Question for camps that serve food to the (playa) masses

[jsg92107]

We are starting a new camp and want to offer midnight munchies (quesadillas or some such type snack) around midnight. The big question we have is what quantities we should plan for. We are hoping to get into the book, so that would obviously have a huge impact on how many people show up.

Does anyone have thoughts (ideally based on experience) around number of servings we should plan to offer?

We're not offering Vietnamese iced coffee at 2pm, but food at midnight can be an amazing thing.

Thanks!
Smartypants

Association for Sparkle Pony Care and Assistance (ASPCA)
Providing safe respite for the Sparkle Pony in all Burners since 2018

[lucky420]

You plan for what you can afford.

My camp, Dye With Dignity is a silk scarf dyeing camp. We offer around 500 scarves for people to come and make art with. It’s what we can afford and just the right amount so that we are not a slave to our camp either. We also have snow cone and margarita days.

Just do what you can afford or feel comfortable doing. You’re not going to be able to serve everybody

[Elderberry]

If you will be serving food to the public you are required to get a temporary food permit from the state of Nevada.

[jsg92107]

Thanks Elderberry! I was aware of that. I've gotten food handling permits on playa before and work in public health, so I know the drill.

[Meat Hunter]

I will not address the Food Permit because I have no experience with it.

I will say, that you can give away as much food as you bring and there will always be folks standing in line.

Set your nightly quantity and when you run out - you run out.

[Grumpy Otter]

One other thought on how much to have is where you will be located. We locate out at I and 3:30 and there is definitely less traffic when you are in the outer circles. Have what you can afford, but try and get a feel for the level of traffic too.

[gaminwench]

I would suggest not going in the book.

'Advertising' in the local 'hood, letting your neighbors know the plan, maybe lit sandwich boards (get it?) at the nearby intersections/portos, and naming your camp MIDNIGHT QUESADILLA (or whatever) should bring in the desired crowds.

Midnight/late night food is AWESOME!
Thank you.

Update us with your address when you're placed!

[Token]

Here is a wee story from back in the day ... 2001 methinks ... brutal hot year 2001 was.

We had a small camp in the non-placed camp area, ~ 5:00 ish and C (way more open camping back then. Esplanade, A and B were theme camps and and a couple blocks past that were the ‘burbs).

Small and lazy tiki bar setup, no listings, but we had a gimmick - chainsaw blender.

Whenever we felt like it, usually an hour before sunset through dark :30, we cranked some tunes, fired up the chainsaw blender, and did a mad dash through the ‘hood.

Would get 30 - 50 folks come through for margaritas and daiquiris and the likes.

Few days into this, folks started dropping off mixers, booze, limes etc all day long.

It became a small ‘hood ritual and a hangout of sorts.

Good times, no schedule, just a good flow with good folks.

Oh, and we played terrible 80s and 90s music. That helped. Eye of the tiger all the way!

[Captain Goddammit]

Yeah, that was the awesome BRC, when it totally sucked.
No one was advertising for paying camp members to cater to, the porta-potties were shit mountains, most art cars served alcohol, misinformation was rampant, and your average person hadn't ever heard of it.
There wasn’t as much art and it wasn’t as big and it wasn’t as expensive.
And yeah, open camping was at B or C street... not goddamm Y or Z like now.
The trash fence seemed a million miles away in the darkness and almost nothing was out there.
You’d take off headed toward a tiny little light, just to see what it was. Sometimes that’s all it was.
And a camp with a chainsaw blender was a big deal!

[AntiM]

DSCN0183.jpg

From 2003.