Need to feed 200 workers in 30 minutes

Hi everyone, I need suggestions. I am exploring possibly setting up at a worksite to feed 200 workers. I have a 14' concession trailer, steam table, fridge, freezer, fryer, crock pots etc. Just trying to give an idea of equipment.

The challenge is....I will need to feed 200 workers within 30 minutes. They want plate lunches, hot dogs, sandwiches etc. I am still trying to get my head around how we can really work at this site. I will be the only on site food and only a small percentage of workers will be able to leave the site for lunch.

I would appreciate any advice, suggestions, menu ideas, tips, tricks etc. The setup would be 5 days a week. The 200 workers will not arrive until late October. There will be some smaller work crews at the site before the 200 arrive.

I will need to have the plate lunches dished up so they can just grab and go eat. I will need to hire helpers. I do not currently have a commissary and would need to either establish one or work through an existing commissary.

That sums up the situation. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am excited to have this opportunity, but I'm still uncertain of how to pull it off. Thanks!
Amy

Other than having EVERYthing pre-packaged without any changes, I don't see how you could serve 200 hot lunches in 30 minutes. That's almost 7 per minute. Extra help can't change the fact that you have limited space to prepare anything hot. Not out of a trailer anyway. Possibly take lunch orders the day before and fix them up in the commissary to deliver onsite but even that would be a logistical chore. Cold cut sandwiches are a possibility

Well, that's almost 7 people a minute you need to serve... Good luck if your doing to order, doubt it will happen. I worked a high volume establishment that fed 450 people in an hour and a half (aprox), but we had a dozen people that would work that hour. At the time, menu was so limited it was pathetic. My only advice is pre-prepped plates that they can grab (no custom orders). One of those what you see is what you get type situations. Just keep your line of workers putting out the plates until it's over with. I feel for you and the stress you're about to embark on.

Oy! That will call for some heavy practice. The staff must not only be perfect in prep work, it must run like a well-oiled machine when it comes to plating, serving, and keeping that line moving at ALL times. Head down, food on plate, next, next, next. Directions must be communicated to the workers, before the line starts, and while the line is moving, to keep a steady flow, and keep good time. Keep moving gentlemen (and maybe ladies).

I am somewhat confused as to why/how you landed such a big job, with no commissary or workers. It seems like this would be difficult enough for someone who has been through this situation in the past. Never mind someone who does not have the current kitcken resources, staff, experiece or previous knowledge of how to handle such a large gig.

I suggest frequent practice, and heavy prayer.

quote:

Originally posted by CCinNJ

Oy! That will call for some heavy practice. The staff must not only be perfect in prep work, it must run like a well-oiled machine when it comes to plating, serving, and keeping that line moving at ALL times. Head down, food on plate, next, next, next. Directions must be communicated to the workers, before the line starts, and while the line is moving, to keep a steady flow, and keep good time. Keep moving gentlemen (and maybe ladies).

I am somewhat confused as to why/how you landed such a big job, with no commissary or workers. It seems like this would be difficult enough for someone who has been through this situation in the past. Never mind someone who does not have the current kitcken resources, staff, experiece or previous knowledge of how to handle such a large gig.

I suggest frequent practice, and heavy prayer.

Never work. That's 8 point something seconds per person. The customer couldn't even spit out the order that quick, more less make it. Pre plate or nothing on this one. And like the other guy said, Cold Pre Made subs, darn good suggestion. Your only other option would be having multiple, and I mean MULTIPLE buffet lines, but as slow as some people are, this probably wouldn't work either.

When I say plating, I mean handing out 200 pre-plated items in 30 minutes, takes alot of teamwork in and of itself. That level of volume is very difficult, no matter how you slice it. Multiple stations is a great idea. A traffic expeditor as well.

There is always some guy asking if the salami on the sandwich is genoa or hard? Can he have cole salw instead of potato salad? Or, can he have an extra pickle? NO!! Keep moving dude, because there are 150 hungry guys behind you, and they are getting mad at me, not you!!! LOL

In these economic times, I wouldn't count on all 200 ordering. More and more people are bringing lunches from home. Would probably be doing you a favor if 50% did.

