# Running a Concession Stand/Trailer



## rio002

Hi guys! We are finally ready (I hope) to make the big leap into owning/operating our own Concession stand. We are early in this as for making it reality but we have discussed it for years, my husbands family ran concessions for years and years and thats where he got his start in the restaurant business 27 years ago. We understand the 'in the kitchen' aspects of running a restaurant, food costs, labor costs, stock etc. But there is an abundance of things that we haven't had to deal with like setting up contracts with fairs/rodeos etc., insurance on a food concession, licensing a concession stand seems pretty easy to sort out but getting a business license maybe tougher. I know this kind of a broad road to cover but if anyone out there has some advice to share we'd love to hear it. We're confident that we have the skills to create a great tasting and profitable menu but there's a ton of paperwork that goes with the "ownership" side that has me worried.The last restaurant we both worked for, my husband was the Executive Chef, I was the Sous chef/Dishwasher and we had one other Sous Chef, went from selling 83k a year in just food (not beverages) to 103k in just the first 6 months of this year, we took over that kitchen in mid 2011 so this increase through complete menu changes (we made everything from scratch unlike their previous chef) and price adjusting was an incredible increase for a restaurant in a short time. However the owners decided that it could be done cheaper by people with less integrity regarding quality of the food, and "let both of us go" .....I made minimum wage and my husband was on salary but for the 70 hours a week he put in for 2 years straight his salary worked out to only be dollar more than minimum wage, which they refused higher wages for anyone (not just us) because even though he had 25 years experience when they hired him and he doubled their restaurant sales in 2 years, they would always claim "but it's such a good learning experience" They were just the standard already millionaires but still crazy greedy types, though I did what type of boss I never want to be. That said we have the experience, we have a shot at leasing a concession trailer from a local restaurant if we can come up with a written business plan and agreeable terms, but there's questions like "should it be a flat fee leasing" "or a percentage of sales?" "how does the insurance work on this, do we both carry insurance?" And of course that option would only be until we made enough to buy our own trailer. I know I have rambled, but this is exciting and nerve wracking lol Any suggestions??:bandwagon: <------if that said FOODTRUCK we'd be in business lol!


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## dkhern

what sort of menu items are you going to try. what type of event or festival do you want to work? will you be moveable of sit in one location/


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## Darren

Unless you setup at a fixed location, you'll need health dept inspections everytime you move intot a different jurisdiction. What needs to be fixed depends on the inspector. Some are easy, some are ...

I'd do a flat lease to eliminate the accounting if the cost is reasonable. If you keep he menu simple, you should do well. All of your experience should be a big help. We do well just selling hotdogs and pop.


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## katydidagain

I can't right now remember what it's called but I'm pretty sure only one of you must have insurance as long as you have a document from the insurance company that protects the other party. . (It's not a rider or I don't think called proof of insurance but something like that--keeps costs down.) They can be long term or for just one occasion.


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## rio002

Hi guys! Thanks for the replies! On second look at that particular concession trailer and checking what our towing capabilities are, we have to pass on that one. Unfortunately, it would require us getting a bigger truck that just isn't in the finances right now. However we are back on the search for a single axle concession trailer, preferably without a lease to make it easier all around.

Darren--Good to know about the different health inspections per jurisdiction, I thought just went state by state and that if we stayed inside WA. state that it was the same across the board, I'll keep an eye on that, I know fines can get really high if you mess up on inspections.

dkhern--We plan on traveling with the concession trailer, starting inside Wa state then as events allow maybe Idaho, Oregon, Montana. My husband originally wanted to go cross country but looking at the events calendars for close by states, it doesn't look like we'd have to. So far he plans on doing "northwestern comfort foods" Considerations so far along the lines of Indian Fry Bread, Deep Fried Ice Cream, a version of Indian Tacos..... He hasn't sat down and mapped it out precisely but we've been watching the local fairs and events and sorting out what Isn't offered yet. I figure he took first place in the 2013 Foothills magazine competition for best in the northwest appetizer and came in a very close second on dessert, so I'll give him time to sort it out. His grandparents used to clear about 3k a day in their concession stand just on drinks and Indian Fry Bread so I'm certain that will be on the menu.Looking through the festivals/events for this season, certain ones caught our attention, a Motocross one, Bluegrass Festival and of course the Big Foot Festival lol but I think we'd work whatever ones we could into and that matched a good schedule for us. :O)


