Reality Check

[Goat]

I was recently asked to give a price for several meals at a rural wedding consisting of rehersal dinner, breakfast next morning, dinner after wedding, and breakfast the next morning. The total was rejected and I was asked for a price just on the dinner after the wedding.

This wedding is to be held about 60 miles from the nearest convience store and 300 miles from my house. Here is the menu which was chosen by the bride and her future in-laws:

Brisket, chicken, pinto beans, slaw, corn salad, Bill's potatoes, dutch oven cobbler, bread, sauce, onions, jalapenos, pickles, tea and coffee for 85 adults plus 16 kids, of which 6 are over the age of 6. Also included were plates, cups, bowls, and eating utinsels. The price that I gave was $1800 plus $300 for milage.

As this was squashed also, I am left to second guess myself about this being too high. I have played it back and forth and say no, as i don't need the practice. Anyone else care to voice an opinion. You won't hurt my feelings. :?

[Txngent]

What was your breakdown on plates? It looks like a total plate count (adults, kids, ALL) just shy of $18/plate, not counting trip charge. I don't know about your area, but here I would get undercut twelve days of Sunday. That is if you are worried about competitive bidding. The other question is the budget they are working with... they may just not have the funds for the total spread. So many things to consider, easier to just call "NEXT". Sorry to hear you lost a gig.

[jhendri2]

Your prices are a little steep. I would ask around half of that. Most folks can't see spending $20 a plate for BBQ. I think $10 a plate would be just about right for both parties.

Jim

[david brace]

I read Goat's post as saying that he bid on 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts...so that means that the 85 adults will eat 4 times...

85 X 2=170 adult-dinners

I also see the same amount of adults for 2 breakfasts...

85 X 2=170 adult dinners

so he would be providing 340 meals...forget the kids...

Dinners...lets figure at $10 a head if you go to a cheap-o restaurant...
Breakfasts...figure $5 a head just to be cheaper than dinner...

170 dinners X $10 per = $1700
170 breakfasts X $5 = $850
.......................TOTAL = $2,500 if this 85 people ate out these 4 meals

So it sounds reasonable to me, considering it's WAY outta the way of Mankind...

Am I missing something here? I think I read Goat's size-up right.

DB (also see my next post...)

[david brace]

Ok...I just re-read it and tried to imagine myself being at that wedding...chances are many people will NOT come for the rehearsal dinner...also they won't stay for the breakfast afterwards...so my numbers need changing.

I think we need to know how many peeps for each feeding to better figger the price.

DB

[osd]

DB--reread--the bid is only for the wedding dinner.

"The total was rejected and I was asked for a price just on the dinner after the wedding." quote

This is from a place near me.

Menu #2 Ribs and Chicken Gut-Buster Favorite $10.00

*

¼ Chicken (mix of light and dark) per person
*

St. Louis Style Fall-Off-The-Bone Tender Ribs
*

Fresh Coleslaw
*

Baked Beans
*

Grilled Flatbread w/Garlic and Herbed Olive Oil
*

Homemade BBQ Sauce
*

Chinet, Utensils, and Napkins

Add any of the following deluxe sides to your meal for $1.50 per person, each item.

*

Fresh Fruit Salad
*

Fresh Green Salad w/Cherry Tomatoes and Dressings
*

Fresh Potato Salad
*

New York Style Cheesecake


Add in for all the extra sides, condiments, drinks, & dessert comes out right close to !8.00 a person by these prices. 2 meats - 4 sides - dessert- drinks - condiments. And about 8-10 hrs of driving and $!50.00 --$200.00 worth of fuel

[jhendri2]

the bid is only for the wedding dinner.

That's the way I read the post also...

$2100/104 plates = $20.19 per plate.

That price seems pretty strong for Brisket, Beans, Salad, Slaw, Sides, and Dessert.

Just my opinion...

Jim

[SCOTT]

I think He was using that New York math :D :D

[Bad Santa]

Goat, I don't think that your prices are outta line....the logistics of getting all the needed gear to cook it and everything else to serve it out there and then supplying the meals plus your keeping everything that needed to be kept cold and sanitary for the whole time with the distances to cover....I'd would have to say that you were not out of line. Plus where were you to stay all of that time too.....camping out?

They will not have the same quality of food you could offer I bet....

[Woodman]

Looks more than fair to me. I don't negotiate price until I get to 200 people. If you need the money, drop your price. If not, don't.

