Re: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF East 2024 Pre-Event Survey Results
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts. On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same without VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea.
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people. On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:23 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same
without
VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea.
I was thinking the same thing. Granted Pittsburgh (where I am) is known for its great food trucks, but still, they show up for so much as a rumor about a yard sale. -Dave On 12/7/23 11:32, Bart Hirst via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:23 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same
without
VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea.
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
My experience with most food trucks is they require a VERY strong commitment or a pre-pay. I've talked with a couple owners and they have horror stories of being invited to an event with the organziers going "Oh, we have HUNDREDS of people they'll all want food!" - and they sell like 20 sandwiches. Ends up being a net loss for them. Someone with a hot dog cart will probably be the best arrangement. Maybe we can get one of our teenage kids to do it :) On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:46 AM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I was thinking the same thing. Granted Pittsburgh (where I am) is known for its great food trucks, but still, they show up for so much as a rumor about a yard sale.
-Dave
On 12/7/23 11:32, Bart Hirst via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:23 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same
without
VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea.
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
-- Dave Shevett shevett@pobox.com
Yeah that's definitely not the way they work over here! I think it's a regional culture thing. My wife has run many of the events here in town; there have been times she's had to turn food trucks away because the space allocated to the event was full. -Dave On 12/7/23 11:48, Dave Shevett wrote:
My experience with most food trucks is they require a VERY strong commitment or a pre-pay. I've talked with a couple owners and they have horror stories of being invited to an event with the organziers going "Oh, we have HUNDREDS of people they'll all want food!" - and they sell like 20 sandwiches. Ends up being a net loss for them.
Someone with a hot dog cart will probably be the best arrangement. Maybe we can get one of our teenage kids to do it :)
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:46 AM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org <mailto:vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org>> wrote:
I was thinking the same thing. Granted Pittsburgh (where I am) is known for its great food trucks, but still, they show up for so much as a rumor about a yard sale.
-Dave
On 12/7/23 11:32, Bart Hirst via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in > PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or > something like that with < 100 people. > > On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 11:23 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org <mailto:vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org>> wrote: > >> Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly >> enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts. >> >> On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < >> vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org <mailto:vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org>> wrote: >> >>> >>>> On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < >>> vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org <mailto:vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org>> wrote: >>>> >>>> https://bit.ly/vcfe2024pre_results <https://bit.ly/vcfe2024pre_results> >>> >>> Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy >>> with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same >> without >>> VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. >>> While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea. >>
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
-- Dave Shevett shevett@pobox.com <mailto:shevett@pobox.com>
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people.
Probably garanteed money or income from the party. I think a lot of them use a commercial kitchen somewhere else to prep the food in the morning then bring it in the truck to serve. That being said, they are kind of dumb for missing out on VCF. It's the perfect opportunity. Large captive audience + hungry. I hope the fire truck museum does well at the next VCF, they seemed cool at the last swap meet and it benefits another tenant of infoage. - Ethan
Take pictures of the crowd. Show them to the vendors. Then show them on a map how inconvenient it is to go off-site for food. If they can't see the kind of crowd we get, we don't need their business. Perhaps they can have a runner that takes orders down the Consignment line and bring food to those people while they wait. LOL Jeff Salzman On Thu, Dec 7, 2023, 12:02 PM Ethan O'Toole via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people.
Probably garanteed money or income from the party. I think a lot of them use a commercial kitchen somewhere else to prep the food in the morning then bring it in the truck to serve.
That being said, they are kind of dumb for missing out on VCF. It's the perfect opportunity. Large captive audience + hungry. I hope the fire truck museum does well at the next VCF, they seemed cool at the last swap meet and it benefits another tenant of infoage.
- Ethan
We’ve communicated our numbers to many vendors in state, not enough for them to come out, or they are not interested in the effort to obtain permits from Wall Twp for one event. We even explored doing a pre-pay, but then were in a situation where we are shelling out for all the food ahead of time and having to issue tickets to be redeemed at the cart to keep track of the volume. More overhead to manage. We could ask the fire department back if they are amenable. The other option is to keep doing it the way we are, which at least is staffed by volunteers and requires minimal certification for the food handlers. We can’t sell fresh made (non-prepackaged) food directly to the public without multiple, onerous certifications. The best option is if we can move the venue to a hotel/conference center with food options. It would solve many issues, but that would mean charging a lot more for admission. On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:23 PM Jeff S via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Take pictures of the crowd. Show them to the vendors. Then show them on a map how inconvenient it is to go off-site for food. If they can't see the kind of crowd we get, we don't need their business.
Perhaps they can have a runner that takes orders down the Consignment line and bring food to those people while they wait. LOL
Jeff Salzman
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023, 12:02 PM Ethan O'Toole via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I wonder if that's something to do with the NJ shore area? Around here in PA I've seen some people get a food truck for a graduation party or something like that with < 100 people.
Probably garanteed money or income from the party. I think a lot of them use a commercial kitchen somewhere else to prep the food in the morning then bring it in the truck to serve.
That being said, they are kind of dumb for missing out on VCF. It's the perfect opportunity. Large captive audience + hungry. I hope the fire truck museum does well at the next VCF, they seemed cool at the last swap meet and it benefits another tenant of infoage.
- Ethan
On 12/7/2023 10:23 AM, Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts.
As someone who is not incredibly familiar with the area, how far away (realistically) are restaurants, and does DoorDash deliver to the facility? Jim
Personally, I figured as much. This is why I said that it should be a requirement to bring food, real food. Mike R. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Dec 7, 2023, at 11:23 AM, Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Sadly, after much discussion with potential vendors, there’s not nearly enough volume to attract food trucks, or even hot dog carts.
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2023, at 11:05 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Thank you for sharing the results. It looks like most folks are happy with the usual time of year. Personally, it wouldn’t feel the same without VFCE in the early Spring. Reading the suggestions was very enlightening. While I did not suggest it, food trucks sounds like an outstanding idea.
participants (8)
-
Bart Hirst -
Dave McGuire -
Dave Shevett -
Dean Notarnicola -
Ethan O'Toole -
Jeff S -
RETRO Innovations -
Sentrytv