Selling delicious homemade pulled pork sandwiches at local fairs, festivals, and events can be an extremely lucrative business. However, choosing the right price point is critical for optimizing your profits. There are several important factors to consider when determining how much to charge for your mouthwatering pulled pork sandwiches.
Calculating Your Costs
The first step in pricing is tallying up your costs per sandwich. This includes:
- Cost of the raw pork shoulder per pound
- Buns, condiments, sides, and other serving supplies
- Wood, charcoal, pellets for smoking
- Equipment like smokers, thermometers, and gloves
- Transportation, booth fees, permits, and labor
On average expect to spend $1.50 – $3.50 just on ingredients per sandwich, not including equipment and indirect costs. Knowing your exact costs provides a baseline for setting prices.
Choosing a Profit Margin
Once costs are calculated, decide on a suitable profit margin per sandwich. Most food vendors aim for a 50-100% profit on fair and festival foods For example
- If your costs are $2 per sandwich, price at $4 for 100% profit
- If your costs are $3 per sandwich, price at $4.50 for 50% profit
Higher margins mean more profit per sandwich, but likely lower sales volume. Find the right balance for your business goals.
Researching the Market
Research competitor pricing at similar local events to see the going rate. This gives you a price range that customers expect. Pulled pork sandwiches tend to sell for $6 – $12 at most fairs and festivals. Use competitors’ prices as a benchmark, while factoring in your own costs and profit needs.
Portion Sizes
Consider the serving size that makes sense for your target market:
- Quarter pound (4 oz) – good snack size
- Half pound (8 oz) – hearty meal size
- Three-quarter pound – for big eaters!
Price accordingly for different portion sizes. Account for bun costs in your pricing as well.
Combo Meals
Offer combo meal deals to increase customer value:
- Sandwich, side and drink
- Half pound sandwich and side
- Sandwich and two sides
Combo pricing allows you to profit from complete meals, while providing a bundled discount.
Location and Venue
Certain event venues justify slightly higher pricing:
- Fairs and festivals rather than community events
- Evening events when other food options are closed
- High-traffic spots like front gates rather than back corners
Use location to support marginal price increases.
Sample Pulled Pork Sandwich Pricing
Based on the factors above, here are some pricing examples:
A La Carte Sandwiches
- Quarter pound – $6
- Half pound – $8 – $10
- Three-quarter pound – $12
Combo Meals
- Sandwich, side & drink – $10
- Half pound sandwich & side – $12
- Sandwich & two sides – $12
Kid/Snack Pricing
- Slider sandwiches – $4
- Pulled pork by the oz – $3.50/oz
Tweak pricing based on your unique costs, profit needs, and market trends. Discount and run specials periodically to boost sales.
Tips for Profitable Pricing
Follow these tips for optimizing pricing:
- Don’t price based on costs alone – factor in profit goals
- Offer combo deals for added value
- Consider event type, venue, and target demographic
- Adjust pricing for portion sizes
- Experiment with pricing to find the optimum
- Run periodic specials and markdowns
With delicious pulled pork and smart pricing tactics, your sandwich sales will be smoking! Carefully calculating costs and achieving the right balance of value pricing helps maximize your profits at fairs, festivals and events.
Cost Control Strategies
To improve profit margins:
- Buy ingredient wholesale in bulk
- Portion sides carefully into 2-4 oz servings
- Limit free toppings to 1 or 2 items
- Use disposables like napkins only on request
- Reduce waste through proper prep and storage
Controlling costs while maintaining quality allows higher per sandwich profit.
Inventory and Labor Tips
For high volumes:
- Cook pork 1-2 days before the event
- Portion pork into servings ahead of time
- Prep toppings in bulk beforehand
- Set up efficient assembly line stations
- Schedule adequate staff at each station
Proper planning, inventory management, and an efficient onsite operation ensures you can handle large crowds and make the most profit.
With delicious pulled pork, smart pricing tactics, and operational efficiency, selling sandwiches at events can be an extremely lucrative business. By optimizing your pricing strategy while controlling costs, you’ll be smoking the competition while smoking lots of pork shoulder!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sandwiches from 10 pounds of pulled pork?
About 20 sandwiches from 10 pounds of bone-in pork shoulder, or 25 from boneless. Yield and cost determine which to use.
How many people per pound of pulled pork?
On average, 3-5 people per pound of finished pulled pork.
How much pork for 100 people?
100 people / 4 servings per pound = 25 pounds of finished pulled pork needed. With a 65% yield, that requires 38.5 pounds of raw pork.
How much pork for 20 people?
For 20 people, you’ll need 13 pounds of boneless or 20 pounds bone-in raw pork shoulder.
How much pork per sandwich?
Figure 6 oz finished pork per sandwich, which provides a satisfying portion.
What should I charge per pound?
Homemade pulled pork retails for $8 – $10 per pound. Restaurants charge $7 – $15 per pound or per sandwich.
