SC - Bidding for Feast

[CorwynWdwd@aol.com]

> What happens if you underbid the costs of the feast?  Who pays the
> overage?
> 
This depends on the agreement you've made.  Usually, if the group agrees to
accept the bid, then the group is responsible for the costs.  The bid should
have been detailed enough to catch the budgetary errors.

Upon a couple of occasions many years ago, I fronted the money for a couple
small events with the understand that I would eat the losses and be
reimbursed my expenses if the event turned a profit.

> Does your group cover the cost of the non-paying feasters (you know
> Royalty
> and their entourage)? Or do you figure your budget on paying feasters, and
> try to feed everyone for that price?
> 
I plan the expenses on the total number of feasters (paying and non-paying)
and the recapture based on the paid seats.  Under the financial rules,
Royalty can be comped and comped feasts can be given as prizes.  Entourage
should be paying customers. 

> Do you plan to feed the servers and kitchen help for free, or do you
> charge? What about meals while you're cooking feast? Bring a sack lunch?
> 
I plan wastage to be able to feed the help.  This can be difficult to plan
if the profit-margin on the feast is tight.

I eat very little while I'm cooking and other than taste tests, the food and
beer comes out of my feast box.

> How do you plan for price fluctuations in ingredient costs? 
> 
Use the highest prices you can find to plan the budget, purchase at the
lowest prices available.  I try to get a long lead time before a feast to be
able to purchase the meats and other high dollar items at seasonal lows.
Profits here can be used to purchase higher quality ingredients, enhance the
feast or go to the group to build the treasury, depending on what is
required.

> Are cleaning supplies part of the cost process, or is that handled by
> someone else?
> 
I check the Baronial supplies and see if they have what I need.  If it is
not there, then the required supplies are budgeted into the feast.

I also tend to work some serving and cooking equipment into the budget, but
these are usually paid out of the cost savings on ingredients.

Since the Campfire is planning to tack on an additional $100 fee for the
kitchens, I may have to plan for that as part of the budget the next time I
do a feast.  I wonder how many groups are going to get bit when the event
steward thinks the feast is going to re-coup that expense and the feast
steward thinks the gate is going to re-coup it?

> Is the feast expected to "make money" for the event?  (i.e. budget set at
> $5 per head, but charged $7.50 for feast) 
> 
Feasts should not be planned to be "profit centers" but they should also not
lose money.  Because paid reservation are not common in Ansteorra, setting
the fee higher than the budgeted cost per plate is a good idea.  The
$5/$7.50 break you describe will usually let the size of  feast commonly
done in Ansteorra break even at about 65% capacity.

I prefer to use $5/$7 to get away from having to use coins.  The planned
break even will normally be about 70%.  

Planning the break even below full capacity helps buffer against drops in
attendance, unplanned expenses, and a rash of freeloaders.  I've experienced
all of these problems and having the planned differential has saved my bacon
more than once.

> I know we've talked about some of these issues before, but it's been
> awhile.  I'll be looking at the florigithingy whilst I await your replies.
> 
> 
> Liadan (Leanna or Liadnan - I'll settle on a name one of these days)
> 
I am curious as to what is being offered at this feast.  $5 per person was
the planned total expense of the Protectorate feast and I only charged $7 a
head.  I came VERY close to that $5 figure and with the comps (an unusually
high number), we made about $50-70 on the feast.  

If you can let me in on the menu, I'd appreciate it.

Bear