Re: RC: entry dinner fees

[Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>]

At 9:10 PM -0800 3/14/99, Endure4fun@aol.com wrote:
>I think we need a new topic to discuss, something I'm sure we all, LD's and
>longer mileage riders, have had to deal with at one time or another.  The fees
>charged by ride management for our dinners.  On the entries is an amount for
>extra dinner tickets.  How many times have you finished a ride to find out
>that there is only a little old salad left and some bread.  Is this what we
>are paying anywhere from $10. to $15. for?  I think it Should be our choice if
>we want to pay for dinner or not.

Depends on the ride management.  In my case, I hire a caterer who prepares
tri-tip, chicken and ribs with all the fixings.  I'm the one who tells the
caterer how many meals to supply, covering riders, volunteers and vets, and
if I guess wrong, well, then the situation you describe could happen.
Personally, I cover myself by knowing that many people will choose to leave
early because the ride is in an urban area rather than the wilderness,
hence, we get high quality leftovers.  At last year's ride I purchased 158
meals, there were 98 entrants, a couple dozen volunteers and vets, and sold
12 or so extra tickets.  We could have fed at least 20 more people with the
leftover meat alone.  On the same note, we had a vegetarian option as well
that is specified in advance by the entrant.

I know some people leave right after the
>ride for one reason or another, others finish ride on the clock, others just
>don't want to eat.  I think if I decide not to purchase dinner ticket with my
>entry and then after ride I want to eat I can buy a ticket then.  If there
>isn't enough food, that is my problem, at least I haven't put the money out
>for something that isn't there!

I can't afford to sell more than a dozen or so dinner tickets "unbundled"
like that for fear of running out of food for the riders that have already
paid.  I don't mind offering "no dinner ticket" as a pricing option,
providing the rider doesn't expect to be able to then choose to buy a
ticket at the ride.  The extra tickets are for family members and crews IMO.

>California rides are notorious for running out of food or over selling the
>tickets for amount of food provided!  I have been to some Nevada rides where
>ride management knows, yes actually knows, how many riders are still out on
>the trail and will fix plates of food for them so when they do get in, at
>least there is food waiting for them!

Not typical in SoCal!

>With the cost of entries going up, gas, and other costs involved in getting to
>a ride I think it would be nice if it were the riders choice to pay for dinner
>ticket at time of entry.  The cost is known as it is posted for extra dinner
>tickets so we could just deduct that amount from entry fees and when we send
>it in management could put a note on rider packet, "no dinner ticket,"
>doesn't this sound like a good idea?  It involves EVERYONE who does rides.
>Keri

I would be amenable to saying $10 less for no dinner ticket, and no
guaranteed availability of a meal until all the entrants with dinner
tickets have eaten!  It's just very different when you use a caterer than
when you are doing it yourself!  Think about writing a personal check for
$1580--how does it feel? :-P

Lynne

Ontario, CA
Norco Riverdance Ride (PS) 9/4/99
and Rem-member Me, Celesteele


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