not to participate in this voluntary activity unless the circumstances allow it and the numbers work.

[Bentley]

Originally Posted by VisionQuest220

We're all being told that a 50/50 split is fair

Guess it would depend on who you are asking!

[Vince RnQ]

So what do you think, Bent?

[Bigmista]

My dad always told me 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

And like Gary I get a big kick out of interacting with the crowd. We aren't the main attraction at a lot of events that have People's choice. We are a side show. The promoters have us there for extra entertainment for the crowd. Watching people snip parsley and brush sauce on meat is only entertaining for so long. People's choice engages the crowd and gives them a chance to participate. When we are entertaining, promoters are more likely to invite us back and have larger purses. Espescially if the People's choice helps cover the expense of part of the purse.

I'm sure there are other contests in an open field with no crowds, just teams and judges. But contests with crowds and People's choice are infinitely more fun and profitable for me. I'd rather look at it as making $8/# on meat that would have just been leftovers and frozen or given away instead of losing $2/# because I didn't sell it at my normal catering price.

[jminion]

Unless I lived in the area and would see possible catering jobs from a 50/50 setup I could use it advertising, it's a break even at best. If there was a charity I may do it, but 50/50 is not equitable to the teams IMO. Lot of work for no reward.

[ThomEmery]

Vince
Dont cook PC
Just dont do it
Dont worry about it anymore
It is not your problem
from now on :)

[Bentley]

Originally Posted by VisionQuest220

So what do you think, Bent?

This has thrown me, I do not get ask this very often!

Originally Posted by VisionQuest220

I guess if you say it often enough then maybe people will think it's true.

Man, no truer words have ever been spoken...Sure seems that way to me!

I can easily sell "restaurant/catering" quality meat for the following:

Pork - $10/lb. or $0.625/oz.
Ribs - $20/rack (10 bones) or $2/bone
Brisket - $12/lb. or $0.75/oz.

You would normally get $1.25 for your 2 oz? So you are losing 25 basis points.

I think you, like many others, are willing to take that hit for a charity or their local State BBQ Association if it is going there. If it is going into promoters pocket you may not be as inclined to take the Hit! More on that later.

Under a 50/50 split where the price is $2.00 for a 2 oz. sample, a team would be generating the following:

Pork - 8 samples per pound @ $2/sample = $16 gross and $8 net Probably closer to 6-7 samples, but you are being genorus!
Ribs - 20 samples per rack @ $2/sample - $40 gross and $20 net
Brisket - 8 samples per pound @ $2/sample = $16 gross and $8 net See above.

Final comparison:

Pork - $10/lb. Private vs. $8/lb. PC = Net Loss of $2/lb.
Ribs - $20/Rack Private vs. $20/rack PC = Break Even
Brisket - $12/lb. Private vs. $8/lb. PC = Net Loss of $4/lb.

I see your point, but I do not have the oppernunity to sell my product for $10/lb. Never really did the math on the PC samples Vs cost. Did not realize I was getting $8/lb at the PC, I am very happy now! If I can get $5 a lb when I sell it to friends and co-workers I am happy!

What is not addressed in the Private vs. PC numbers above is that I have to provide the additional labor involved in selling the 2 oz. samples, provide and transport the additional equipment (chaffing dishes, sterno, etc.) needed to comply with safe food service guidelines and usually provide the containers, utensils and napkins.

Very good point!

Also very hard for us as a 3 person team to compete and stay focused on the competition and do PC, just that simple with the dynamic of my team! Team with lots of members or a crew that can come out and help...Man, I would get in it up to my neck!

Originally Posted by NotleyQue

New Mexico isnt California.

At an event like Stagecoach, its whatever the promoter says goes.
If you dont like the 50/50 split, which you dont, there is a very simple solution.

Could not agree more!

Dont participate in the Peoples Choice. No one is forcing you.

I was under the impression that at the last 2 StageCoach events you had too? Thom can answer that question!

So if I cook an 8 pound pork butt, and after shrinkage its 6 pounds...

Please let me know where you buy these magical butts for this shrinkage!

Originally Posted by Scottie

But, if a contest organizer pockets money, I don't see what the problem with that is?

The contest for a team like ours is a hobby, that sometimes pays out money, plain and simple for us.

The contest for the promoter/orgainizer/whatever you want to call yourself, is a business...as soon as teams realize that they will be better off.

Should the promoter/orgainizer be able to make money? Shoot, I hope they get all they can carry! I would also hope it would not come at the expense of the prize pool.

[ThomEmery]

As I have said in 2009 we are revamping the PC process
Proposed is SC to buy and store the meat
teams will get it just before they need to start cooking
Like we did at the first SC

[Dale P]

I am still for it. Just for the fun of seeing big girls line up for a sample would be fun for us. I might even set Matt up in a kissing booth. We could make millions.

[arlieque]

I think I will come out and set up a dunking booth with Thom as the clown, now we can make some money dunking him for starting all this non sense over peoples choice. Just kidding Thom, you know no one would want to dunk you? LOL