Concessions Accommodate Snackers for Every Occasion

It’s a world of very diverse cultures. Depending on where we go, the social norms in that particular area may be completely unfamiliar to us; completely different than what we’re used to. But we can always find a few similarities between cultures, too. And one thing that most people around the world share is a penchant for snacking.

One would be hard pressed to find a gathering or event without some type of snack stand or series of concession carts nearby. Wherever people converge, whether it’s a festival, a sporting event or even a busy street, vendors will set up shop and have concession food and drinks available.

A concession stand may have a different “look” on a Calcutta street corner as opposed to one in Indianapolis, but the intent is the same: feed hungry people and quench their thirst! Especially during the summertime when festivals, carnivals and fairs are almost daily occurrences, the concession trailer business continues to prosper. On a hot day, refreshment seekers will flock to “snack shacks” for drinks to stay hydrated and may eventually give in to the tantalizing aroma drifting from a hot dog cooker.

Tailored to the Occasion

Concessionaires will do their best to customize the food and drink that they have available to fit the occasion. Hot dog machines and popcorn makers are customary for most concession stands. And you can add a nacho machine or hamburger grill at many youth sporting events or outdoor concerts. Candy bars, bag snacks and canned soft drinks will usually be available to support the “main courses.”

There are also “theme” foods that go hand-in-hand with certain occasions. What would an Oktoberfest celebration be without bratwurst, potato pancakes and Belgian waffles? Or carnivals without cotton candy?

Whatever the reason for a gathering and wherever it takes place, concessions will most likely be available to accommodate hungry and thirsty attendees.

Automatic and Traditional Concessions Both Have Their Place

Sometimes it appears as if every traditional function within our society is becoming mechanized and automated. Yes, this phenomenon has made our lives easier. But it also causes us to question how eliminating the "personal touch" and diminishing the importance of traditional face-to-face customer relations will affect our culture down the road.

There are, of course, plusses and minuses to the increased technology in our lives. For instance, we can now go through the line at the grocery store without the help of a clerk or cashier. We can deposit or withdraw money from the bank without the need to talk to a live teller. We can instantly get answers to our questions about anything from incoming weather to background information on a historical figure.

Concessions: Man vs. Machine

Even a segment of our culture that seems so "mom and pop," the concession trailer business, hasn't been spared. Food carts are a part of just about every event imaginable. Carnivals, festivals, sporting events and concerts all have vending areas where pleasant workers dish out fresh food and snacks to customers. Concession workers will reach into popcorn makers to scoop up a few bags for the kids then they'll pluck a few dogs out of the hot dog cooker for mom and dad. It's all part of the overall event experience.

Though the personal touch still exists in most areas of the country, automatic self-serve concession trailers and carts are becoming increasingly popular. They come complete with bottled drinks instead of iced soft drinks and microwaves to heat up refrigerated sandwiches. No aromatic cooking smells or charming concession workers. Just a few buttons to press on a series of machines and you're on your way.

It's all a matter of preference as to whether a customer opts for the traditional or the technical. A personal touch and food freshness over quickness and convenience, the choice is yours.

Making Caramel Popcorn Easier than You Think

Caramel popcorn or “caramel corn” used to be directly associated with Halloween. But it has gradually become a popular snack food for just about any occasion, and is sold in concession carts, food stands and stores year-round.


Trick or treaters used to find at least several popcorn balls in their bags after a night of begging. Popcorn balls were a “clustered” form of caramel corn, shaped into a ball slightly larger in size than a baseball. Although they can still be found here and there, the popularity of the popcorn ball has slowly faded.


However, people still longed for the sumptuous taste that the combination of caramel and popcorn had to offer. Therefore, caramel corn is more popular than ever. In fact, many have taken it upon themselves to learn the recipe and make their own caramel corn. It’s not complicated, and it’s fun to get the kids involved in the process.


OK, prospective caramel popcorn makers, if you’re wondering how exactly you make this delectable snack, you’ve come to the right place:


How to make Caramel Popcorn?


