Catering trailer ideas

If your going to cater from it, why do you want anything frozen. Won't you want to pull up and cook without it taking to long? It will take alot longer to go from a frozen state to a cooked product. I'd have good refridgeration and freezers at a commisary and use big coolers. Buy a 400# Ice machine would be a plus for that type of operation. Why don't you give us an idea on how you plan to do your caterings? Most of the time you roll in with all your long cooking products done ahead. You will use your pits for short cooking and reheats.

quote:

Originally posted by Fast Eddy:
If your going to cater from it, why do you want anything frozen. Won't you want to pull up and cook without it taking to long? It will take alot longer to go from a frozen state to a cooked product. I'd have good refridgeration and freezers at a commisary and use big coolers. Buy a 400# Ice machine would be a plus for that type of operation. Why don't you give us an idea on how you plan to do your caterings? Most of the time you roll in with all your long cooking products done ahead. You will use your pits for short cooking and reheats.

Thanks for the response. Sorry for giving limited info first.

1. Frozen stuff. As an example, I have an off-site event this Friday night that includes ice cream, peach cobbler, and 2 other items that I get from my food supplier that comes frozen and stays frozen until I use it. I have sampled many of their items and the taste is incredible. I cook other items on my cooker besides meat. I have an Ole Hickory EL that I use to cook with as it works well as a convection oven. Some of the fresh fish I use gets frozen whole when we catch it, filet'd on site, and smoked right there.

2. I do many events where I cook on-site. A good example is 100 person tailgate functions, rehearsal dinners, and such where they want the full BBQ effect. Large dinners that have chicken and other meats that take less than 3 hours to cook are usually cooked on site. Going back and forth to the commissary isn't an option some times.

3. Vending events. I go to craft shows and other events that most would consider vending events. The food is sold out of a 10x10 tent and behind the tent is the cooker. Recently I did one of those events and I had to arrive/setup 2 days prior to the event so everything was cooked on site.

Some would ask "why don't you just buy a concession trailer"? I'm not there yet and don't want to hassle just yet with the mobile unit licensing here in Florida. My catering license allows me to do what I need to do and still use my commissary. I have walk-in units at my commissary where I store my food. Most of the meat I purchase is purchased fresh for the events I'm doing so it isn't in the frig very long.

Here are some other trailers I have seen out there:

Big Red

Big Red 2

This one is finished but he hasn't posted any new pictures. I believe he put a frig on his and not a freezer.

Martin In Progress

So really what you want to do is Vending? If you have a licensed Commisary then why do you need to cook 2 days on site? Was it accross State lines? I feel if your going to vend then you need to do a enclosed kitchen and control you enviroment on the trailer. This is why the trailers with porch's are popular to set the pits on. I don't really know what to tell you about how to do it on the cheap. Rigs with decent refrideration and nice sinks and water systems aren't cheap. Folks come and go in that industry. There ussually some really good buys on some of the used consession trailer sites. Ebay has quite afew on it all the time to. Look for something not BBQ related if you already have a pit on a trailer. You'll just need another tow vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by Fast Eddy:
So really what you want to do is Vending? If you have a licensed Commisary then why do you need to cook 2 days on site? Was it accross State lines? I feel if your going to vend then you need to do a enclosed kitchen and control you enviroment on the trailer. This is why the trailers with porch's are popular to set the pits on. I don't really know what to tell you about how to do it on the cheap. Rigs with decent refrideration and nice sinks and water systems aren't cheap. Folks come and go in that industry. There ussually some really good buys on some of the used consession trailer sites. Ebay has quite afew on it all the time to. Look for something not BBQ related if you already have a pit on a trailer. You'll just need another tow vehicle.

Sorry...I didn't need to cook for two days. The trailer had to be there two days in advance because of the craft vendors that were setting up. With the trailer already there, I started cooking the night before the event stated which was actually a day 1/2 after I had to put the trailer there.

I've been given quotes for trailers with the porch without any plumbing, cabinets, etc and it is almost 17,000. They are insane.

I've looked on ebay and haven't found anything that works. My tow vehicle is a 2002 Excursion so I can basically tow anything.

In order of revenue, this is how I use the trailer:

Catering
Drop-off
Vending

Eddy,

Do you anyone that makes a decent trailer with porches in Florida or the Southeast?

Dan

http://customconcessiontrailer.com/

There are several members on "The Smoke Ring" that has equipment from this company. One, BBQMAN is located in FL.

They use Wells Cargo Trailers and are frist class. If you are looking for cheap, these guys are not them!

quote:

Originally posted by Queman:
Eddy,

Do you anyone that makes a decent trailer with porches in Florida or the Southeast?

