Farmer’s Markets and Festivals—Curious if your QSR Should Participate? We’ll Tell You

Today’s Kanekt 365 blog shares ways to increase pizza sales for your QSR in the summer. As we discussed last month, summer sales can be lower if pizza restaurants want to increase sales in new markets. For example, many towns have Farmer’s Markets and festivals during the mornings or weekends.

Farmers’ Markets sound like a great place for QSR’s to earn extra income, right?

Sure, a new venue, new customers, guaranteed audience. Sounds perfect!

But is it? Let us explain why your QSR should or should not participate in a Farmers’ Market

Some serious factors should be considered to determine if Farmers’ Markets or Festivals are a good place to sell your pizzas.

Here are some of the most serious factors a QSR needs to think about before agreeing to be a vendor at a Farmers’ Market or Festival:

1. Do you have a cooler to store your pizza ingredients and toppings?
2. How will you cook your pizza onsite? Do you have the necessary cooking appliances and tools?
3. Will you add drinks for an upsell item? It will be hot after all!
4. Do you know how many people might attend the farmers’ market or festival regularly?
5. What is the cost to participate?
6. Do you have sufficient QSR staff to have someone at the restaurant and the Farmers’ Market?
7. Does your pizza restaurant staff have all the necessary training?
8. Does your insurance cover Farmers’ Markets or Festivals?
9. Do you have all the required Department of Public Health Licenses to participate?

If you say no to any of these above questions, your first step is deciding if your Pizza Restaurant will benefit by participating in Farmers’ Markets or festivals. First, you need to figure out the additional costs for each question? You can get that from other QSR restaurants in your area or other geographic areas. Next, get detailed information on what you might need to purchase. Second, make sure you have staff available for these events. Farmers’ Markets and festivals may occur when your team isn’t used to working.

Once you figure out the costs of each additional expenditure, you should look at the potential profit and additional marketing exposure for your QSR. Both have value! The organizer for the event should be able to answer the below questions. If they can’t, that might be a red flag that stops you in your tracks.

1. How many people will attend?
2. Do the attendees match the target market for your pizza restaurant?
3. How many similar pizza vendors will they allow at the same time?
4. What is the cost for your pizza restaurant to participate?

The last step is pretty simple math. First, what is the cost for your QSR to participate one time? Next, what is your break-even point where your pizza restaurant will begin earning money? Finally, can you commit long enough to break even and continue attending and earning profits?

Additionally, make sure you consider marketing. The Farmers’ Market and Festival will provide additional marketing for your QSR, which is also worth something.

If you decide to participate in Farmers’ Markets or Festivals, stay tuned to our next blog, covering: How do you make the most of the additional marketing opportunities provided by participating in these events?

Kanekt 365 is a call center company dedicated to increasing the profits of the QSR industry. Stay tuned to our blog for future discussions on best practices and other strategies to increase your pizza restaurants’ profits.

Contact Kanekt 365 if you want to take advantage of our services to increase your sales. Our website lets you quickly see the cost of outsourcing your QSR calls with Kanekt 365. https://kanekt365.compricing/ Simply add your weekly sales, number of calls, and you’ll see how we can save your restaurant money on staffing costs. These savings cover the costs associated with outsourcing.