We charge $150 for a private tasting, they choose 2 meats and 3 sides to "Taste" and discuss their event. If they book us and the food & beverage portion of the invoice is more than $3000 we credit the tasting fee toward the final payment. If we are vending in the near future and they want to stop by during that time we'll give them free samples.
We used to do free tastings until a girl showed up for a tasting for her wedding and told me before even trying our food that she was not having barbecue at her wedding but a friend of hers said she needed to try our barbecue (like it was her bridal right for me to do a tasting) I let her try it anyways and kept my composure. She didn't book and I've charged a fee ever since.