Questions about what to charge?

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atcnick

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jan 1, 2010
381
40
Longview, Texas
Got a couple questions:

1:  What kind of discount does Sam's give you on meat when you by in bulk?  and how much do you have to buy to get the discount?

2.  What do you charge for say a brisket, or a rack of spares when you provide everything (meat, spices, and smoke it)?

Consider the fact that I have never charged for bbq, but a few friends have said my Q is very good.   Any advice would be appreciated.

Nick
 
Bumping this up.

I'm not sure on what kinda discount you'd get, I'm assuming if you talk to the manager at the store they might give you a volume discount.

As far as what to charge, you gotta figure what do you think you time is worth, the type of meat your doing, it takes a long time to smoke briskets and butts.
 
Th is interesting as I have been wondering  too-there was a local guy set up at the store parking lot here charging $10.00 for a rack of smoked baby backs recently. I wondered if he was getting bulk prices it sounded pretty cheap for a full rack of bbacks already smoked.

No I didn't buy any 
 
guy in Parker, CO charges $30 for a full rack of spares, think his sammies are all $9....plus more for sides.....works out of a parking lot....crazy expensive....you should just ask yourself, what would I pay and think is reasonable and compare that to your time and materials and profit.....sure it all depends on where you live....
 
$9 bucks for a sandwich?  sheesh! I need to find his spot and charge $8.

The guy charging $10 a rack must be either getting a nice discount, or buying the smallest racks he can find. Or sells a lot of ribs.
 
$20-$25 is fairly common for a rack of spares, $25-$30 for Baby Backs, $6-$8 for sandwiches ($6 for pulled pork, $8 for brisket). But definately check your local competition and see what they are charging.
 
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Now thats a good advice to check out the local catering places and them look online in your area. But also think about what it takes to set up catering operations to now. You can't just go set up a stand and start selling sandwiches and things. You have to do the research before you do the cooking.
 
Sams in our area has their meats priced at $ per pound or you can buy whole cases and get it cheaper per pound. It will save you a little money if you are going though lots of meat. Keep in mind that when you buy whole cases you don't get to pick out the meat by looking at it. You take the whole case. That being said I have never gotten any bad meat at Sams. $10.00 baby backs sounds awful cheap for our area.

Check out your local bbq resturants and see what they are charging. BBQ prices differ greatly from region to region.
 
I bet they were the baby-babybacks like i cooked over the weekend..  I found a load of them last week for $1.99/lb, and 2 packs were between $6 & $7 each..

Cooked 20 racks this weekend and really liked them.  I would prefer them a little bigger, but there was still plenty of meat on the bones.  They were just smaller bones haha.
 
We tried a place new to us today.  B&B Southern Bar-B-Que in Laurel, Maryland.  According to a Washington Post article, it is run by a retired cop from Memphis.  He is the pit master and cooks his ribs long and slow.  Price for a full slab was $20, including two sides and cornbread.  At the prices for sides, etc. that would make just the slab of ribs to be about $18. I got an order of rib tips for $6.00.  Had eight pieces cut about 1 inch square from the tips (as much cartilege as bone).  They were pretty good, although I might have liked a little less sauce on them.  The sauce is a sweet, vinegary, tangy sauce and is added after cooking.
 
Just looked up Bodacious BBQ prices here in East TX:
 Sandwich  Plates       Pound         
Beef......................$5.25$9.65$12.50
Hot Link...............$5.25$9.65$12.50

Pork.....................
$5.25$9.65$12.50
Turkey..................$5.25$9.65$12.50
Ribs......................$7.25$11.75$12.50
Sloppy Joe............$2.25
 -
$6.00
p
Chopped Beef Sandwich with 2 Vegetable..............$8.25
Sliced Beef & Link Plate with 2 Vegetable..............$9.65
Combo Plate - 2, 3 or 4 Meats with 2 Vegetable.....$11.75
Vegetables Sizes 
Pinto Beans Order.........$1.70
Potato Salad Pint.............$3.89
Cole Slaw Quart..........$6.30
  Gallon.........$20.00
  Catering prices:

The 1/2 lb. Per Person - $10.15 per person

The Bodacious lunch or dinner pack for groups of 4 or more includes:

 - Delicious smoked, chopped or sliced beef and links **

 - Potato Salad, Pinto Beans and Cole Slaw

 - Bread or Buns

 - Our famous BBQ sauce with pickles and onions

 - Sweet or Unsweet tea and or Lemonade

 - Tableware (fork, knife, spoon, napkin, plate, and cup)

 - Heavy Duty serving equipment

** Turkey or Pork may be substituted if desired for no extra charge
The 3/4 lb. Per Person - $12.00 per person

 - All of our delicious smoked meats (beef, ribs, links, turkey, pork) **
 - Potato Salad, Pinto Beans and Cole Slaw
 - Bread or Buns
 - Our famous BBQ sauce with pickles and onions
 - Sweet or Unsweet tea and or Lemonade
 - Tableware (fork, knife, spoon, napkin, plate, and cup)
 - Heavy Duty serving equipment
 ** In any combination you desire
This is just for carryout catering.  Additional cost for setup if you want it.

I didnt realized they charge so much.   Anyone know what the weight per person is?  Is that meat weight only or meat and sides?
 
sams here sells buy the case and it usually saves you anywhere from 25 to 40 cents per lb. Sams had BBQ baby back ribs from the same rotisserie that they do them bodacious roasted chickens last weekend priced @ $12 per rack.
 