Ingredients:
5 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add corn syrup, salt and brown sugar and stir as you bring it to a boil. Then boil without stirring for about four minutes then remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla, then pour a thin stream over the popcorn. Stir until popcorn is completely coated.


Then place the coated popcorn on a large shallow baking dish and place it in the preheated oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove the dish and let it cool. Then enjoy!

Concessions are Woven into the Fabric of History

Concession carts and food stands in one form or another have been part of the human mosaic since time can remember. Street vendors once pedaled meats and breads in their small wooden makeshift shacks along the sides of dirt roads. And now the concession trailer business is pervasive in our society. Anywhere that there is a gathering or even a decent amount of foot traffic we'll find at least one food cart waiting to satisfy our need for food and drink.

We can imagine the food carts of days gone by where fruits, vegetables, wine and fish were sold as opposed to today’s fare of hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos. Wicker baskets instead of iced-down metal bins held produce. Meat was cooked on a crude rotisserie instead of on a hot dog cooker or gas-powered grill. Berries and nuts took the place of bag snacks and candy bars. And instead of popcorn makers and pizza warmers, some type of apparatus for the drying of beef to make jerky could have been in use.

It's probably safe to assume that today we have foods that are much more convenient and require much less preparation than the concession foods of old. There's no need to skin or scale when you can simply place a few hot dogs on a roller or throw a few hamburger patties on a grill. No need to peel or wash when you can simply place pre-packaged foods on a counter. Therefore, it may also be safe to conclude that the early concessionaires worked a little harder than present day vendors! But we have had time to evolve and simplify just about every facet of our lives, vending included.

The events people attended, the games they watched and the available concession fare was quite different in the days of old. But the basic concept was the same: Have food and drink available for the hungry and thirsty, and everybody profits.

Concession Business a Good Way to Supplement Income

If you're thinking about starting a business in order to supplement your income or to eventually pursue full-time, do your due diligence first. Take a look at the different types of businesses that may be on the upswing and all that goes into running your own enterprise. The slow economy doesn’t make things easy these days, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be successful if you happen upon the right opportunity.

The concession trailer business is something to consider. In the midst of the economic slowdown, people still need to eat and will always snack at events and gatherings. If you purchase a cart and familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations surrounding the operation of a food cart, the possibility exists that you can do pretty well in this business.

Some things to consider when starting a food concession business are what you are going to need for overhead, what type of food products you are going to sell and the number of personnel you will need to employ, not to mention viable locations for your cart or trailer.


Supplies

When you’ve decided on which concession trailer you are going to purchase you will know how much equipment you can fit inside of it. A hot dog cooker and popcorn makers are standard, and you can add other items later such as nacho warmers and possibly a fryer.


Events

There are endless possibilities; however, certifications are necessary in most areas in order to operate food carts, so be aware of this as you seek out venues. Public sporting events, carnivals and festivals are good places to start. City street corners can be lucrative, but are not always easy to get permits for.

There are never any guarantees, but as you gain experience, land some good venues and start to make contacts, you could make a good living and only have to answer to one boss ... you.

What do customers expect from you as a business owner?

The simple answer is everyone wants to be your number one client. Customers expect to receive quick, accurate attention no matter what else you may have going on. They also expect to get the best deals and inside scoop on specials.

So how do you make everyone feel like the number one client? That is a mystery I don’t think anyone can ever fully answer. The best you can do is take steps to ensure timely and personal responses.

First, prioritize your customers into A, B, C categories. While you should try to make everyone feel acknowledged, don’t let C customers suck up all your time. You can’t get blood from a stone, and there are some people who will never buy more than a certain level. Secondly, delegate as much as you can. Split up the categories amongst employees to ensure no one has all good or bad customers. Or, if you are the employee base, try to devote specific days to check in with clients.

Tier your communications. You can create a VIP e-mail or direct mail database that gives them advance notice of new products/services, sales, or blow-out specials. Keep others just in loop about new products. Also, use free resources that are available—like Gold Medal’s profit-making guides—as a thank you or an added bonus to customers who make large purchases.