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## dkhern

the state will have various regs. here you have to submitt a business plan and menu to state health dept for approval. oncee approved you can build or buy before selling you have to have a physical inspection. can be inspected up to two times yr. you will find utilities vary by event. you will have to connect to lots of different electrical set up and at various distances. same with water. some times you can negociate with event organizers for a certain vendor spot sometimes certain spots go at a premium. plan all your equipment needs, food storage, prep, clean up, serving window, drinks, paper storage, etc draw it to scale to see if its fits also enough room for employees. if you do bib drinks dont forget the ice. probally wont be enough available power for ice machine. fryers and grills can be propane not as much problem as elect. prob is heat with trailer sitting in sun all day. id suggest an propane on demand water heater and for lighting consider led. also if not already become serve safe certified.good luck


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## CesumPec

You need to draw up a business plan and do a valid, highly detailed estimate of revenues and expenses. Where will you set up? Most fairs, events, and private facilities will charge you a fee to set up. Lots of these events only operate on weekends so you'll need to find other places like a downtown street during the week. Lots of food trucks in downtown DC during the week with long lunch lines. But that sort of area may not be available to you within a reasonable distance from home. 

You need to have a year's worth of locations and alternate locations in a database. Events get canceled, rained out, etc. What do you do if you've purchsed a bunch of fresh food and the event goes black? For each of those primary locations, you need to make calls to see if there are fees to set up or even if they are allowing new vendors. 

MANY years ago I was a carny. we were a small operation running in 3000 pop towns. A lot of game and food vendors tagged along with us. At some events we controlled, for a fee, which vendors set up, but at most events it was the organizer, like the local VFD. The vendor folks who followed us worked more traditional jobs during the week and operated their trailers Friday nights and weekends. Some of them were basically retired and did the game trailers as a supplemental income.


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## Raymond James

dkhern gives some good advice. Propane on demand hot water heater and LED lights !!!! If you can get a solar panel to charge the batteries to operate the lights that is great! Anther great item 12 volt DC fans sold in the automotive section at Walmart also at every truck stop . 

Carry two of every possible electrical adaptor . 50 to 30 amp. 30 amp to 110 volt. Have the longest cords you can afford and consider getting a invertor generator for the rig big enough to run AC.


Be aware that some fairs are sponsored by Coke or Pepsi so vendors are required at a sponsored event to only carry the sponsors brand. Ask and be ready to carry what is required. Most vendors in my area do not sell beer usually done in a beer tent by an in town group or bar that already has a license. 


Also you may sell Indian Fry bread but if the local Lions Club / Church/ Boy Scout troop has sold Indian Fry bread for the last 20 years then for that fair you may be prohibited from selling it. May not be fair but that is what I have seen. So what else can you make with the same equipment and ingredients? Something to think about have your plan B and C ready . Show up and find that out of 20 food booths 15 sell fry bread might be a good time to be selling something else. 

Keeping ingredients cold is the issue I saw the most. Look at a propane or a propane/electric refrigerator/ freezer. Get you cooler cold and put cold food in it. Keep bottled/canned drinks separate from other foods unless you can pre- chill them before placing in the cooler. Takes a long time to cool down 10+ cases of drinks. 

Go to the Washington State Health Dept. web site and get the regulations. Talk to health inspectors in your local area - New trailers that meet the latest food code regulations will pass inspection ( provided everything works, is clean/bug free and food is at temperature) in every state. States vary some have state inspectors and one health code who do inspections everywhere in the state while others have County/Parish inspectors who may have a local code. Often the code is actually the same except for Chapter 8 that deals with permits , fees and penalties. State of Missouri has no Chapter 8 no permit needed to open or operate however many cities and counties have adopted the Food Code and added a chapter 8 to require a permit. 

Always ask organizers if a Health Permit is required then ask them for contact info from the local Health Dept. Call the HD and ask about permits and what problems they have had at that fair before. They may tell you about the unreliable electric or the fact that the water is not potable despite what an organizer told you about having electric and water available. 

For dealing with HD inspectors- This retired inspector always liked the mobile units where the person said hello I am XYZ and I am the owner/manager/worker. My training certificates/ copy last inspection/ permit is posted over there, we make hot water for hand washing that is done here we wash , rinse, sanitize and air dry equipment by explain process you use, my cooler temps this morning were ___ I last checked about ____ hours ago and so on. Once you do this a couple of times you should be able to do it as you pause to take care of a customer then return to showing explaining your operation. It shows you know what you are doing and got everything under control. 