Do you have a Restaurant Depot near you? If so they would be cheaper than Sams
 
I have heard 8oz is an adult portion.  Most people around my area charge by the oz for catering. I am seeing 20-25$ for spares (full) and 25-30 for babies.  I use Costco and they do discount if you buy bulk. 

Swift brand ribs from Costco are averaging in price from 25-30$ a pack of baby backs.  Each pack has 3 racks.

My uncle had his own business and I helped him when I was in high school.  He always said that "You will only loose money one time" when I would ask him how much to charge.
 
I don't cater at all, but. I have cooked for a buddies wedding, that was cool, he bought the meat and I spent a day or two smoking it and even served it. I thought it was a decent present.

I will sell my brisket for 11 a lb cooked in vac bags

pork for 10 a lb

spares jump around a little. If they are for a fund raiser we charge 20 for the full rack untrimed with membrane cut not pulled. We figure its for a cause other then the greater bennifit of my bank account.

Just to sell ribs they go from 15 to 18 ish depending on the size and cost.

Chicken is a toss up cause if I use a smart chicken its gonna be about 10 bucks more then dumb chicken. For a whole that is.

Now I am always subject to change these if the per lb cost goes way up.

Good Luck and let us know how you do.
 
Just looked up Bodacious BBQ prices here in East TX:
 Sandwich  Plates       Pound         
Beef......................$5.25$9.65$12.50
Hot Link...............$5.25$9.65$12.50

Pork.....................
$5.25$9.65$12.50
Turkey..................$5.25$9.65$12.50
Ribs......................$7.25$11.75$12.50
Sloppy Joe............$2.25
 -
$6.00
p
Chopped Beef Sandwich with 2 Vegetable..............$8.25
Sliced Beef & Link Plate with 2 Vegetable..............$9.65
Combo Plate - 2, 3 or 4 Meats with 2 Vegetable.....$11.75
Vegetables Sizes 
Pinto Beans Order.........$1.70
Potato Salad Pint.............$3.89
Cole Slaw Quart..........$6.30
  Gallon.........$20.00
  Catering prices:

The 1/2 lb. Per Person - $10.15 per person

The Bodacious lunch or dinner pack for groups of 4 or more includes:

 - Delicious smoked, chopped or sliced beef and links **

 - Potato Salad, Pinto Beans and Cole Slaw

 - Bread or Buns

 - Our famous BBQ sauce with pickles and onions

 - Sweet or Unsweet tea and or Lemonade

 - Tableware (fork, knife, spoon, napkin, plate, and cup)

 - Heavy Duty serving equipment

** Turkey or Pork may be substituted if desired for no extra charge
The 3/4 lb. Per Person - $12.00 per person

 - All of our delicious smoked meats (beef, ribs, links, turkey, pork) **
 - Potato Salad, Pinto Beans and Cole Slaw
 - Bread or Buns
 - Our famous BBQ sauce with pickles and onions
 - Sweet or Unsweet tea and or Lemonade
 - Tableware (fork, knife, spoon, napkin, plate, and cup)
 - Heavy Duty serving equipment
 ** In any combination you desire
This is just for carryout catering.  Additional cost for setup if you want it.

I didnt realized they charge so much.   Anyone know what the weight per person is?  Is that meat weight only or meat and sides?
the weight is meat  only. then it comes w/ the sides. $12 pp is about what they charge for 1/3lb catered here but its usually oven done not low and slow.
 
Last edited:
Got a local guy just outside STL County and has a setup in a lot of a small gas/liquor store with a TENT and everything.... been there for years...

I'm pretty sure he buys the MEDIUM spares from our Restaurant Depot here in STL, they are smaller that FULLs but bigger than STL style... they are really NOT very meaty IMO, but he has a following that keeps him hopping...

I believe he is at $19.00 for a rack of those ribs. Like I said tho, I get much meatier ribs when I go to the same RD or Sams so maybe he has found another supplier, but I am getting my website up and running and will probably be charging $20 reg, $22.50 for BBs

$30 - $35 is the going rate here for a 9lb (pre-cook wt.) Pork Butt

BTW, did anyone figure out a definitive answer to how much Pulled Pork Yields???

6oz or closer to 8oz is a normal PP serving???

Whats the Shrinkage on BUTTS??? I get mostly Bone-in
 
Got a local guy just outside STL County and has a setup in a lot of a small gas/liquor store with a TENT and everything.... been there for years...

I'm pretty sure he buys the MEDIUM spares from our Restaurant Depot here in STL, they are smaller that FULLs but bigger than STL style... they are really NOT very meaty IMO, but he has a following that keeps him hopping...

I believe he is at $19.00 for a rack of those ribs. Like I said tho, I get much meatier ribs when I go to the same RD or Sams so maybe he has found another supplier, but I am getting my website up and running and will probably be charging $20 reg, $22.50 for BBs

$30 - $35 is the going rate here for a 9lb (pre-cook wt.) Pork Butt

BTW, did anyone figure out a definitive answer to how much Pulled Pork Yields???

6oz or closer to 8oz is a normal PP serving???

Whats the Shrinkage on BUTTS??? I get mostly Bone-in
The yield on pork butt is approx 60% of what you started with. Meaning you loose approx. 35-40% of the weight when it is cooked. As for you portion, part of that would also depend on your bun size, pick a bun try one of each size and see how it looks.
 
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