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One of the most difficult challenges
that new food concession operators face is how to find venues such
as fairs, festivals, and other events and then how to convince the
management of those venues that it is their best interests to have
them attend.
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Fairs and festivals are always looking for new and somewhat unique
items to have at their venue, after all they want increased
attendance and fairs and festivals that are always the same have a
tendency to see attendance slowly drop from one year to next.
If you, as a new food concession operator, are providing nothing
more than a “me to” menu with nothing new, exciting or out of the
ordinary you will definitely have an uphill challenge to obtain
space. New and exciting does not have to mean some exotic food,
although a new or unusual food concept is usually a fair management
grabber, it can mean a well or uniquely decorated trailer, or
unusual outfits for the staff. Always be careful if you are trying
to promote anything that is audio oriented, theme music can be a
negative as far as some fair managers are concerned.
I always suggest that food concessionaires produce a small but
meaningful electronic brochure, showing what their food concession
trailer looks like, inside and out, outlining the menu and prices,
and how many customers can be served per hour. This gives the fair
management a feeling that you are professional and that you take the
food concession business seriously. A food concession operator must
always remember that the quality of the food concessions are always
viewed, by the attendees, as a major part of the total fair
experience. Bad or poor food quality or poor health standards and
the attendees will say that the fair was bad or poor. Highlight your
commitment to cleanliness and quality and as time progresses add the
fairs, festivals and any other events that you have attended as
references.
Do not get frustrated, filling out concession forms for fairs and
festivals can be likened to sending out resumes. In the beginning
you have to send out a lot in order to get a response from a few and
like a resume, you have to indicate why you should be chosen over
another food concession.
If your food concession trailer/vehicle is self-contained, you do
not need an external source of power or water, I suggest that the
new food concessionaire consider parking near little league parks on
weekends. It is an excellent method of learning the business and how
to cook and serve efficiently.
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