Kensandyeggo, Hard to say... Around here, there's a few film (movie) crews around, and they looking at a quick turnaround... That's what I look at, someone gives a head count, and that's what your working. Think 50% and it could hit your business for good when and if you run out. But don't know the facts of the event Cowtown is working... As always, more information would be helpful.

Yeah, that will never work unless you have a set menu that everyone is getting. (no ordering at window) and have it ready before you get there and just hand it out. I think you may have just bit off more than you can chew in that short of time. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by cowtown

Hi everyone, I need suggestions. I am exploring possibly setting up at a worksite to feed 200 workers. Amy

Please dont give her a hard time..

If you read her post, she said she is ""EXPORING POSSIBLY setting up"", NOT that she is or has already!

She just wants ideas......

Exploring the possibility is right.

I agree with everyone that there would not be specific orders. Everything would need to be preplated. Some ideas I have had are having the money taken out front and serve two different plate lunches which are already plated, just handing them out the window and having cold cut sub bag lunches already sacked up where they can grab them on the way past.

The site is a new construction site in a somewhat remote area. A large number of the workers will be from out of state and staying in motels or campers. There is a gas station and a small restaurant with maybe 2 or 3 tables nearby. Those two location are near the work site, but on a very narrow road and the boss doesn't want his workers blocking up the roadway trying to get out and back in for a 30 minute lunch. There are other restaurants in the nearby town.

I have been talking with the gas station owner who has a kitchen and lots of spare restaurant equipment. We could possibly partner on this and work together to feed the men and women. I appreciate all the feedback.

Nobody has given her a hard time. This is business and this business is very hard, at times.

If you serve cold subs and a green salad or cole slaw it will save you alot of time and money. You still might need to partner with the owner of the gas station for access to a certified kitchen for prep, assembly and packaging work, and the extra set of hands. Make sure there are some cold cut slicers in the kitchen, if you are going with this partner.

Write down the menu, and define a through work/task schedule. Doing so, helps to shed light on exactly what equipment you will be using what needs to be purchased, prepped, wrapped, and how many additional people you will need. Who/when to pick up the bread or rolls, meat, cheeses, produce, beverages, mayo/mustard/dressing packets, etc. I would stick to the cold subs and salads to avoid cooking anything.

If everything is already prepped, wrapped and ready to go, (with utensils, napkins, straws) on a line, I would make sure you and your partner or additional help handle handing out the menu items, instead of openly stacking and letting the hungry folks grab them as they pass. There will always be a few jokers who will try to pick up a few extras, for themselves. You do not want to be in a position of chasing back the extras, slowing down the line, or running short in the end.

Good Luck!!

I'd fix 1 hot entree everyday, stew, spaghetti, chili, etc that you could serve in a lidded styrafoam cup, the size 16oz. that you would prefill, have a buttered kaiser roll, sodas water etc, all you do is hand them out, someone collects the $, you have made the decision for them. Monday stew day, tuesday chili day, etc. You could blow thru 200 in no time, make sure you always have Plenty of $1.00, 5's 10's etc. price your food to include tax so you don't have to use coins, make your food their treat of the day and fill them up! You can do this, it's a ballet but once you got it down, a breeze. Go for it, do some practice runs with friends, you will do great, but first you got to do!

rooosy
No one is giving anyone a hard time. Just opinions and we all have one.

Ok now is this 200 workers per shift or actual 200 people eating for sure? Because if it is 200 people per shift you would not feed that many. Alot of people bring their own. Even the out of towners as you say. Most contruction workers who work like that have small travel trailers set up some where. They save alot that way. And more to take home. They cook and store their food. But I would have a different menu each day posted somewhere and they would call ahead to order. Precook,prepackage then deliver. Could work out with the store thing as to kitchen. Keep thinking it through until the true logitics just says no way. Bet most states would consider you caterer on the paper work.

