Pop Ups For Idiots

POP UPS: A BACKGROUND AND ITS MANY FORMS

POP UPS’ APPEAL

THE SPEAKEASY: POP UP’S BOOZY BROTHER

TARGET MARKET: WHO IS MY AUDIENCE?

MIDSCALE VS. UPSCALE. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

CONCEPT: WHAT AM I COOKING?

FIND A PREP KITCHEN

Kitchen Organization

Kitchen Maintenance/Upkeep

Deep Cleaning

Sanitation Sink

Sweeping and Mopping

Equipment Maintenance

Inventory

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Venue

MENU AND FOOD COSTING

WRITING AND PRICING YOUR POP UP MENU

Purveyors

Maximizing Groceries

RENTALS

STAFFING

HIRING

A TYPICAL EVENT STAFF

BOH Roles

BOH Training

Insurance, Permits and Licenses

OPENING DAY

Setting Up Your Mobile Kitchen

Electricity

Propane

Running Water

Know the Space

Plan Accordingly

Treat the Space with Respect

KITCHEN OVERVIEW

The Pass

Inside Hot/Inside Cold

Hot Station

EVENT EXECUTION

Phase 1: Build the Kitchen

Plating and Back Station

Outside Hot Station

Electricity & Lighting

Storage

Phase 2 - Break Staff Down In Stations

CDP: Outside Hot

CDP: Inside Hot

CDP: Inside Cold

Phase 3 - Finalizing set-up

Finishing Touches

Line Up

Phase 4 – Service!

Timescale

Speaking to Diners

Other Rules to Live By

Phase 5 – End of Service

Phase 6 – Post Event

GENERAL RULES AND PRACTICES

FRONT OF HOUSE GUIDELINES

PRE-EVENT SET-UP: All FOH Staff

UNLOADING THE U-HAUL AKA ALL HANDS ON DECK

EVENT PREP WORK

LINEUP

PREP WORK: ALL SERVERS

SETTING UP THE DINING AREA

Tables and Chairs

Dressing and Taping the Tables

Setting up Chairs

SERVICE STATION SET-UP

Dressing the Table

SETTING THE SERVICE STATION

Water Dispenser and Water Bottles

Cups

Drink Bin

Service Station Supply Bin

LIGHTING/DECORATIONS

PREP WORK: PORTER

TRASH CANS

BOXES

BATHROOM(S)

MUSIC

LIGHTING/DECORATIONS

DURING THE EVENT: FOOD RUNNER

POST EVENT: ALL SERVER POSITIONS

DINING ROOM BREAKDOWN

Filling Bins

Cleaning the Dining Area

POST EVENT: PORTER

BATHROOM

LOADING THE U-HAUL

PUBLICITY

Advertise Your Pop-Up 

FINANCING

WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH POP UPS

FINAL THOUGHTS AKA GUIDELINES TO SUCCESS

GUIDELINES TO SUCCESS

POP UPS: A BACKGROUND AND ITS MANY FORMS

Pop ups can go by many names:  underground restaurant, closed-door restaurants and most notably supper clubs. Regardless of name they are classified as social dining eating establishments. Originally many pop ups were run out of someone's home. Now they can take place in any venue or common space, even someone else’s restaurant! They are, in effect, paying dinner parties.

They are usually advertised by word of mouth or guerilla advertising, often through social media, (more on that later) and may require references to make a reservation. Pop ups can also be known as a guestaurant—where diners are a cross between being a guest in a dinner party and a restaurant patron.

They’re international too. In Latin America, pop ups known as either a paladar or a restaurante de puertas cerradas. They've been built into local food culture for decades, and often have higher standards than many licensed establishments.

POP UPS’ APPEAL

For the customer, the attraction of the underground restaurant for the customer is the opportunity to sample new food, often at low cost outside the traditional restaurant experience. Underground restaurants have been described as anti-restaurants. They also generally provide a more intimate experience, akin to a dinner