Pricing question pulled pork / ribs

[Taylormade]

I'm embarking on a very similar endeavor with a local bar/restaurant down here. I'll absolutely be buying my meat from their distributor. It's the only chance I have at making any money whatsoever. Their prices on choice and prime meat are better than what I can buy select for in local stores. 9# brisket for $20, St Louis cut ribs for $1.79/lb, pork butt at $1.56/lb.

Even then, I'm doing it as more of an advertisement for my catering business than for real profit. I'm under their insurance and only had to be certified as a "safe food handler." There was ZERO out of pocket expense to myself. I'm sure you know already but the "real" money is in pulled pork and sides and there's razor thin margins in ribs.

As for your original question on pricing, what's the average price per plate for everything else the restaurant sells? They'll likely want you to be in line with their pricing so that their reviewers don't go nuts online about how expensive it is. Mine certainly did. I wanted to sell at $11-13 a plate with two sides and the owner painfully explained that the most expensive thing they had on their menu was $10.50. Also, ask them how many total plates they sell on average per day. I was disheartened when I learned that my place didn't sell anywhere near what I thought they were selling... and that was for everything, pizza, burgers, wraps... everything.

I've got it worked out so that they'll be buying my pulled pork for their cuban sandwiches, and any other dishes that include pork. They'll give me a portion of each of those sales. Perhaps that's something you could work as well?

I act as a chef or a cook or a pit dude, whatever you want to call it. I'm simply cooking meat and sides. I'm not preparing plates. When I'm done with the meat, it goes into a cambro in the restaurant until it's ordered. Same with the sides.

It's a good way to dip your toes into the BBQ world without going balls deep. Good luck and let us know of your lessons learned!