Troop Breakfast Fundraiser

[dnorrington]

Our Troop is planning to host a Breakfast Fundraiser in the next few month. Ticket sales will begin soon.

 

One question we have, particularly for purchasing food, is how many who buy tickets actually show up (percentage)? I realize that this depends on a lot of factors, but does anyone have any past data to share?

 

Thanks,

Darren

 

[dg98adams]

I don't think anyone can reply other than some one from your Troop.

 

But if our Troop sells "x" tickets for fundraiser meals, then we plan for "x" meals. If you have some one to make grocery runs, you could choose the "low-side" of "x" for perishable items like eggs.

 

Weather and other same-day events play havoc too. If it is nice out, you'll get better participation then not, if nothing else is going on then you have the only show....

 

We also always put out the "donation jar" and have silent auctions.....

 

 

[evmori]

Your menu will help dictate how much you should buy. That along with the number of tickets sold. One more, if people can come the day of the event & get breakfast without having already bought a ticket will need to be factored in.

 

I'll have two eggs over easy, a rasher of bacon, home fries, buttered rye toast & coffee, thank you!

[kbandit]

I would suggest that your committee have a plan on where to donate any left over food or supplies. Food pantries, homeless shelters that type of thing. Most places like that don't care how little or how much you donate all can be useful.

 

I wish you much success on this fundraiser

[pinkflame]

For non-perishables, Sam's club will usually take back your unopened items

[nrp1488]

That's why most churches, fire companies, etc. do pancake breakfasts or spaghetti dinners. You can buy the materials in boxes (say Aunt Jemima ready to go pancake mix) then just open what you need as you need it. Then you can save the rest for next time, camping trips, food pantry donations or return it to the store (best arranged at the time of purchse).

[pinkflame]

It is the food you end up cooking and having left over that is the biggest dilemma. One year we ended up taking 50+ hotdogs and numerous opend bags of chips along with some fruit to "under the bridge" people and a rained out Cub sports day. The pantries couldn't take stuff that was already opened or cooked.

 

My son and I got nominated to go downtown with the goods. He was about 9 and had all those suburban stories in is mind about the homeless. I worked downtown at the time so I guess I had a bit more personal contact (many homeless came into our clinic as patients). For safety we found a location with a police car on the corner, told the officer what we were doing and then set out the picnic.

 

At first one or two people cme over. With the officer in earshot, I told them we were from aCub Scout Pack and we had too much food left over from our activity today and we wondered if they would help us out and enjoy it. I went back to my car. The people started to come over to the picnic. People were smiling and shouting thank you and carrying food over to people who were more suspicious and not willing to come all the way over to where the food was.

 

We didn't stay for long because that just didn't seem right, but we were there on the curb long enough for my son to see how happy the people were and how they really weren't that different form people he knew in our community. He still talks about it and he is 17 now.

 

Maybe you couldn't do this everywhere. Maybe Texas is different, but if you have a lot of leftovers you can't take back to the store or donate, consider a bridge picnic. Observe some reasonable safety precautions (police seem to be everywhere in my downtown so that's not too hard).

[eagle90]

Our troop has been doing Pancake Breakfasts for 32 years, and we have very detailed records. We figure that about 50% of those who buy tickets will show up for the breakfast. For example, this year our scoiuts sold 1,700 tickets and we served 775 breakfasts. That is about the normal percentage we have found thru the years.

 

Dale

[Gunny2862]

I am told - haven't experienced it yet..., that 50% show rate is about right on pre-paid breakfast and/or Spagetti dinner ticket sales.

Was further told to prepare for 60-65% showing up and I would never run out.

 

Disclaimer: I have not experienced this but am passing on my forerunners local advice.

[JeffO]

Good Luck w/your breakfast fundraiser. We have a buffet breakfast fundraiser twice a year. We give each scout 10 tickets at $6.50 each for adults. Pre selling tickets is the best way to insure you don't over purchase food. Buy enough food for the early ticket purchasers and you should come out ok. Our menu consists of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, sausage and gravy, toast, sliced oranges and drinks(juice/coffee). It is all you can eat but most only get one plate. Sometimes we have the families make baked goods to sell. Hope this helps.

[hotdesk]

The tricky thing to calculate will be how many people show up at the door to eat. The units I have been involved with have put flyers up throughout town and do other forms of publicity.

 

I usually plan for 225 people. I have done three spaghetti dinners and the first two reached this number. My last one did not, but it was in December and the roads were really icy.

 

Good luck!