Lunch and fees and stuff

[Native]

It's been brought up a couple of times recently, and some in the past too, about folks being unhappy with our lunch menu, as it doesn't always fit everyone's dietary requirements. So, we've edited the website to reflect our ideas about entry fees, lunches, and how it all relates.

This page now says the following that is relevant to this topic:

Entry Fees
Entry fees for our regular autocross events are $30 for all. Special events may be more. The entry fee pays for your driving as a participant in the event. Some of you may have heard about our world-famous lunch. That lunch comes complimentary with your entry. Guests may attend for free. If you bring a guest, and they want to share the lunch we provide to paid participants, we do ask that they pay $5.00 to cover the cost.

Lunch
The lunch we provide is complimentary with a paid entry. Whether you choose to share the lunch or bring your own, the entry fee for driving as a participant is $30. The lunch we order is often pizza or sandwiches of some type. We understand that some of our participants may have special diets, and we don’t mind trying to meet your needs if the request is reasonable. If you have dietary needs, please include a note to the registrar when you register or send us an email, so we know in advance, and can let you know if we can meet your needs, or not. However, we may not be able to meet everyone’s needs. If you have any concern at all, it would probably be best if you plan to provide your own meal for the event.

I guess the important parts are that there is no fee discount if you don't eat. If your diet is of importance to you - plan to provide for yourself. And, if you let us know ahead of time, we can try to help you out. Want just plain cheese pizza - tell us. Need a vege sub sammich, we can do that. But only if we know. If you wait until the event, it's a done deal and there's nothing we will do at that point. We're reasonable, we ask that you be, too.

And for what it's worth - I've recently discovered that one of my many allergies is wheat. So, you know what? No pizza for me. No sammiches for me. The last two events, I packed my own lunch. And it's ok. One day, if I'm in the mood, I may ask for a salad instead of a sammich...we'll see...

[Loren]

:yawn:

Well said, Steve. (bummer about the wheat allergy!)

[blacksheep-1]

Don't get me started on this, I think it's fantastic that the club even attempts to provide lunch, we're basically a bunch of laid back people who like to get together and race cars, lunch is a bennie. You can't provide for every specific item, especially if no one knows about it.

[treekiller]

(whistling while walking backward slowly)

[shakedown067]

I think some people are just spoiled with the luxuries of FAST. I still bring a small cooler with some extras just in case. I really like the revised wording. Makes sense to me.

[muddy]

The newbs just have no clue that free lunch and drinks at an autox is extremely rare, most clubs across the country provide neither.

[Loren]

The newbs just have no clue that free lunch and drinks at an autox is extremely rare, most clubs across the country provide neither.

Very true. Most clubs with a successful autocross program view it as a money-maker and use the money to help support other areas of their club, such as club racing or annual banquets... or if it's a for-profit organization like NASA, to line someone's pockets. That's why FAST exists as an autocross-only club. Sure, we make money, but it all goes right back into the club, and as long as we keep doing things right, the club will stay strong and we can afford to buy lunch... and timing equipment... and trailer tires... and helmets... and whatever else we need.

We've got a good thing going here. Thanks to everyone for being a part of it!

[rojeho]

A question about lunch for a future event. I've got two boys in scouts. Would we want to consider having a scout troop come out to prepare lunch? It would get a lot of visitors/spectators to the event which I know is a double-edge sword, especially since many would be minors. It won't hurt my feelings any to hear "no way" but I wanted to put this out for comments.

General concept is that they would bring grilles, etc in exchange for whatever we would normally pay for pizzas or subs.

[Loren]

I seem to recall that SPC said "no" to grilles at some point, so that's out. And we're not going to be able to manage a bunch of mystery guests at Brooksville. If we could do it in the parking lot at SPC (not the picnic area or anywhere near the course area), it could work. But, I believe it would have to be something "cold" rather than grilled.

