Recommended Guidelines for Selling Food at City of Alexandria Events

Documentation

In the past, we have had problems with the inspectors not having our required documentation when the inspector comes to inspect our set-up. Either they did not receive it or the Parks department never gave it to the Health department, etc, etc. To make sure we have “ammo” if the inspectors can’t find our information at the event, the following should be done:

All documentation that is sent to the City of Alexandria should be photocopied or filled out twice and available at the event. This also includes the Fire Inspection license.

All documentation should be sent by return receipt. This will avoid the possibility of the Health or Parks departments claiming on the day of the event that they “lost” or “never received” our food vendor forms. With the receipt, we can tell the inspector that the documentation was sent and received by their personnel, and is not our problem.

We should ask the Parks Department personnel running the event what the deadlines are for the forms to be sent in, and if the food forms need to be sent to the Health Department as well as the Parks Department. If the Parks Department states that they will send the information over, make sure to note who you are talking to, so if a problem arises on the day of the event we will have information to tell the Health Inspector. It will be a good idea to send the forms over to the Health department anyway.

Needed Supplies

Other than the obvious things like the grills, tents, tables, and chairs, there are other things that should be packed together in one or more boxes that should be taken to all food events.

Fire Extinguisher

6 Aluminum pans: 3 for the Cleaning Station, and 3 to put under grills for grease collections

Dish Soap and Bleach

Paper Towels, Napkins and napkin holder

Sanitary Hand Wipes

Extra Hats

Cinder Blocks – 4 for each tent, 4 for storage rack

Bricks – to keep drink tubs off the ground if required by Health Dept.

Rope

2” x 4” x 8’s for storage rack

Gloves

Aluminum Foil Sheets and rolls

Gas and oil for generator

Knifes, can openers, cooking utensils

Trash bags and ties

First Aid Kit

Duct and Clear tape

Table cloth and table cloth clips

Extension cords, lights, extra bulbs and power strips (should be packed in separate container or box)

Digital Food Thermometers

Extra propane tanks

“Electric” Match

Two trash cans: 1 for the grill area, another by the condiments

Food Stand Set-Up and Operation Notes

Grills should be outside of the tent by 10 feet, according to the new regulations

The fire extinguisher should be close to grills and visible for fire inspection

A table needs to be set up for utensil cleaning. This table should have 3 pans of water: 1 with soap, 1 for rinsing with plain water, and 1 that contains one capful of bleach and no more. Paper towels and soap or other hand-washing stuff should be on this table. A two-gallon water jug with a spout will be the source of running water. The water must be collected in a bucket on the ground.

Cinder blocks are to be used to hold the tent down. In fact, it will be a good idea to use rope to tie around the block and around the corner of the tent supports under the canopy.

All foodstuffs, including tubs of drinks, are to be off the ground. Use the cinder blocks and 2 by 4 pieces of wood to create a platform. Then the items can be stacked on this platform. The drink tubs can be placed on the bricks.

Drinks should be place in tubs that can drain. The food guidelines state that drinks should only be in ice, not ice/water.

Digital Thermometer should be placed in the frozen food cooler before the Inspector comes. This will show him/her that the food is properly being stored.

All persons handling food should be wearing a hat.

People taking money do not handle any unwrapped food.

All people handing food will be wearing gloves.

Big boxes should be kept to hold buns instead of trying to stack them on a table. One table should be placed so it is easy for the cooks to give the people opening and wrapping the items from the grill.

At the Birthday Celebration, one light should be a red bulb. This is the only light that should be on during the fireworks. The red light provides enough light to see what we are doing and does not bother others from watching the show.

Food Supplies

Past experiences have shown us that we do not buy enough food or ice for big events. Sometimes, when we run out, it is either impossible to get more supplies, or it is extremely difficult to find parking when you return (especially for events like the Alexandria Birthday Celebration, unless special parking is reserved for food vendors and provided by the event.) Remember that the meat can be frozen and the buns can be used at the next financial event that follows (usually a yard sale). Buns should not be frozen. Drinks can be stored in the storage bin.

Using past events as a guide, the list below should be the correct amount of food to purchase for an event the size of the Birthday Celebration. All items on this list should be purchased in the largest package sizes available. A spreadsheet has been created to help determine the amount for each item to be bought and the percentage of hotdogs to burgers, number of bags of buns, etc.

20 to 25 bags of ice. Extra ice should be placed in spare or large coolers. It might be helpful to have people arriving for later shifts to get ice. Remember ice is cheap.

400 hamburgers with cheese, because people like cheeseburgers over hamburgers. (40 per case)

1 to 2 packages of Veggie Burgers (no joke, it has been asked for in the past)

500 Hotdogs (36 per package)

500 Bratwursts (36 per package)

5 cans of Sauerkraut

25 cases of water (36 bottles per case). Water will sell more than soda on hot days.

Don’t buy every brand of soda available (grape, orange, etc.). One soda, one diet, one lemon-lime and maybe root beer. For example: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Root Beer. 15 cases of Coke and 10 cases of Diet and Sprite.

Change

So often we run out of change at these events. I do not know why we continue to bring a small amount of change when year after year we come very close or actually run out of change. Prepare with the mindset that everyone will buy a soda and pay for it with a twenty-dollar bill. You must also remember that ATMs give nothing but 20s, and it is human nature to bust up these bills at the first available opportunity. For big events like the Alexandria Birthday Celebration or Art on the Avenue, we should have the following:

$300 in Fives

$200 in Tens and Ones

$100 in quarters

As the event progresses, periodically take the larger bills out of the cash box and hide somewhere safe, just in case someone should somehow get their hands on our money (at least we'd have some of it).

Recommendations

Obtain a bigger cooler for food storage; the more frozen food that can be stored together, the longer it will remain frozen. Also, another big cooler can be used for ice storage.

A sign with Jaycee information should be displayed, along with fliers with membership information and upcoming projects. Also, make a separate sign specifically for the food prices.

Because of the large amount of materials taken to some of these events, you'll need a truck. Look into using members' trucks, renting a truck or van, or even buying one for chapter use. Not only would another vehicle provide transport, but storage for foodstuffs until needed. I think we are allowed to keep one vehicle at the site for the Birthday Celebration.

Obtain a commercial grill with a stand. I have heard that a commercial-type grill with legs is available at Sam’s Club for around $400. I have found the grill on their web site and it fits our needs perfectly. This opportunity should not be passed up.