Not looking good!

[Woodman1]

My season is not looking too good! I have had several companies who use me say, "don't count on us this year." I have one grad party booked at a compromised cost. On the up side, wedding inquiries are up . I believe it to be a result of the economy and folks trying to be more sensible about costs. Anybody else?

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

It's slow on my end too Dave. About to throw in the towel. All I get is "Oh it will cost that much?" Getting tired of wasting my time on the phone. One idiot asked for a discount last week, I told him "How about I charge you double and then give you half price". :roll:

Pigs

 

[Bill The Grill Guy]

Yep, I too have felt the crunch. Luckly I have the ole slab saving job to keep me in green. :?

 

[Rag1]

It's alright ... Obama will fix things up. Oh wait, this IS change.

 

[Hillbilly1]

Gonna be tough goin fer awhile I'm afraid. Folk ain't got the money ta spend. Tryin ta get some thins goin with the church's ta keep busy.

 

[Nick Prochilo]

Just send a request to Obama, he'll get you a bailout!

 

[swampsauce]

Almost all my stuff is corporate stuff. And like everyone else........I am sittin idle . Catering funded my contest hobby.

 

[dollarbill]

Well I hope this will turn around for you guys...it is summer almost........ My guess is that it will turn around when it starts warmin up.

 

[Woodman1]

Bill, I hope you are right, but I have 5 repeat corporate gigs that have all said, the status is unsure.People are laying folks off and cannot justify spending $$ on BBQ!

 

[dollarbill]

I hear you Woodman. My wifes company (a big big engineering firm) is still ordering lunches to be catered in (even though they just had a huge lay-off). Now that is only one company of course but I'm going to remain confident that it picks up and hopefully your regulars will give you a call and say hey! we need your services.

 

[dollarbill]

Bill, I hope you are right, but I have 5 repeat corporate gigs that have all said, the status is unsure.People are laying folks off and cannot justify spending $$ on BBQ!

Maybe you can slide over to NY and do a cook for the AIG guys...I hear they got plenty of money!

 

[dollarbill]

Said he barely had enough to buy a case of beer. For a single guy that's an alcoholic......that's pretty dang bad!

If he's truly a friend you need to go get him some beer....right now... cuz its Saturday and its noon where you live.

 

[Nick Prochilo]

Woody, maybe their just remembering what your food really tasted like! :twisted:

 

[bigwheel]

Yeppers it would be real crazy for a person in the food bizness to turn down a cater. Like the man tole me who run the bbq joint. Catering is wonderful. You know how much food you need..how much help you need..how much your gonna get paid blah blah blah..wheras a retail operation is a total crapshoot. You may sell out today and nobody darken the door tomorrow. Just a little food for thought.

bigwheel

I do not know if we are feeling the crunch of things or not.

We started our operation amidst this financial crisis. We really had no choice. I worked in Aviation and my company started reading from Chapter 7 and my dad's art business has slowed to all but a crawl.

We setup shop in the town my dad lives in which is very small and out of the way and we are doing well just off the local pop, all word of mouth so far. Who knows how much it will grow when we finally decide to advertise and do a bit of marketing.

Plus we have the summer season coming and we are on the road that all the tourists and weekenders come down to get to the canyon for camping and fishing. we are hoping this boosts sales tremendously.

We don't really do catering,except to a couple of fly Fishing Guides friends we know. we are a take out only operation. This could well and easily change though. I mean if someone wants us to cater a party we would be crazy to say no.

This is our dream anyway, and maybe it is fate that basically forced to do it.

I hope fate isn't a total A-Hole...

 

[Woodman1]

Yikes, I just had my biggest job for the past 4 years running cancel for this summer. 380 people last year. This was my wife's employer. Mine is not doing theirs either. I'm down to next to nothing!!!!

 

[Hillbilly1]

Grad season here, was slow ta start with an had one cancel at the last minute, gonna be eatin lots a smoked meat round here fer awhile!

Gotta say, this year may suck!

 

[Woodman1]

Well, my last corporate gig called yesterday and cancelled. This was after he told me in March that he was still on for the first weekend in August. He said he is bleeding $25K /mo in cash and cannot justify ANY added expenses. I am going to have to drop my insurance. I'll need a job somewhere, to justify keeping up my website, and to cover my accountant fee in January to file a -$0- tax return!!!! This certainly SUCKS!!!!! I was really looking to make money catering if I lost my day job!!! Oh well, life is still good! If it does not improve next season, I may rethink the whole thing. I had a good run!

 

[Hillbilly1]

Sorry ta hear that woodman, thins is gettin tighter all the time. Were just tryin ta ride out the storm an pick up whatever we can.

 

[DJ]

I'm ahead of the last cpl years at this point in the season. Added Pig roasts this year (after advertising it last year to check out if there was much interest) and have 3 booked to date. First one is the 30th and I mean the first one...how hard can it be??
dj

 

[Hillbilly1]

Hardest part be sneakin that pig outa the farmers yard without gettin caught!