Dan

They wanted 18,000 for an empty 18' porch trailer. No plumbing, no shelves, no electrical, no nothing. No deal.

I found this one back several montth ago.

www.trailertech.com

They are in Fla. Maybe they will talk nicer??

RandyE

I don't know how handy you are with tools, but all the items needed to covert a trailer to a catering trailer can be purchased off the net and the labor isn't as difficult as you might think. I'm planning to convert my 8'x18' enclosed trailer from a work trailer over the next few months. This will be my 4th such conversion over the past several years. The trailer cost $5000 new, and the parts needed for the conversion,including all electrical, WH and plumbing, flooring, FRP walls, counters, cabinets and sinks, and an exhaust hood will cost about $3200. $8200 is about half of what I could buy a similar "built" trailer for, and when all is said and done, I'll have about 1 week of labor in the conversion.

If you don't know exactly what you want, look at the trailer sites for floor plans, then eBay the parts needed to do the project.

Another great source for used restaurant equipment is Craigslist
You can find three bay sinks, refers, and a lot of other equipment from restaurants closing.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd G.:
I don't know how handy you are with tools, but all the items needed to covert a trailer to a catering trailer can be purchased off the net and the labor isn't as difficult as you might think. I'm planning to convert my 8'x18' enclosed trailer from a work trailer over the next few months. This will be my 4th such conversion over the past several years. The trailer cost $5000 new, and the parts needed for the conversion,including all electrical, WH and plumbing, flooring, FRP walls, counters, cabinets and sinks, and an exhaust hood will cost about $3200. $8200 is about half of what I could buy a similar "built" trailer for, and when all is said and done, I'll have about 1 week of labor in the conversion.

If you don't know exactly what you want, look at the trailer sites for floor plans, then eBay the parts needed to do the project.

I bought a dual axle 8x16 heavy-duty equipment trailer for $2800 including an upgrade to the diamond plate flooring. My electrician and plumber owe me some work from being a residential builder so I should save there. I have talked to a welder about welding some posts and roof system for me.

I think I still want a semi-open trailer. I had an event tonight and really could've used more than I had with me.

quote:

Originally posted by Fast Freddie/Love Shack BBQ:
Another great source for used restaurant equipment is Craigslist
You can find three bay sinks, refers, and a lot of other equipment from restaurants closing.

I've recently sold some items on craigslist so it is now my friend! I thought I scored a freezer today but it sold before I could get to it.

quote:

Originally posted by browe:
I bought a dual axle 8x16 heavy-duty equipment trailer for $2800 including an upgrade to the diamond plate flooring. My electrician and plumber owe me some work from being a residential builder so I should save there. I have talked to a welder about welding some posts and roof system for me.

I think I still want a semi-open trailer. I had an event tonight and really could've used more than I had with me.

I don't know where you live (since you didn't fill in a location on your profile) but if you have a trailer manufacturer in your area, a quick plant tour will be worth it's weight in gold just to see the methods they use to cut openings and mount accessories. Almost anything you can imagine that makes up part of a catering trailer is a prefab, off the shelf component. That includes windows, doors, flip up service openings, etc. Once you know it exists, finding a supplier to buy from is usually just an exercise in Googling, so fabrication on your part can be kept to a minimum. Also, sounds like you got a great deal on the trailer.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd G.:

I don't know where you live (since you didn't fill in a location on your profile) but if you have a trailer manufacturer in your area, a quick plant tour will be worth it's weight in gold just to see the methods they use to cut openings and mount accessories. Almost anything you can imagine that makes up part of a catering trailer is a prefab, off the shelf component. That includes windows, doors, flip up service openings, etc. Once you know it exists, finding a supplier to buy from is usually just an exercise in Googling, so fabrication on your part can be kept to a minimum. Also, sounds like you got a great deal on the trailer.

Actually I just checked my profile again and the city/state is there. Not sure why it isn't showing. I am in Tallahassee, FL. My trailer was made by Anderson Trailers in Camilla GA. They do a good job.

Anderson

quote:

Originally posted by browe:
Actually I just checked my profile again and the city/state is there. Not sure why it isn't showing. I am in Tallahassee, FL. My trailer was made by Anderson Trailers in Camilla GA. They do a good job.

Anderson

Odd it's not showing up. I thought maybe you were a fugitive from justice and wanted to keep a low profile.

Anderson trailers turn up in NC from time to time. They do a nice job. Have you checked with them to see if they'd sell you any needed parts direct?