[Zeeman]

Would dat be per serving or all da can eat? Sonny's BBQ (bbq chain) over here does real close to dat for around 8 bucks(per serving).
z

[Goat]

I usually figure an additional 10% above the number given. This allows for extras and seconds. It was 2 meats and 4 sides plus desert and all the trimmings. This was a serve yourself buffet that was 50 miles from a convience store and 100 from a good grocery store. I have a friend that lives down the road from the site of the wedding that offered me the deer hunters camp since all the beds were to be filled on site. I probably could have knocked 2 dollars off the price per plate, but you never know how far a frog will jump until you poke him. I could have made an even better deal if it was held at my house, maybe not $8/per plate but some better Zee.

[Texana]

This is most definately a topic that will vary from region to region ....

Here in the Houston, or maybe I should say Soueast Texas area, you can get the menu you listed anywhere from $7 to $10 per head. At those prices it will be chain BBQ places that have both the manpower and facilities to draw from. Not to mention the competition ...

Texas is over run with BBQ Joints .... On the 5 hour trip to Llano in central Texas Doug and I stop counting after about 30 BBQ Joints ... from small portable building where you walk up to full blown sit down joints.

I really aggree with Woodrow and Santa .... If you dont need the money ... dont worry about it. You know what your time is worth. Quality ... yea if your any kind of bbq cook, your stuff would be a lot better than the restaurant variety .....

And for my two cents ... yea maybe I would have priced it around $15 vs the $20 ... but that dont really matter .... it was your call .... and you made it ...

[Goat]

Breakfasts...figure $5 a head just to be cheaper than dinner...



David, These folks did not want to cut any corners. Although the breakfast is out and not what we are even talking about, the approved menu consisted of biscuits, sausage, bacon, eggs, potatoes, gravy, jelly, coffee, milk, and juice, for about 60. How much is the breakfast buffet at a Kettle Restraurant?

[Txngent]

Brother Goat, it sounds more like the buyer than the product in lots of ways. If you are really wanting to gather average prices on your product (as a whole and in your area), get some ideas from a couple of wedding planners. That may give you a some more thoughts to ponder on.

[Goat]

Txngent, I don't mind being at the upper end of the price scale. I am just trying to assertain if I am over the top. There is no availible kitchen here. Everything would have been cooked over mesquite coals, the wood would have to be brought in, biscuits, cobblers, etc., would have been cooked in dutch ovens. Not your typical back yard wedding bar b Q. Lots of atmosphere, which they were not willing to pay for. I was just asking what others on this forum might charge for such a gig. I am fully aware that the dutch oven cooking is not on most of the forum members menu options.

[david brace]

DB--reread--the bid is only for the wedding dinner.

"The total was rejected and I was asked for a price just on the dinner after the wedding."...
Quite right...my mistake.

DB

[kickassbbq]

Personally, I wouldn't even drive 600 miles to make 1800.
Smoke On!!!!!!!

[Woodman]

Personally, I wouldn't even drive 600 miles to make 1800.
Smoke On!!!!!!!

I'm with you!

[rstcso]

Mr Goat. Something I learned a long time ago in business (but still didn't always apply :? ), the more you bend over backwards to "help" somebody, the more they'll screw you! You're not pricing a meal, you're pricing a production. It's one thing to call the local bbq joint and have them cater a gig, but ask them if they'd be willing to cook it on site hundreds of miles from their location. I don't think so.

Another thing I learned in business. If one of you walks away after the job is complete, thinking "That was a good deal. I made out like a bandit!", the other is probably thinking "I just got screwed (or screwed myself)!". When your customer is thinking "I probably could have paid someone else a little less, but they did a good job" and you're thinking "I probably could have charged a little more, but that was a fair price", you'll probably do business again and they will tell their friends about you.

It sounds like you're pricing what you know is a fair price for all the details you'd have to attend to. Anything less, you'll feel you screwed yourself, and it's never worth doing that, especially if you know you're doing ahead of time and still do it :? .

Now, how much do you charge to put on a sausage-making clinic?

[Woodman]

I got into this gig not needing to take any job. I pick and choose. IF you need to make money, stay out of BBQ!

[Goat]

Thanks to all. I now feel more assured that my price was not that far off. This was a referal from a satisfied customer. I usually cater 8 to 10 gigs per year and most of them are somewhere where the facilities are scarce. I do it because I like it, but I had rather not go in the hole doing it for someone I don't even know.

rstcso, the sausage making lessons start in about 30 minutes as there were 8 hogs in the trap this morning.

[Big Mike]

I don't feel you were out of line either Goat.

I am charging $11 per person for

2 meats (brisket, chicken, pulled pork)(Ribs would be $3 per person more)
2 sides
2 sauces
Plates, Napkins, Utensils

For Drinks I charge an extra .50 per person
2 extra sides would be an extra $2.50 per person
Dessert would be another $1 per person

That brings me to $15 per person

You charged $300 extra for gas so that is covered. However that is 10 hours travel round trip on top of your normal time which deserves some compensation. Plus the logistics of it all.