Mobile units are small at best and the sooner the HD is out and talking to someone else the better for both you and the inspector so make it a quick easy . If you have something unusually or a issue bring it up and explain how you worked around it. I arrived at one concession at a race track where a little 12 year old walked up said hello and told me the hot water heater was broke but she had a solution. Since it was summer they only had one coffee pot going. In fall they kept several coffee pots as well as hot cider and hot chocolate going so she had 5 large coffee pots and a large pot on the stove heating water for hand washing and dishes. She was able to tell me how she heated the water , washed everything to be used that day and how she planned to wash, rinse and sanitize everything again at the end of the night. 

I have also been at concession stands that had raw chicken sitting on top of the canned beer. Blood pooling around the pull tops. Found raw meat leaking blood unto drink ice several times, Found a cooked hog in a freezer - problem it still had the hide with hair and manure cooked on as well as the hoofs and again the manure still on the hoofs. This stored in contact with raw meat. So cooked meat touching raw not to mention the cooked manure. 

If you have it together and have your rig set up the whole thing should take less than 10 minutes.


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## rio002

dkhern--The business plan is probably the toughest part to wrap my head around, so I've been looking up what needs to be covered in it, the format it's expected to be printed in etc. Why do they need a menu listed? Is it just to point out the difference between the concessions selling items that are heat & serve vs. from scratch? I suppose that would make a difference on what would be required on an inspection.....does that mean it needs to be reported if you do an entire menu change in the future?

CesumPec--I've heard when it comes to fairs and events, are they typically booked out for locations 6 months to a year in advance? We understand, there is a hierarchy at fairs and events when many vendors have been showing up for years and years they should get first dibs, but I think there's plenty of room for a more variety. 

Raymond James--Thank you for the wealth of info there! Ewww on the cooked hog lol what are people thinking lol Excellent advice on the numerous connections to carry, hadn't thought of that. And we had figure running propane was the best bet but having propane/electric appliances sounds like our best bet, sort of a 'best to be over prepared' concept. Love the idea of a solar panel and led lights. I am taking notes in my spiral notebook so I can make a checklist to go through as we progress in paperwork and as we look at more trailers. I was unaware that they could 'change' your menu for you, so knowing that will definitely be on the forefront of our minds when settling on an exact menu as for how well it could be adjusted as needed. Thank you so much for taking the time to help out some greenhorns lol :O)


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## CesumPec

Yes, at many events, the same vendors have been coming for years and are first in line. You might think there is room for more variety, but the event planner wants to make sure the vendors make a profit and return next year, so he may limit the number of food trucks. In many of the small town deals, the event planner might just be long time friends with the existing vendors and want to protect them from a new guy. 

I don't say that to discourage you at all; just for your awareness. It will be far easier to list a bunch of events where you could make sales than it is to find the events that you can afford to pay site fees and be allowed to attend.


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## Bret

May I please, have a Lemonade Shake Up? Go for it.


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## Raymond James

Some other advice - I attended a fair recently where the lady had just purchased a new food trailer . She still had her two old trailers set up. I watched person after person walk by the old trailer with a sign posted with prices and pay more to buy the same menu item at the new trailer. 

Old trailer small window hard to see inside, few lights. New trailer windows 360 degrees easy to see inside and lots of lights. That was her theory - she noticed at large fairs people waking by her places to go to others. She was trading in her old units and getting new just for the windows and lights. She has run concessions/fair food booths for more than 30 years. 

The more they can see inside provided it looks neat/tidy and the lights the better.


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## clovis

I am not in the concession business, but ran into this a while back:

Some fairs and events are allowing one vendor to buy the rights to be the only seller of that item at the whole fair. 

For instance, at our local fair, one concessionaire paid a lump sum to the fair board to be the only vendor to sell cotton candy. And I understand that another vendor paid a flat fee, above and beyond the normal set up fees, to be the only vendor who could sell pizza at the fair.


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## dkhern

they want menu to assess if your setup and equip is adequate to keep food stuff safe. if you are selling cotton candy you wouldnt need refregiation but would if cooking bergers.


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## rio002

dkhern--I know exactly what you're talking about with the differences in lighting and visibility into a concession. I too have walked passed some that if I can't really see how tidy things are inside then I am not likely to stop, thought it was just the germaphobe in me though lol.

Bret--Yes you can have a Lemonade Shake Up!! I actually had to look it up because I've never seen one here at our local fair lol But that sounds wonderful! I am noting it to the menu as we speak :O)

Thanks guys, I knew if I came here I could get some great sound advice and lots of different views to help us learn the questions we should be asking. You guys are Incredible!!! :O)


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