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First vend on saturday..help with amounts please!

U

undertaker

Guest
Hey all-
I am super stoked to have my first roadside vend this Saturday. I am just going to test the waters to see how my town does (there is NO bbq in Pocatello, Idaho :shock:) So I've got all my permits and licenses ready to go, just need to figure out how much to cook. My plan is to sell a box lunch and I want to make enough to sell around 100 of them. They get a choice of brisket or pulled pork sandwich (1/4 lb servings); choice of bbq beans or coleslaw; and choice of chips. Drinks and cookie extra. My plan is cook 25lbs of both brisket and pork shoulder. I have no idea on the amount to make for sides. Any thoughts?

Of course pictures will follow the vend so I can prove that it actually did happen.
 
Unless you've done a ton of marketing and advertising, 100 meals might be on the high side.
Shoot for 50 meals, cook 2 butts, i brisket (wheres your ribs?), a full pan of beans and a full pan of coleslaw.
See how the first couple days go and then start adjusting!
My opening week was crazy but i had a ton of friends and family stop in plus i promote the crap outta my stand. Once they got tired of BBQ, you'll get a better feel for your real customers.
Sorry to rant but i only opened 7 weeks ago and am still pretty high from being self employed! (STILL!!!) :cool:

What is your set-up?
 
What kind of prices are charged? I have been thinking of doing something like this to make a little extra
 
Thanks for the input. My stand is just going to be an ez-up with tables. It was actually pretty easy to get set up. I'm all set with the health department and ready to go. I decided not to sell ribs the first weekend to see how it goes. Texas Roadhouse is literally the closest thing to bbq in this town of about 50,000. I'm also going to set up at the highest traffic intersection in town. I'll post pictures when it is over.
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Unless you've done a ton of marketing and advertising, 100 meals might be on the high side.
Shoot for 50 meals, cook 2 butts, i brisket (wheres your ribs?), a full pan of beans and a full pan of coleslaw.
See how the first couple days go and then start adjusting!
My opening week was crazy but i had a ton of friends and family stop in plus i promote the crap outta my stand. Once they got tired of BBQ, you'll get a better feel for your real customers.
Sorry to rant but i only opened 7 weeks ago and am still pretty high from being self employed! (STILL!!!) :cool:

What is your set-up?
Click to expand...



By the way, I just wanted to say thanks to Bubba. I ordered a bottle of Yardbird Rub last week and I got a shipping notice a couple hours later....it was amazing!!! I don't think I have ever had that happen in my online ordering. I will definitely be ordering from you again.
 
So, I'll bare my soul;
First time we ever vended roadside, we sold 4 butts, and were out of food at 11:30am. That was 4 years ago. We are vending today and tomorrow, and will take the following each day - 12 Brisket, 12 Butts, 15 Slabs, 16 Chicken Quarters, Tips, 40 Pork Steaks, 40 Brats, 40 1/4# Hot Dogs, 2 Steam Pans Beans, 3 Steam Pans Slaw, 2 Steam Pans Potato Salad.

We charge $5.00 a pork or brisket sandwich, $1 per side, $18 per slab, $5 per tip order (2), $4 per chicken quarter, $3 a brat / dog.
 
undertaker said:
Texas Roadhouse is literally the closest thing to bbq in this town of about 50,000.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should move to Pocatello, Id and open up a Q joint! :biggrin::biggrin:

You go brother and show those people what real Q is all about.
 
hey undertaker do you have pics of your set up. i've been thinking about going that way my self, i could use some ideas. also here in oregon if you dont have a cermercal kitchen then you have to make every thing one site. is it the same with you? just wondering if i'm the only one that does not trust people enough to leave my bbq going over night. good luck.
 
undertaker said:
Thanks for the input. My stand is just going to be an ez-up with tables. It was actually pretty easy to get set up. I'm all set with the health department and ready to go. I decided not to sell ribs the first weekend to see how it goes. Texas Roadhouse is literally the closest thing to bbq in this town of about 50,000. I'm also going to set up at the highest traffic intersection in town. I'll post pictures when it is over.
Click to expand...

What did you have to get from the Health Department to set up for.
 
In the county I live in (Ohio) we can actually get Temporay Event licenses. Still has to go through the Health Board for approval and they are a little more thourough in the inspection, but if you aren't planning to vend full time and just want to do something like a car show or 2 per year, it's a perfect option.

I've seen some other types of these setups and they have the 10x10 canopy or gazebo style tents with 2x5' tables for the service and tables along the sides for prep with the cooking and Sinks in the back. Been considering a trial run of something similar myself to plug some BBQ in the mix, but still working to get the sinks, fresh water, etc to be a mobile setup to accomplish it.

Good Luck...Hope it works out great for you.
 
I had forgotten my camera when I did the vend so this is the only picture I have. It was taken with my blackberry so I'm sorry about the quality.
IMG00088.jpg

The vend went great. I had 2 briskets in one uds and 5 boston butts in the other. I was ready to serve at 11 am and I was totally out of meat by 2 pm. A lot of credit is due to the lube shop next door. They all came over as soon as I was ready to get some lunch and were sending customers of theirs over the rest of the day to have some bbq while they waited. I made enough money to have fun that day and pay for everything I bought. The real payoff is the 3 catering gigs I scheduled that day. These gigs will be paying for a bigger mobile smoker. I am also negotiating a possible restraurant location which I am very excited about.

To anyone who has ever wanted to do a vend in thier area, my advice is to stop wondering what the rules are in your area and just call the health department. My license in an intermittent food establishment. I made friends with the food inspector assigned to me and all she asked is that I keep her informed of what I am doing.
 
grillfella said:
I am doing my first vend in august. Its a one day car show for about 4 hrs, let us know any problems you encounter
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The only problem that I encountered was help. Everyone that would normally have helped me with the vend was gone so I was totally on my own. It made for one long frickin' day. :icon_smil Good luck on your vend!
 
nice set up. did you cook your brisket and butts on site? if so how long did you cook them? do you tear down every night?
 
What meat make the most money, what should one charge for a whole butt or brisket. How many bones for a order of ribs.
 
timmy7649 said:
nice set up. did you cook your brisket and butts on site? if so how long did you cook them? do you tear down every night?
Click to expand...

I am only doing it on Saturdays when I don't have another gig right now so I do tear down. I have been cooking the meat on site but it is not very far from where I live and I have wheels on my uds so I cook them behind the building and then just pull them out when getting ready to serve.
 
Congrats, undertaker - keep up the good work...and remember...if you ever start selling ribs, DON'T boil them and add liquid smoke :)
 
chambersuac said:
Congrats, undertaker - keep up the good work...and remember...if you ever start selling ribs, DON'T boil them and add liquid smoke :)
Click to expand...

HA HA!!:lol: Oddly enough, no one has asked for ribs yet. I'd start cooking some if I felt there was a demard for it. They have asked for a smoked potato so maybe its an Idaho thing.
 
undertaker said:
HA HA!!:lol: Oddly enough, no one has asked for ribs yet. I'd start cooking some if I felt there was a demard for it. They have asked for a smoked potato so maybe its an Idaho thing.
Click to expand...

Congrats!

Smoked potato....hmmm...sounds interesting.
 
I'd at least try a few racks out there. Nobody asks because the rest of your q is so good, but ribs are easy to go home with food.
If you cook them, they will come.
 
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