When your alligator mouth overloads your tadpole behind

[SoEzzy]

[Utah Jake]

Go with link sausage as one meat. Most the work done there and you can really pile them in a smoker in great number. Brisket the other. Ain't no way I'm trying to shred that much Boston butt and still have ams left. Unless you're in Oklahoma, go with flats. Go with big cans of Bushes beans from Costco or Sams warmed in cheap turkey cookers. The rest is just unload from the truck and distribute.
_________________
Lang 60
FEC100
WSM
Traeger

[marvsbbq]

Ok, now if we take Soezzy's numbers for the hired help, let's add up the costs for those and then the estimated food costs..

Let's take the hired help first....

20 cooks @ $15.00 per hour for 10 hours (using flat briskets) This would include setup, cooking, serving and tear down.....$3,000.00

73 "other" staff @ $10.00 per hour with 4 hr min..$2,950.00

7 supervisors @ $20.00 per hour for 10 hrs.........$1,400.00

So we have a total of.........................................$7,350.00 For staff.

Now supplies......

1500 lbs of brisket flats @ $2.50 per lb................$3,750.00
1000 lbs of sausages @ $1.29 per lb....................$1,019.29
1000 lbs of potato salad @ $.99 per lb....................$770.00
160 #10 cans of beans @ $2.29 per can.................$366.40
1000 lbs of ice @ $.14 per lb.................................$140.00
Soda fountain @ $.11 for 12 oz drink incl cup......... $440.00
Plates, plastic ware, napkins @ $.10 per person......$400.00

Rentals (tables, chairs, tents)..............................$2,000.00

This "estimate" gives you a total COST of ..........$(16,235.69)
Event pays.......................................................$40,000.00

Gives you a NET of...........................................$23,764.31

even if your costs increased another....................$(3,764.31)

You would STILL net..........................................$20,000.00 or 50%

One way to save time & costs is have everything you can delivered to the site that you possibility can.

Disclaimer These figures are ESTIMATES only based on what I believe to be current pricing for my area.
_________________
Often imitated but never duplicated

[JimmieOhio]

Forgive me if I missed something...

Why do you need to feed ALL 4,000 people in as SHORT a duration as possible? Even buffet weddings have calls to the line by table number. Does a shotgun go off at this even announcing that "Dinner is served!"?

I would check with the client to see if going through a fewer number of serving lines based on perhaps first letter of last name, or stagger servings by a half hour and post the schedule so people can eat WHEN THEY WANT. There has GOT TO BE a more organized way.

This will insure you serve the best product the best way. (And keep you sane along the way.) Good luck in any case!
_________________
Jimmie Ohio
KCBS Certified BBQ Judge

"Never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. Then, criticize him all you want since you're a mile away and you have HIS shoes."

[marvsbbq]

I agree 100% to serve that many guests in one hour is.....unheard of in most situations.

To have a staggard serving time would help tremendously. But he did state that he needed to feed all 4K guests in one hour.
_________________
Often imitated but never duplicated

[BBQMAN]

Marv, you left out cost's for rental (cooking) equipment, refrigeration, and other incidentals.................

Brisket is also about $4.00 a pound here (been awhile since I bought any). Might get a break on a large purchase.

I would believe at least two drinks per guest would also be in order.
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[marvsbbq]

[kingconsulting]

Myself would want to figure on how I can do all that on $20k. $20k profit would be nice for that deal.
_________________
Robert King
DP 70
WSM
New Braunfels El Dorado

[SoEzzy]

Just to explain the 20 cooks / carvers, I too don't think it will take 20 cooks to cook it all, but in order to carve it all in a smaller time window, I was increasing it to get the carving covered with enough bodies, so the meat was being dealt with efficiently.
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Here's a change Robert.

I still work here!

[sseige]

Sounds like you need to sub two friends of mine from Texas that have the cooking power to pull that one off, pm me if you want their names and good luck.
_________________
Rusty Saw Smokehouse BBQ
And The Damn Yankee Touring Team
Southern Pride 1000

Gasser!

[StarsandStripes]

A few notes: This is a company day. I'll have longer than 60 minutes to feed everyone.

Adolpho, help is an understatement. I will definitely keep you in mind. My plan is to hit up the BBQ cook-off here in a couple of weeks and find a platoon of pit masters to help.

A photographer will be there from start to finish. There's no way I will pass up this opportunity for great press.

Kingconsulting, I'm elated you and your folks are having fun with my misery (I'm just kidding - I cannot wait to knock this challenge on its a$$). My bottom line is to walk away with a bulging pocket...while giving the guests a rockin' BBQ lunch.

Marv, SoEzzy, MIKE, and the rest - I sincerely appreciate your input. I've read every post and copied everything into a document just in case this site poops the bed.

If ANYONE thinks of the smallest detail, please post it up.

T-shirts - 100 of them - everyone on staff will have to don a Stars and Stripes tee.

[BBQMAN]

That's what's cool about this site, folks willing to help you out!

I would also talk with Steve S&S.

He is probably the resident expert on "high volume".

I have a party next week, and need to feed 600 guests in 40 minutes. That of course will be another thread!

I've also done parties of up to 1,000 but never one quite as large as this one.

Let us know how your plans proceed.
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[mutha chicken bbq]

Stars,

Good luck on this cook. Should be interesting to say the least.
I would check on deals for the Brisket. I just purchased 2 this weekend at $1.67lb, Being in Texas you should be able to work out a deal on the brisket.

Also, If it is to be served within an Hour. With enough servers you should be able to push them through fairly easily if there are NO options. But the Jam up will be where ever the condiments are served.

One option may be that all Brisket and Sausage and sides are plated with condiments on the side. No options. Then your help feeds the plates out as they pass through. They then go sit down and fix their meal in their seat. Thus no clogging of lines at the condiment bar.

Also who is providing the tables and chairs, And tents?

And what if's like Bad Weather?
_________________
The only thing consistant in BBQ is, it is always the Judges fault!

KCBS CBJ
www.galvinell.com
www.realdealbbq.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUcTvhyof8I&feature=related

[marvsbbq]

Good idea Mike, S & S could make it a "day to day" post of things pretaining to this event....Never know, maybe we could ALL learn from this.
_________________
Often imitated but never duplicated

[G's BBQ]

[marvsbbq]

You could have the condiments in individual packets and put them (ahead of time...even weeks ahead of time) into baggies and hand one to each guest as they walk by..
_________________
Often imitated but never duplicated

[G's BBQ]

[StarsandStripes]

Today's prices from my local butcher:

- Brisket - 1500 lbs - $2.09/lbs for trimmed flats ($3135.00). $1.37/lbs for full packers ($2055.00).

- 9" Smoked Links - $2.09/lbs - 3 per pound - $2788.06

The potential client mentioned a 1/3 rack of BBs per as a third.

So for giggles:

- Baby backs - ~3800 pounds - $2.99/lbs - $11362.00

If he does want to go with ribs my price will increase from $10 PP to $14 PP. That should cover the ribs, increased wood, rub, and personnel requirements, etc. I'm quite sure he'll forego ribs. That's another $16K.

[StarsandStripes]

Tents, tables, etc., will be set up by the client. Hmm, I'll be responsible for my serving area. I need to see if he can hook me up with an extra tent or I'll have to rent one.

[BBQMAN]