Confessions of a Worried Caterer

We don't think much about the guy on the corner selling hot dogs, or the food booths you see at the local fair. We don't gander a second thought if the caterer that we used for the wedding is still in business. We do often think about fast food, stopping as we're on the go. McDonald's and others reported figures were consistently steady, even with the economy.

So why is it that Big Fat Daddy's owner Wayne M. Schafer is sweating bullets the first time in twenty-six years over this crumbling economy?

"I'm worried. For the first time in my whole life. I wonder what this year will do in regards to me providing for my family. All these years, I've invested back into my business and now I'm really stressing. " This coming from a six foot burly man that looks more like a Baltimore Raven's Defensive End in his Ray Lewis football jersey than a food vendor.

Wayne wasn't worried at age sixteen when he dropped out of high school to work full time for a Five Star restaurant in Little Italy. He would help his parents occassionally on weekends as they had started the family into the food vendor business. When he announced to them at age 18 that he was wanted to open his own food business, with his first wife, the response was more than unpleasant.

"They of course wanted myself and my first wife to work for them and saw this as some sort of competetion against them. I saw it as a way to express myself. There were methods I believed I could do better, and things I could improve on, but they didn't want to hear my suggestions. They thought of me as a kid. I suppose I was, but I had some great ideas. They were set in their ways and I respected that.. So I assured them I wouldn't go to the festivals they were at, and I kept that promise all these years. We pretty much go our own ways. No doubt they've always held it against me, though."

Wayne and his first wife started a small business called J&W Foods. Operating out of a wooden stand, their staples included pizza, lemonade, and onion rings at fairs and festivals.

After their divorce, Wayne split his business in half, and was forced to rebuild. He donned a fresh name, in 1982, "Big Fat Daddy's." Wayne laughs, "It's a name my daughter used to call me, I guess you can see why. " He laughs but says he must keep up the image.

By 1985, his festival business increased, but he would soon find himself back in restaurant kitchens. "I worked at Crack Pot Seafood Resturant for awhile with my younger brother, Brian. He wanted to partner in with me, so I let him. That was okay, for awhile."

During the mid to late 80's, the two brothers put their heads together and tried to regroup. The Big Fat Daddy's Famous Pit Beef Stand was acquired, located on Route 40 in Rosedale. Wayne reports, "Other pit beef stands began popping up, and before you knew it we had four or five within three miles of each other. They used to call it Pit Beef Row. We were featured in news, print, barbeque books, and magazine articles."

During this time, Wayne was Kitchen Manager at Tully's Restaurat and he met his second wife. Problems with his brother forced him to split the business yet again. Brian was to take over the pit beef stand, and change the name to "Brian's Famous Pit Beef" and Wayne would retain his original "Big Fat Daddy's." Wayne moved on to strictly doing fairs, festivals and catering jobs. He was now forced to rent a prep kitchen, in addition to renting warehouse space.

To add insult to injury, only months later, Wayne's homemade dry rub seasoning used on his pit beef, won NY Times notarity. Soon Saveur magazine was calling. It was however, little brother Brian who did all the interviews, leaving Wayne's name out of the story.

Wayne shakes his head. "He said he started the business on his own and took all the credit. He used my business name of Big Fat Daddy's in the articles. I was unsure whether to sue my own brother, or to thank him for the plugs. I came to the belief that you can't mix family with business."

That belief is one Wayne ignored. Almost six years after marrying his second wife, he found himself divorcing again. This was the third time the business would be split. Wayne says, "She wanted half of everything I had built since day one even though we were married only six years. I did not take my lawyers advice, but just gave it to her. I just didn't care. I did protect myself this time, and get an injunction so that she could not operate with my business name. My lawyer was pretty upset when he found out what I did. Sometimes you just have to walk away and get onto bigger and better things. I believe if you show kindness and be the better person, you will be taken care of by karma."

Wayne's belief in karma has somehow rang true. He met his third wife who had a background in Marketing and Web Design. They made a good team. Wayne says, "She was different, a real go-getter. She completed me."

Wayne's now operational in five East Coast states and finds himself having to decline invitations to many festivals. "I just can't be in four places at once."

Wayne seems to sure of himself, and after three splits, has made it this far. So why is he worried?

Wayne explains, "It 's this economy! What people don't realize is that food vendors and caterers have it rough. Being self employed and not part of a huge corporation means we have to pay for restaurant and storage space, health permits, and have outrageous insurance and commercial vehicle insurance. In addition to that, each individual festival requires it's own fee, and temporary permits. Not only do you have your health inspections but now the fire departments want their money too. Taxes in five states in addition to self-employment taxes that hit you at the end of the year. Festivals are forced to charge higher rent to meet their growing expenses, and charging separate fees for electrical needs in response to the electric a few years back."

Wayne explains that he has to pay for propane to cook with, and usually take a gas powered generator to run his refrigerated truck. "Last year I think all my profits went back into my gas tank because of all the traveling."

Wayne goes on to explain "I used to do one festival a weekend. Last year I was forced to try to do multiple festivals and enlist the help of my wife. I do not know what will happen this year. We were running ourselves ragged last year. I just can't do it. Not only will I fall apart physically, but my wife will divorce me."

Wayne's wife Cindy is especially concerned about Wayne because he suffered a heart attack several years ago. "I tell him to stop working so hard and let me take care of him, but this business is in his blood. Nothing can get him to slow down."

Wayne reports proof of a crumbling economy. Starting third quarter of 2008, festivals were being cancelled by the coordinators for fear of lack of attendance. People who booked weddings or catering jobs got scared and would often cancel forfeiting their deposits. Companies who had set aside money for employee parties pulled the money for use in another area. Christmas parties were cancelled.

To top it off, he's upset over football. "Now, the Ravens lost to the Steelers. We might lose Ray Lewis to another team. I can feel that it's going to be a bad year."

Wayne reports that when he started the food business, his food cost was approximately 10% expense against his gross sales. "Now it's as high as 26% for some of the items I'm selling. My customers know me as Big Fat Daddy's. I have raised my prices but I refuse to skimp on my portions or change the quality of beef I'm using. I can't do that to my loyal customers. They are the ones who come and eat with me all these years and made me who I am."

Wayne's main products include overstuffed Pit Beef subs and sandwiches, Texas BBQ, Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers, Philly Cheesesteak, Fresh Cut Fries, Crabcakes, Smoothies, and Texas Burgers. "I even made a new secret chili sauce for hot dogs. I am always thinking about new and innovative ideas."

Wayne is worried that this year customers won't have the money to spend on a Big Fat Meal Deal "I can't lower my prices, because everything's going up. I worry that if it's a choice between getting their kids to the rides or eating, they'll eat at home before they come to the fair." He shakes his head.

So what is next for Wayne if indeed 2009 is worse than 2008? " I'm going into year 27. Plan B is to sell it all and move to Maine. All reasonable offers considered. Perhaps it's life's way of telling me to slow down. Besides, I wouldn't mind fishing all day and shoveling snow. My wife and I could actually go to a fair on weekends instead of working one. Cindy writes books and sells antiques. I believe the quiet life would be enough to make us happy.."

Wayne goes on to give me photographs to publish, and adds, "If you want to know more we have a website. I'd love to hear from other food vendors or caterers in the same boat."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Source: Reporting of figures from McDonalds Corporation Official Website.