How do you talk a client out of a menu choice?

Funkydrummer · May 18, 2018

I have a gig coming up, feeding 500. The client came up with following menu:

Pork Ribs
Tri-tip
Chicken
Baked Beans
Coleslaw
Potato Salad
Grilled Veggies
Dirty Rice
Cornbread

I tried and failed to talk the client out of the ribs and tri-tip options. I suggested beef brisket and pulled pork. I even priced the 2 menus with a difference of $2k. No dice. They heard that my ribs are the bomb, and that’s what they want. The reason I suggested the changes was, logistically, I don’t want to cook ribs and tri-tip for 500. I now have to rent another smoker to make that happen. Of course I didn’t tell the client that. Anywho, how do you guys gently nudge a client away from certain pain in the rear menu items?

midwest_kc · May 19, 2018

I get that it's a pain, but if you priced it correctly, to make it worth your time and hassle, I'd go ahead and just do it, and take the extra profits.

Outside of that, I don't know what to tell you. If you told him you'd do it for $X, I kinda feel like you need to follow through.

HBMTN · May 19, 2018

Easy answer... don't. Your kinda of screwed on this one because you have already priced it but in the future if you need to rent a smoker to do a job then include that in the cost of your price. Then give other options you can do cheaper. If you truly don't want to do a menu request then price it at a price you would want to do it. I've done that before. I once had a lady wanting me to go a long way to cater a whole hog and I didn't want to do it so I priced it through the roof expensive. She wanted it and paid me the high price I quoted her and believe me I didn't mind doing it for what I charged her LOL

bryonlr · May 19, 2018

If you knew the menu from the start and agreed to the price, and you back out now, your reputation will probably take a serious hit

ronbrad62 · May 20, 2018

HBMTN said:
Easy answer... don't. Your kinda of screwed on this one because you have already priced it but in the future if you need to rent a smoker to do a job then include that in the cost of your price. Then give other options you can do cheaper. If you truly don't want to do a menu request then price it at a price you would want to do it. I've done that before. I once had a lady wanting me to go a long way to cater a whole hog and I didn't want to do it so I priced it through the roof expensive. She wanted it and paid me the high price I quoted her and believe me I didn't mind doing it for what I charged her LOL

I can't give a better answer than this. Good advice here. Just file this under lessons learned and reflect on this on future quotes.

Cook · May 20, 2018

This is simply a good lesson in business. You know your logistical issues. Work that into your pricing before you actually give the price...but you know that now.

It's a shame to be in the business of cooking, and make a statement like, "I don’t want to cook ribs and tri-tip for 500."

Be happy you have the business...not to mention a highly profitable job for 500.

How do you talk a client out of a menu choice?

Funkydrummer

Found some matches.

midwest_kc

is one Smokin' Farker

HBMTN

is One Chatty Farker

bryonlr

is one Smokin' Farker

ronbrad62

somebody shut me the fark up.

Cook

Babbling Farker

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