No More Whole Hog

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Pigs On The Wing BBQ

Master Chef
Joined
Apr 29, 2005
Messages
6,922
Location
Akron New York
Been doing whole hog since 1995 and its off the menu now. I also will just do drop offs now in a 10 mile radius. Been doing the math, and that is the only way I can make money this year. Seems like every one wants a pig roast on site, or a cater but no one wants to pay the price. Getting real tired of hearing "cost that much?" A guy got in my face yesterday. Told me he could go to the local store, buy his sides, hot dogs and burgers much cheaper. I said go for it, enjoy, have a nice day and hung up the phone. :roll:

Pigs
 
Pigs,

I don't blame ya. I've had far to many customers take the same attitude. They have no idea how much goes into a gig and expect some thing for nothing. I do have a question on your price though. 25-50 bucks for 100 people? You're talking your cost to feed them and not what you charge right?

Tim
 
CarolinaQue said:
Pigs,

I don't blame ya. I've had far to many customers take the same attitude. They have no idea how much goes into a gig and expect some thing for nothing. I do have a question on your price though. 25-50 bucks for 100 people? You're talking your cost to feed them and not what you charge right?

Tim
Right Tim.

Pigs
 
I am not saying to cut your price for these people, BUT I will do whatever people want me to do for the right price. I am very flexible in what I will cook for a client. I do anything from chicken and pork and sides for 13.50 per person to Sliced Ribeye & Chicken Cacciatore for 25 bucks a head as well as Hors de Vores for 20-25 bucks a person and people pay it. Word gets around and the people that contact me, whether they know me or not, know that they will get top quality food and they will pay for it. When you start hanging up on people and telling them off, that word gets around too.

just my experience and 0.02
 
price of hogs depends on the size and therefore price... under 75 ish pounds is almost twice as much as over lets say 125-150 pounds.. huge difference in price.. I had a guy ask me today to do a hog roast for him and a crew of 100.. told him the price and he told me he could get if for half my quoted price.. I wish him a good day... I aint in the biz to make people happy, i'm in to make money..if they think they can do it themsleves, more power to em..
 
Bobberqer said:
price of hogs depends on the size and therefore price... under 75 ish pounds is almost twice as much as over lets say 125-150 pounds.. huge difference in price.. I had a guy ask me today to do a hog roast for him and a crew of 100.. told him the price and he told me he could get if for half my quoted price.. I wish him a good day... I aint in the biz to make people happy, i'm in to make money..if they think they can do it themsleves, more power to em..

You know the deal Bob! But people around us have no clue here in WNY.

Pigs
 
I consider myself a "boutique caterer." What I do is very specialized in this area. The money is nice, but it is an incredible amount of work. If somebody is shopping based on price, I will lose. I spend 55 hours a week competing on "price." My company ( day job) is selling stuff at cost currently because everyone out there is just trying to stay afloat. I WILL NOT DO IT FOR MY BBQ BUSINESS!!!! If I have to do 1-2 good jobs a year, then so be it. I like the money, but will not compromise. I got into this to have fun, be complimented on my abilities, and make money. I found, that there is very little fun involved! The other two elements are there, but fun is not! I don't burn bridges, but as soon as somebody starts asking me to negotiate $$, I tell them, I start to negotiate price at 200 persons and above. Case closed.
 
They way I see and always approach it is that if you negotiate price or some thing else like an extra menu item for one gig just to get that gig, then that person tells their friends what a deal you gave them and then they expect the same treatment. So now, you just cut your profit margine and uped the amount of extra work involved for free.

I agree, maybe a "different" menu like a chicken dinner or some thing could have been worked out, but that means a complete menu change and price change so you look like you're just giving a more economic choice and not selling your self out.

I agree that one should never negotiate price for what some one wants just to get the gig. I did it once and it took a loooong time to rebound from it.

Tim
 
Hey Pigs couldnt you go into Buffalo or Rochester where there might be more people with the/more money your lookin for? I wouldnt hang up on anyone either, I think you'll shoot yourself in the foot doin that. Now that guy has got a bad impression and so will the person who referred you to that guy. I hope it picks up for you man! Summer is almost here, it has to pick up!
 
Let's also remember that we weren't on the phone with this guy either. If the guy was extremely irate and unyielding to reason, then hanging up may have been a better option than loosing your temper on the phone? I don't know, it wasn't my conversation. Maybe we shouldn't ASSUME what we would have done until we are in that position???

Tim
 
CarolinaQue said:
Let's also remember that we weren't on the phone with this guy either. If the guy was extremely irate and unyielding to reason, then hanging up may have been a better option than loosing your temper on the phone? I don't know, it wasn't my conversation. Maybe we shouldn't ASSUME what we would have done until we are in that position???

Tim

Good point :!:
 
CarolinaQue said:
Let's also remember that we weren't on the phone with this guy either. If the guy was extremely irate and unyielding to reason, then hanging up may have been a better option than loosing your temper on the phone? I don't know, it wasn't my conversation. Maybe we shouldn't ASSUME what we would have done until we are in that position???

Tim
Yup, the guy was a total DICK! Should have just told him I was booked for the summer? I don't need and won't do a job for people who attack me on the phone. Thought about telling the dude what I thought, but I did not. I did say have a nice day before I hung up. ;) :LOL:

Pigs
 
You seem to get involved in alot of "hostile" situations............ever think it might be you........Hey, I'm just sayin......... :LOL:
 
Smart thinking. Talked to a lady who been doing outlaw catering for about 30 years outta her home kitchen. Even had a big offset in the back yard for them who wanted bbq. Her theory was in the catering bizness you can either be a Chevy and work cheap or be a Lincoln and give them the best they ever had and whutever they want and charge the snot out of em. She say both ways pay off in the long run..you just got to cook mo often if a person is low balling it. She would not even serve sto bought bread to her guests. She stays booked solid for each weekend of the year. She say work strictly word o mouth and pass out bizness cards and the health goons will never catch a heinous criminal such as herself. She didnt cook anything onsite. Brought it all in her Cambrios etc.

bigwheel


Gary in VA said:
I am not saying to cut your price for these people, BUT I will do whatever people want me to do for the right price. I am very flexible in what I will cook for a client. I do anything from chicken and pork and sides for 13.50 per person to Sliced Ribeye & Chicken Cacciatore for 25 bucks a head as well as Hors de Vores for 20-25 bucks a person and people pay it. Word gets around and the people that contact me, whether they know me or not, know that they will get top quality food and they will pay for it. When you start hanging up on people and telling them off, that word gets around too.

just my experience and 0.02
 
I don't bend my price very often, Ifin I owe somebody a favor er maybe fer some relatives, but othrwise, I will try an work up a deal fer somebody, maybe they can get by with less, do some a the work er sumtin, but then there be folk ya just can't do nothin fer. Those er the ones that tell me, Well I can go ta the store an get this er that. I tell em thats fine if that be what they wanna serve their guests, we scratch make all our products, it don't come outa a can. Ya wan't good crafted food it costs more then a can at the store an the people will surely enjoy it far more. Some folk will come round an some won't.

Business is tough this year, gonna have ta try some unexplored avenues ta see ifin we can boost it up some.

Good luck everbody!
 

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