Last week we talked about a few tips and tricks to make your breakfast catering operation better than the rest. Let’s now take a look at what an actual service includes.
$10 per person for the continental breakfast = 20 x $10 = $200
When you call Sandy that afternoon to ask “How did breakfast go?” She says, “People were very pleased.” She also tells you this is a regular weekly order.
$200 x 50 weeks = $10,000
And, she has a standing order of 20 bag lunches for another group once a week. Let’s say your basic bag lunch is $12.
20 people x $12 = $240
$240 x 50 weeks = $12,000
$10,000+ $12,000= $22,000
Hmmm, you think to yourself. How about this for an idea…
“Sandy, when we come back to pick up our coffee equipment, I’d like to drop off a sample bag lunch for you to try. What is your favorite type of sandwich?”
It DOES happen like this.
You need to successfully execute the orders every week, and keep the customer pleased with your food and service, but this chain of events is a good example of how things can get rolling for your new venture.
Let’s get back to, “What time do I arrive in order to fulfill this job on time?”
If 7:00 a.m. is the leave time, working backward, we need:
1. Baked goods.
I’d advise doing at least some in-house baking — muffins (scoop and bake) and perhaps some pastries and/or croissants that can be pre-baked. Also:
• pre-heat the oven (15 minutes)
• cooking time (15 minutes)
• cooling time (15 minutes)
• plattering time (5 minutes)
Total time = 50 minutes. During those 50 minutes:
2. Coffee can be brewed and poured.
3. Sliced fruit or fruit salad can be prepped and plattered. Fruit, especially depending on the volume, can be done the prior afternoon.
4. The van can be loaded.
Let’s build in a 10-minute buffer — set-up time is:
60 minutes
This means someone needs to arrive at your establishment at 6:00 a.m. In the next installment of breakfast catering, we will take a look at exactly what you need to bring to set up the perfect breakfast for your customer.
Michael Rosman is a member of the Catersource consulting team. If you would like information about him coming to your business to address your specific needs, please email Carl Sacks at [email protected]. His book, Lessons Learned From Our Mistakes – and other war stories from the catering battlefield is available through the Catersource store.
You can visit Michael’s website at www.TheCorporateCaterer.com email [email protected].