Mike

[mykidsdad]

Alright. I'm gonna chime in here. First let me say I have not yet catered a BBQ gig, but I have had just a wee bit of business and professional experience in my day, so take this for what it is worth.

Everyone with catering experience here can give you all of the ins and outs of costs, time involved and all the other varriables. There is one critical bottom line factor. If you do not feel good yourself about what you are clearing from your effort , it just isn't worth it. Standing there in the hot sun, breaking your butt for someone feeling like you sold yourself short is the worst feeling you can immagine. It will sour your feelings towards the activity you love.

I have made the mistake of selling myself short in the past. Sometimes I just thought I was helping someone out, sometimes it was as a loss leader situation, and sometimes I just did my estimating wrong. The end result was always the same. I did what I was engaged to do but I was misserable doing it and pissed off for sometime following.


In the end, know your costs, know YOUR desired proffit. Set your price. If they want your service then everyone is happy if not then stowe your gear and live to fight another day.

GOOD LUCK.

[herper]

just a yankees 2cents. when you include travel time, room for the night, gas, lack of facilities and such, that adds u to a big chunk of possible headaches that you can not do anything about and headaches/forseeable problems have to translate as ah what is the symbol for Texas currency??? cash. Goat even for the region I think you are real close. and remember, brides accept nothing but worship and perfection on wedding day and hold lifetime grudges (I used to be a part time wedding photo/ video person) so add the risk of an angry bride into the mix
Herper

[rstcso]

rstcso, the sausage making lessons start in about 30 minutes as there were 8 hogs in the trap this morning.
Dang, I'm at work and I don't think I could get there in time anyway :( . It's good to hear you're still doing your part to help control the feral hog population. Maybe next time. Have fun.

[Bluegrass BBQ]

Goat, I agree with rtsco. As long as you can look in the mirror and feel you gave the customer a good deal and your happy, thats all that matters. You will get more business.

[droller]

I hope they have a crappy wedding.

[Mac]

Goat,

If they are worrying about the cost of a real custom BBQ meal, for that many, wait till they see the cost of having kids and putting them thru college! I really don't see anything out of line for what you were offering.

[Goat]

To top it off, a friend of mine turned them on to a place where they can hold the wedding and sleep 50 to 60 guests, 2 nights, for no cost. I guess if they are on that tight of a budget, the least I could offer would be free sex. :lol:

[Big Mike]

would that be with the bride or the groom :?:


Mike

[david brace]

How does that go???

"...She offered his honor
He honored her offer
And all through the night
He was honor and offer."

DB

[Goat]

Your funny Big Mike. :roll:

[droller]

How does that go???

"...She offered his honor
He honored her offer
And all through the night
He was honor and offer."

DB

Very, very funny. Should "his" be "her" in the first line?

[txpgapro]

Alright. I'm gonna chime in here. First let me say I have not yet catered a BBQ gig, but I have had just a wee bit of business and professional experience in my day, so take this for what it is worth.

Everyone with catering experience here can give you all of the ins and outs of costs, time involved and all the other varriables. There is one critical bottom line factor. If you do not feel good yourself about what you are clearing from your effort , it just isn't worth it. Standing there in the hot sun, breaking your butt for someone feeling like you sold yourself short is the worst feeling you can immagine. It will sour your feelings towards the activity you love.

I have made the mistake of selling myself short in the past. Sometimes I just thought I was helping someone out, sometimes it was as a loss leader situation, and sometimes I just did my estimating wrong. The end result was always the same. I did what I was engaged to do but I was misserable doing it and pissed off for sometime following.


In the end, know your costs, know YOUR desired proffit. Set your price. If they want your service then everyone is happy if not then stowe your gear and live to fight another day.

GOOD LUCK.
Very well said Dad!!! Right on!

[jshively]

Personally if you think you are worth it then don't budge on it. If you think it is to high then go back and rerun the numbers and see which way is up. Unless you are starting out and need the recognition no need to lower your price drastically and possibly turn very little profit.

Go back to them and offer less stuff even though they picked it out. 2 meats, 2 salads, and dessert. Tell them to provide their own drinks and utensils and you will save xyz.

[Goat]

I am not going to make another offer. I couldn't cook now at any price because they would probably pick a 5 star meal to death. There will be another gig.

[jshively]

I am not going to make another offer. I couldn't cook now at any price because they would probably pick a 5 star meal to death. There will be another gig.

Sounds good then. I normally provide a total cost list and let them pick knowing all the prices that way I am hoping they can do math in their head. Of course I normally just cook for friends and friends of friends so my prices vary depending on the situation.