Burger vans at events

[MattCharlton91]

After going to truckfest, was talking with a mate about the burger vans there…

How does it work? Does the event pay them to come? Or does the van have to pay ground rent as such to be able to trade there? Will the event take a slice of the profits?

[mrmistoffelees]

Depends on the event but broadly you're paying at least a pitch fee, plus around 5-10% of sales. Pitch fee for something like V will be about 10 grand for a burger van, smaller festivals will be less (Latitude probably 6-8k). Smaller than that, things like maybe Green Man would probably be sub 1500.

[vikingaero]

My cousins run Chinese Food trailers at a lot of large festivals and events. Most of them are pay for a pitch, they've never been paid to turn up. Festivals are a moneyspinner as you have a fixed customer based that are generally too lazy/drunk/high to wander off site. Events can be riskier as the rain can cut your customer base in an instant.

To give you an illustration of scale: A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town will use 1-2 bags of 20kg onions (the ones in the red/orange netting). My cousins at a large 3-5 day festival will use 120-150 bags of 20kg onions.

[Puggit]

vikingaero said:

A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town

Will be failing or hiding business?

That's not many customers in a week?

[vikingaero]

Puggit said:

vikingaero said:

A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town

Will be failing or hiding business?

That's not many customers in a week?

This is the most popular Chinese takeaway that many people want. Husband, wife, maybe a part timer or children helping out at weekends. Once you hit more than that you need to employ people and provide accommodation. A decent chef can now command £750 and £1k in cities. That's a lot of wok action to cover their wages.

[48k]

Puggit said:

vikingaero said:

A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town

Will be failing or hiding business?

That's not many customers in a week?

Yes 3k a week turnover seems a touch on the low side?

Rough fag packet say average £5.50 a dish, 4 dishes in an order with a drink call it £25. £3000 a week means 120 orders. Open 6 days a week that's 20 orders per day. Open for 5 hours that's 4 orders per hour?
Seems low?

[sherman]

vikingaero said:

Puggit said:

vikingaero said:

A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town

Will be failing or hiding business?

That's not many customers in a week?

This is the most popular Chinese takeaway that many people want. Husband, wife, maybe a part timer or children helping out at weekends. Once you hit more than that you need to employ people and provide accommodation. A decent chef can now command £750 and £1k in cities. That's a lot of wok action to cover their wages.

3k a week wont even light the gas burner under the wok.
You underestimate the work ethic of a chinese family.

A chef will be minimum £12 ph to employ these days.

[Rich Boy Spanner]

EmailAddress said:

Look at Brands Hatch for how to murder the ahole out of selling garbage at extortionate prices.

Yep, did the 45 minute queue for a £12+ burger that wasn't even warm at Brands Hatch. But only because I got caught out away from home. That was Brands Hatch own catering. I find the burger vans better food and value. Normally, for Oulton Park/Donington, I make all the food the night before for a food cooler and use a hand cart to pull that and chairs about.

[Miocene]

Wife knew a lot of vendors in her previous job, £10k a day turnover was easily achievable.

A lot just work the festival season and then nothing for the rest of the year. Don't underestimate the cost of a good truck though.

[sociopath]

48k said:

Puggit said:

vikingaero said:

A common garden Chinese takeaway turning over £2-3k a week in an average sized town

Will be failing or hiding business?

That's not many customers in a week?

Yes 3k a week turnover seems a touch on the low side?

Rough fag packet say average £5.50 a dish, 4 dishes in an order with a drink call it £25. £3000 a week means 120 orders. Open 6 days a week that's 20 orders per day. Open for 5 hours that's 4 orders per hour?
Seems low?

That's probably what they declare, not what they actually turnover.
All the chinese take aways near us are cash only. Wonder why.

[Teddy Lop]

Big events are murderous, even in the 90s someone I knew with a burger van said it was £5k+ for a pitch at RIAT payable 6 months in advance. That's why these kinds of events are all tied up by big corp mass facilitators with an indentikit fleet serving up 10 different kinds of culturally themed absolute dross.

[Mastodon2]

sociopath said:

That's probably what they declare, not what they actually turnover.
All the chinese take aways near us are cash only. Wonder why.

A former colleague of mine had friends and family in the Chinese takeaway buiness. We were discussing why many Chinese places aren't on Just Eat, he said it was because they didn't want to lose money by paying a cut to Just Eat. Of course, they could just charge more on JE to offset that, like how many takeaways have a JE price but if you call them to order direct or go through their own website its cheaper.

It was all but stated outright that hiding sales is the true reason. I suppose every JE order is traceable and likely held as a record by JE. I can see how unscrupulous sorts might be tempted to avoid that, especially if they're claiming to earn £3000 in turnover week when the reality is considerably higher.

[cliffords]

Teddy Lop said:

Big events are murderous, even in the 90s someone I knew with a burger van said it was £5k+ for a pitch at RIAT payable 6 months in advance. That's why these kinds of events are all tied up by big corp mass facilitators with an indentikit fleet serving up 10 different kinds of culturally themed absolute dross.

A pall of mine ran a fish and chip van, quite a smart one at Goodwood Revival. For the 3 days it was £97k fees . He sold cod and chips for £18 each and the que was 40 mins long all day . Each morning he took delivery of his fish , he had three suppliers delivering to him as it was vast quantities.

[stevemcs]

cliffords said:

A pall of mine ran a fish and chip van, quite a smart one at Goodwood Revival. For the 3 days it was £97k fees . He sold cod and chips for £18 each and the que was 40 mins long all day . Each morning he took delivery of his fish , he had three suppliers delivering to him as it was vast quantities.

Thats near on 1800 portions per day to cover the costs ?

[Turn7]

stevemcs said:

cliffords said:

A pall of mine ran a fish and chip van, quite a smart one at Goodwood Revival. For the 3 days it was £97k fees . He sold cod and chips for £18 each and the que was 40 mins long all day . Each morning he took delivery of his fish , he had three suppliers delivering to him as it was vast quantities.

Thats near on 1800 portions per day to cover the costs ?

I thought that....doesnt sound right to me.

[judas]

Slightly different, but I worked in one of the beer tents at the 1988 Monsters of Rock. From the moment it opened until the final pint was served I didn't stop moving, and the amount of cash I took was mind-boggling. So yes, these things are money printing machines.

[2 GKC]

stevemcs said:

Thats near on 1800 portions per day to cover the costs ?

Polite way of saying complete bks

[Wacky Racer]

cliffords said:

Teddy Lop said:

Big events are murderous, even in the 90s someone I knew with a burger van said it was £5k+ for a pitch at RIAT payable 6 months in advance. That's why these kinds of events are all tied up by big corp mass facilitators with an indentikit fleet serving up 10 different kinds of culturally themed absolute dross.

A pall of mine ran a fish and chip van, quite a smart one at Goodwood Revival.For the 3 days it was £97k fees . He sold cod and chips for £18 each and the que was 40 mins long all day . Each morning he took delivery of his fish , he had three suppliers delivering to him as it was vast quantities.

Never in a million years.

[2 GKC]

Presumably meant £9.7k

[popeyewhite]

Thai street food vans have popped up at fezzies a lot recently. £15 for Pad Thai Chicken. Costs less in the local Thai restaurant. Total rip off. Thing is though after you've been wandering around hungry for a while it smells lovely.