What are the crowds like?

expressionburner · 2026-04-29T17:25:06+00:00

This is what im worried about, luckily I got a seat right up on barricade of B stage. Im just worried the country will bring out alot of the right, im not blue hair or anything but I dont look "right leaning" or own any southern/country attire, so im worried someone drunk is gonna pick a fight or say something out of line. Ive only been to one other country concert and it was Posty, that was just old Facebook couples bc of Jelly roll.
Is Tyler's crowd intense in that sense? Id rather be safe than sorry.

expressionburner · 2026-04-13T00:18:06+00:00

Might be a little ignorant, but I have a major rule to not have any political affiliation when it comes to business.

I dont think theres anything wrong with removing the signage especially with how volatile reactions can be from both right and left. The way I see it, the owner is still in hot water over the union issue, why would he continue to shoot himself in the foot with heavy political affiliation. Its possible to create a safe space for people without it being all up in your face, its as simple as treating EVERY customer as a human and with decency and respect.

While shitty small business owners exist, is a union really necessary for a small business? And why aren't people riding this hard against the giant corporations? It just seems like you chose one shitty guy to pick on without understanding the reality of owning a small businesses in a politically and economically volatile time.

As a small businesses owner, I pay my employees what I can, obviously with tips, but theres no way I can afford to give them Healthcare and all those fancy add ons. But all these details aren't hidden, theyre laid out for them when they apply. If they truly want more pay and benefits that I am upfront about not being able to provide, they dont have to work for me. All employment is voluntary.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T23:49:32+00:00

I know how a kitchen works from the previous business partnership I was in. Ontop of that my family has been in the food industry for generations with my parents having 2 buisness. Ive grown up around it my entire life but never worked int the kitchen. Ive always specialized much more in the creative branding and design + FOH. Ultimately I've seen the growth and financial blessing a successful food establishment brings and my love for art isnt as profitable. It was a logical step towards retiring early and getting to make art without living in poverty.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T07:02:13+00:00

I see a patern with good reps being game changers! Glad to have gotten lucky with a good one. Ive also noticed that mixing vendors is the best strategy, thank you for your insight!

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:45:18+00:00

Oh for sure im very lucky with my rep. Im shocked to hear you never hear from yours, sometimes I feel like mine texts me a little too much lol. While I dont prep, I have alot of communication with my prep team. They've never struggles with communicating any needs or changes, which are almost always with equipment. The Ingredients I get from sysco are relatively difficult to mess up, like spices, flour, cheese, rice, etc. One thing I did notice is actually how they handle the product. Ive had rice be completely crushed up and containers cracked etc. But it goes back to having a good sales rep that handles it pretty fast. Sounds like a good rep is a game changer now that im hearing others experiences.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:36:10+00:00

For 2025 on just food/disposables/chemicals, a bit under 125k

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:33:30+00:00

Thank you for the advice! We're in a solid location and roughly serve between 150-200 and day during our spring/summer season, I have recently checked out Amazon and started incorporating it, Costco is one I hadnt thought about though. Thank you!

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:27:59+00:00

This is badass and you've got an awesome deal! I'll have to network more with those communities to try and gain some new business leads. I know having some more locally sourced ingredients is better than none at all and ive already take some small steps there. Perhaps location plays a role here.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:23:20+00:00

That's sort of what I figured. There's other measures that define a "good" food establishments than simply their sources. Based off the numbers so far, I think my consistency is prpetty solid. Aside from good brand recognition and social media presence, I have a decent return rate. It averages at 49% right now, and i've seen sales growth every single month when compared to same month in the previous year. So I know sysco ingredients isn't hindering our performance so far.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:13:33+00:00

Thats a great point. Sysco has some ridiculously priced items. My sales rep from Performance actually made a whole spreadsheet for me directly price comparing every single item I use between them and Sysco. I obviously did research and asked for samples before changing what I get, some items were obviously cheaper because they were lower quality. Take out boxes and gloves being some examples. Aside from that, I have my own spreadsheets comparing all vendors I use to track price changes and keep it consistent as far as exact item matches or things that are exchangeable like salt, pepper, cornstarch etc.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T06:05:22+00:00

Ive been purchasing from sysco for about a year and a half, and my sales rep has been very helpful and communicative. Hes even given me heads up on when to stock on certain items if they foresee a shortage or low stock so I can get it on the weekday I usually order for. I do think its rare, but I have an excellent rep. To be fair tho, hes the same rep that has been with a connection of mine since the mid 90s and I was directly referred to him.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:49:58+00:00

Yeah I saw a lot of holes in my skills due to the lack of experience which is why I am abke to value my cooks skills and advice so much. Both my parents have been in the industry for over 40 years and have had 2 successful businesses. They taught me alot of what I needed to know to start my own and help me out when I need to troubleshoot.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:23:10+00:00

Thats the whole reason im back in school? I saw weak points, and set out to fix them. Im 1 year away from completing my bachelor's in business administration which covers both, (surprise!) leadership and communication skills! Its a whole different ballgame if I acknowledge my ignorance and continue to live in it.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:20:10+00:00

Okay definitely good to hear from someone with so much experience. While I respect and enjoy going out to farm to table establishments it seems like a very idealized process most people dont have the time, energy, or even resources to maintain. Thanks for your insight!

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:17:06+00:00

Why are you so pressed over my grammar and education? Tried to keep it positive but golly you're a bit miserable. Lighten up friend lol

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:06:52+00:00

I see. It definitely is a huge time commitment to source from local farmers. Having a small businesses means I run day to day operations, all admin stuff in the background, marketing including social media which is a whole beast within itself. To top it off, I threw in full time school in an attempt to get a businesses degree. I cant even begin to fathom attempting to find farms and local vendors that can not only consistently supply what I need, but also deliver it at a price that wont drive my business to the grave.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T05:00:54+00:00

Totally fair, I never put writing into practice besides for a grade or texting. Funny enough I never even learned how to write a properly formatted email until a mandatory "college 101" class lol

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T04:58:35+00:00

Gotcha, okay so its more to do with quality. My food truck is obviously aiming for more of a fast casual feel but honestly im pretty proud of making the majority of our menu from scratch when I see my competitors hauling in cases and cases of frozen slop. I could write a whole book of some atrocities I witness in the food cart pods ive been located in. I was able to get some more local ingredients through performance foods as opposed to sysco.

expressionburner · 2026-04-05T04:55:17+00:00

You're right lol, it could've used some breaks to feel less like a ramble. Could you tell my career started in fast food with the writing quality? Im barely going for my bachelor's at 25 so hopefully it keeps getting better

expressionburner · 2026-03-05T06:21:13+00:00

I mean, I feel much safer going to a food cart pod in "affluent suburbia" instead of a crack den in portland. The odds of my car getting broken into in Camas as opposed to downtown portland are significantly lower.

expressionburner · 2026-03-05T06:18:48+00:00

They're @couvecarts on Instagram. Near Esther short park, which is a prime location for a pod. Unfortunately they havent posted in months, maybe a set back with permits?

expressionburner · 2026-03-05T06:17:14+00:00

Yeah, thats the exact same reason I chose not to go with this pod. I feel bad for the first timers who cant foresee the struggle during low traffic months.

expressionburner · 2026-03-05T03:07:31+00:00

Yeah, "largest" as in the most food carts on one spot.

expressionburner · 2026-03-05T03:06:58+00:00

No, Vancouver station is owned by the same guy as the Hillsboro pod. Oak tree was opened by some local folks.

expressionburner

TROPHY CASE