I'm starting to get nervous.....a little

jenni belle · #1 05-02-2005, 12:58 PM

The time is almost here. I have a food booth this Saturday at a local festival. I'm starting to get a little nervous. I'm not nervous about cooking or anything, it's just that this is the 'first annual' of this event and I'm the only food vendor there. We have no idea how many people are going to show up. Hence, I have no idea how much food to buy. That's the nervous part. I'm just praying I don't run out of food at like, 1 o'clock. That would be a nightmare.

My menu is brats, Italian sausage, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, fiery chicken sandwiches, and veggie burgers. And breakfast burritos for the morning crew.

Ideally, I'll run out of food around 3-3:30. (Event is over at 4.) I just don't want to run out too early or get stuck with food to feed a few hundred!!
EEK!!!!

Just think of me please!!!!! :

KeeperOfTheGood · #2 05-02-2005, 03:01 PM

Hey oh

Too bad you don't have access to a short order vender! Look at your stock at 12, place an order, have it to you by 1!

jenni belle · #3 05-02-2005, 03:41 PM

That would be nice. However, I do have my husband that I can send to Sam's on short notice. That's the same thing isn't it?!?!?

KeeperOfTheGood · #4 05-02-2005, 04:22 PM

Yup!

Actually, that does bring an interesting question to light. How long would it take your husband to respond to a need to restock? I mean, if it is an event, there may be issues of traffic, on a weekend there are always longer line ups at checkouts... etc.

My advise is buy fresh. If you don't use it all up, you will be able to freeze the unused portions.

Hmmm, other than that

I have no ideas.... Really, a first is always a hard place to be. I am soooo jelouse all the same

dang this aging body of mine

OH, and it has been unseasonably cold too, so maybe hot cocoa and coffee galore. If it is an outdoor event, you may sell a lot of hot drinks.

shroomgirl · #5 05-03-2005, 08:20 AM

I've had an interesting learning curve with events.....last year I was the first to cook for an art event....5000 people the year before. I'd not been.
So I made snobbinettes with chambord mousse and a raspberry....sold for $2, rent was 40% and the snob cost 60 cents. I had 4 staff......ugh. The promoters had "free food", the crowd was poor artists who were buying beer/wine for $1. I could not recycle the desserts....went in the hole $700. I will not do an event again where I've not personally been to see how it's set up, who goes, etc.....
Some lessons take longer to learn than others, this one hit home immediately.

jenni belle · #6 05-03-2005, 08:39 AM

Well, Keeps, this isn't a very big city. Traffic isn't ever an issue. And the 'transplants' that know what traffic is make fun of the natives when we complain about it! LOL!

Forecast is predicting 80° so I think I'll be okay without hot drinks. Actually, the planners of the event are talking about hiring a coffee cart for that morning. And I'm justing getting starting and don't have that kind of equipment yet. I'd rather focus on my food.

At this point in time, I'm planning for about 350 people. Sam's is a short drive, so it won't be too bad. I just don't have any idea what to expect. I am excited about being the only food vendor though! Good advertising opportunity! I'm pretty sure this first year will be small. We have an annual chile & frijole festival here as well. When that started 10 years ago, I don't think more than a couple hundred people showed up for it. Now, there are thousands of people that come.

As for my costs, I have an in! Actually, this is a grand opening of a whitewater river park and my husband and I are members of the Paddle Club that has worked sooooo hard to get this park built. Anyway, I get free rent this year and I'm grandfathered in for future events. Yay!

I'm really excited. I still lose sleep each night though worrying about having enough food! I'll be glad when this is over!!!!

KeeperOfTheGood · #7 05-03-2005, 10:07 AM

O.o

I should have realised with where you lived that it would be a tad warmer than in this neck of the woods. Here, on the great lakes north side, as well as the great lakes south side, we have been getting rather unseasonably cold temps. Heck, yesterday it hailed, and it was ZERO (32 F) last night!!