Another way to make them feel special and want to come back to your business is to recommend something that will make them money and is geared specifically to their business. Plus, sometimes you just need to pick up the phone and see how they are doing. Don’t start out with a sales pitch. Just check in, then softly remind them that you look forward to talking with them soon and are there to help. Work in any facts you remember from a previous conversation like a child’s graduation, a promotion, or talk about their favorite sports team.

In the end, some customers will want more time than you can give. You may need to follow the 80/20 rule, but you should always strive to make them feel satisfied and get as much as possible from every interaction.

Is now a good time to start your own business?

Times may be tough but that shouldn't deter you from tackling your entrepreneurial dreams. In fact many businesses have been formed in hard economic times. Think Walt Disney Co., Microsoft Corp. and Apple. Yes, they were all born out of someone taking a risk in uncertain times.

Put simply, now is good as any time to form a business entity. You just need the right idea and the ability to implement it. Some experts contend it’s never a good time or bad time to start your own business. This is because the length of time required to start up a successful business is unpredictable. For example, if the economy is booming at the time of conception, it can take a turn for the worse by the time the ink dries on the business plan. The bottom line: unless you have a crystal ball there is no way to predict the future economic climate.

Downsized and bitter? For the laid off or fired, there’s no better revenge than starting your own business. Recessions are prime times to become entrepreneurs because companies tend to cut back. That means it’s a great time to find cheap real estate and talent in a less competitive environment. There is plenty of hard-working people collecting unemployment who would jump at the opportunity to have a meaningful job again. There also tends to be more community resources available designed to help start-ups get off the ground.


The importance of the consumer cannot be underestimated in times of economic downturn. In hard times they are re-thinking the value/price proposition of products and services. There is room for new business models and for start-ups to grow quickly. And when times are better they will remain loyal to your company as they purchase all the products and services they cut out of their budget during the recession.


In short, if you have a solid idea for a business venture, go for it!

It's what's inside the box that counts, or is it?

On my way home from work I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few essential items. The plan, get in and get out. 20 minutes later I realized I was standing in the snack aisle. I didn't need any potato chips or cheez its, but somehow I was drawn to go down that aisle and pick up a box. So I asked myself why, was it because I felt I needed it, no, it was because I was attracted to the package - the design and color. A lot of effort and research is placed in a package design. And the battle at the shelf is fierce and can be won by how a product is perceived. I won't go into the all strategies and secrets of package design, but color is one of the main components.

Multiple colors can trigger hunger, the most influential colors being red, orange and yellow. Look at the fast-food chains, McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's, all use these colors in their logo and advertising. Red makes people hungry and instantly attracts attention. It is no coincidence that package designers, major grocery store chains, and fast-food chains utilize red in their branding. Subconsciously it tells the customers they are hungry and attracts their attention. When it comes to food, food product branding and companies, red is dominant

So next time you are at the grocery store, gaze down the aisle and notice what colors there are and what items you are attracted to.

A Royal Bonanza

The wedding of William & Catherine. That’s basically ALL we’ve heard about for the past couple of weeks. As regal and, some might say, pompous as the whole thing is, why would any American care beyond it being a fairytale story?

Let’s look at the numbers. The wedding itself cost an estimated $40 MILLION dollars! In a time of economic hardship around the globe—and especially in the UK—how can any country justify spending that kind of money on a wedding involving family members who are largely ceremonial at best? I’ll tell you…

In America alone, they’ll have 10 hours of continuous coverage of the wedding. Multiple channels will carry it live, along with repeats, dissections, insights and magazine-type shows. All total, it’s an advertising bonanza that would cost (as some estimate put it) somewhere in the neighborhood of $1-2 BILLION if advertising were bought. And that’s just in America. Count up the other countries and that figure skyrockets. Now, add to that the fact that the Olympics are coming to England and William & Kate have just put together an unprecedented marketing campaign to the world, telling people to “Visit Britain,” and ensuring that tourism dollars, hotels, travel, souvenirs and businesses prosper in the wake.

A $40 million worldwide ad campaign that generates once-in-a-lifetime social media attention, and translates into billions of dollars in sales and revenue? Sounds like a successful and prosperous “wedding” to me!