There is also precious little money to made at it. We only pay around $300 for lunch. $400 tops. That's probably a max of $150-200 to the troop. I'd almost rather authorize a $100 donation from the club than mess with it, I think. I mean, kids are great, scouting is a noble endeavor, but our events just don't have anything to do with kids and aren't really kid-friendly.

Here's an idea... (getting way off-topic here, probably should start a new topic to pursue this idea) find a suitable location and maybe the club could help put on a "funkhana" type of event. Low-speed stuff with cars and cones and gimmicks that the kids could help run and they could collect an entry fee and the only expense they'd have to cover would be insurance ($400ish) assuming they could get the site donated. I'm thinking a church with lots of parking (grass is okay) on a Saturday afternoon. Something like this: http://invisiblesun.org/Funcana/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (pardon the dust on that page... I don't think anyone has looked at it in years)

[Native]

A while back we deciced from a liabilty perspective that we'd use only licensed and health dept inspected vendors for our lunches. "Real restaurants" in other words...kinda rules out a scout bbq

[treekiller]

I do think mixing it up occasionally is not a bad thing.. The BBQ was awesome that one time. Pizza is okay as is subs.. it's funny though there is never any left over subs and I eat for days after a pizza event. so I can tell there is a demand shift.

[BigBlue]

Someone who has done lunch more than I have may be able to confirm, but I don't think it's a demand issue as much as it is a supply issue. I'm pretty sure pizza is the least expensive way to go and more can be purchased within the given lunch budget. I'm all for mixing it up but there aren't a lot of options for a $5 lunch when you look around.

[Jamie]

And certainly anyone who wants to try something different (while remaining close to the target budget) but has to volunteer for lunch duty. The 10 July event is a great opportunity!

[Native]

Pizza is definitely the cheapest way to go, and in fact it usually comes in under budget. It's also the easiest to order, deliver, and eat.

People eat less when it's hot.

B'ville in January we went through almost 30 pies. In April we ordered 32 I think, and had 6 or so left over. This time we ordered 26, and had about 8 or 10 left over.

[buddy bodean]

Someone who has done lunch more than I have

Okay, I couldn't resist, sorry Ron...but, looking at you I don't think there are many others who have done lunch more than you.


"Just kidding", said the other fat guy.

[Native]

...I'm all for mixing it up but there aren't a lot of options for a $5 lunch when you look around.

Actually, with only a couple of exceptions, every lunch we've done, pizza and otherwise, has been within budget.

[treekiller]

Someone who has done lunch more than I have

Okay, I couldn't resist, sorry Ron...but, looking at you I don't think there are many others who have done lunch more than you.
"Just kidding", said the other fat guy.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[BigBlue]

(I kid, Ed.)

I did wonder how long that would take. I noticed the wording right after I posted.

[buddy bodean]

I love the new smileys.

And your new avatar!

Fixed lites are smooth, smooth = cool

[twistedwankel]

I still find it hard to believe people would criticize a world famous lunch delivered to their doorstep.One thing that totally sets FAST apart from the underattended SCCA and other events at the same Airport is the wisdom of everyone staying on site for lunch and not disappearing for an hour, driving thru the grass and around town with numbers on the cars looking to get a ticket. Or get locked out of the gate if late.

One can order Honey Baked ham box lunches complete with sandwich, drink, cookie, chips for $6.29 but someone has to go get them and that's alot of boxes to keep cool. Note the cheapest is well over budget but you get a soda with it. They make cheaper trays but we all know someone will get left with nothing to eat then. Who's going to guess right on turkey vs ham numbers?

A few places I've been have made arrangements for Lunch trucks to show up but there is no guarantee they will ever come back if no one buys their food. I used to heat my food on the turbo housing but I sold that car along time ago.

Guess the bottom line is: The reason it's a "World Famous Lunch." Is that no one else on the planet provides it.

If Steve or anyone else who busts their tail putting these events together needs to get a fruit salad there are plenty of fruits to chose from.

I say thanks to all those who keep this ship afloat. Boo to naysayers. BYO.

Doug