Advice on vending my first fair.

[Jacked UP BBQ]

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!

[Tinybud]

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.

[Dr_KY]

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.

[The_Kapn]

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

[thillin]

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.

[chad]

I've had BBQ parfaits with pork, beans, and slaw. I think Big Mista does a version with mashed potatoes. Easy to fix, easy for the customer to carry and eat -- basically a clear "go cup" and a fork!!

[Ford]

as already said keep it simple. Maybe add beans as a side if you have a good recipe. another possible is bbq nachos. chips then cheese sauce then pulled pork and bbq sauce with jalepenos optional. for the first time ribs are hard to do. don't hold as well especially without proper holding. chopped brisket is also a good seller for me. holds,cools,reheats very well.

[big brother smoke]

Good luck!

[chad]

Originally Posted by thillin

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.

Sausage on a stick is a TX thing. I tried that when I had the turkey leg disaster...we could not give away the turkey legs or sausages. AND, they were cooked on-site...

Regional differences and different times of the year do have an impact.

Now, I stick with simple. The best days are the days I run out or have one pan of "whatever" left!!

[Pa_BBQ]

I am going to stick with pulled pork and chicken, I did this for my daughters grad party and it was a hit and easy to manage the two.

I may have some ribs handy for some night after the fair closes to share with some other non BBQ vendors and Beer to let them taste what I can do.

Thanks for the good advice, and I will take it.

Denny

[Jacked UP BBQ]

Lets say you get 100 customers to order
The profit margin is greater in a pulled pork sandwich but you make much more off a rack of ribs. i would rather sell 100 half racks then 100 pulled pork sandwiches. Rethink not doing ribs, they draw people. Pork is sold by a lot of NON BBQ guys also.

[Jacked UP BBQ]

Not sure how far you are from Philly but I have a GREAT source of presmoked ribs to your recipe for a super deal out there. Re heat and eat. Great product.

[jbrink01]

Keep it simple. Pulled pork and bratwurst. Cook as much pork as you expect to sell / a bit on the low side maybe. Use your brats to make up if you run short. PP, Loose Chips, Pepsi or Water. $7. Brats for a buck less. Use Johnsonville Sheboygan from a wholesaler.

[jbrink01]

Originally Posted by Ford

as already said keep it simple. Maybe add beans as a side if you have a good recipe. another possible is bbq nachos. chips then cheese sauce then pulled pork and bbq sauce with jalepenos optional. for the first time ribs are hard to do. don't hold as well especially without proper holding. chopped brisket is also a good seller for me. holds,cools,reheats very well.

We do something very similar called a Haystack. Build in this order; Fritos, PP, Sauce, Shredded Cheese, Shredded Lettuce, Diced Red Onions, Ranch Dressing.

[JimmyDAL]

Nice!