I'm not giving anyone a hard time but don't see how it could work. We operate a trailer selling burgers, dogs and drinks at local festivals. The owner of a local mfg plant approached us about setting up to sell lunches. He has about 250 employees and nothing but a crappy breakroom and vending machines. He said he thought at least 1/2 would probably buy from a trailer, then go to the breakroom to eat. The only problem is the 30 minutes for lunch. If she has 200 to feed in 30 minutes, she really only has 15 or 20 minutes because they must have 10 or 15 minutes to wolf it down. At least with the owner we talked to, his total lunch time was 30 minutes and when the whistle blows it is time to punch in and go back to work. We told him it couldn't be done unless he went to an hour lunch which, of course, he didn't want to do. Just my opinion.

Mike S.

At any big event, it is entirely possible to serve 200 people in less than 30 minutes.

With the right amount of knowledgeable help and set up, it should be doable.

Working as team I dont see why not. Use the assembly line method. Everyone has their place and specific duty.



Maybe Im missing something here

A pizza guy I knew had a contract with a plant in colombus oh. The workers were given lunch for working thru on saturdays. He would set up 2 small self serve lines with access on both sides. All he needed was a food runner for each line. He served 300+ in half an hour(his limit also) as the workers werent given an actual break.
It would be a hot entre rotated weekly. Chicken and noodles, pot roast etc, along w/veg,starch and roll You could do platters w/ buns then a chafer with burgers or dogs, chips, fries, slaw etc. w/ a table of condiments at the end.
Zingo, Bingo, 350 and hour Turn 'em and burn 'em

I'm a retired construction worker and have worked some huge jobs.
I'm not sure about your area but where I am those migrant construction workers tend to be living on a wing and a prayer. Most will brown bag it to work but if you have the right items for them you could do alright.
The biggest draw on jobs here is the mid morning coffee break, they will spend then, lunch can be iffey you may do well with ice cold sodas and chips and for some reason cheap barkers do well.
You will find that in some cases the job foreman will send one person, usualy an apprentice to retrive an order for that particular crew.
You may want to consider early morning set up. Get them on the way into the job site, can be big profit. You will also get the delivery people and so on that way. Hard boiled eggs, just like stealing money. Chow Jim

Jim I think he meant he was catering rather than vending. If hes vending the adition step of fumbling with money will double his time im afraid.
What is the event?
britt

Britt, If you read the above posts by the OP you will see it's a construction site, not an event but daily food service.
I'd be very leerey of working a site where the meals were provided by the GC. Chow Jim

I guess your right there Jim. That there is a whole new puddle 'o' ducks. I would sit back and watch in awe as pair of 8 armed cooks worked in a blur. What with the thinking of placing n order and fumbling with change it would be a nightmare in dynamic! A time/motion study would be incredible to see.
britt

Know a guy who has done this, made a good living sold his place and is retired. Was not contruction site but a big manufacturing plant. Had a store with a deli/ kitchen setup. He had a menu for everyday of the week. Never changed the menu and it was posted at the plant on many bulleten boards. Mon. this ,Tues that and so on. They would call in the orders by when ever and he would transport the meals to the plant. His wife was telling me how they had to up grade to a van with racks since they carried so many meals. Beans and cornbread was BIG and what they had in each serving was nothing but their return was unreal. This plant as most around here only had a 30 minute lunch. Maybe was miss understood earlier. This man had a brick building to work out of just delivery. If I contracted to use the kitchen for this purpose my state would classify me as a caterer. Different rules and ins. If i did this on site out of trailer would be vender. States have different laws pertaining to each, ins would be different also. Tn has Restaurant, caterer and vending laws. each is somewhat different but they all have to conform on temps for hot food holding and cold storage, and sanitation. To long winded for me.

I appreciate the input. It all helps me to look at the different options to see if this is something I want to take on long term.

Not a professional, I arranged this and pulled it off earlier this year.

Everybody got a bag lunch and a soda. No decision making, no choices; ruthless, but efficient.
If everyone of your 200 eaters takes 20 seconds to decide, you're looking at an hour or more.