Successful Steak Dinner Fundraiser Tips
If you are interested in raising money for your group with a steak dinner fundraiser, but you just don’t know how to begin, this is the article for you. Bruce Hendren has steak dinner fundraisers down to a science. Through the years, he has raised thousands of dollars for children of all ages. Whether they are trying to buy equipment or go on trips to broaden their horizons, or sponsoring an event, Bruce is the first in line to help them raise money. Steak dinners are his fundraiser of choice, and people from all over are beginning to ask for his help in starting their own. Bruce agreed to share some of his tips with me.
Where to begin? Bruce orders sides of sirloin from his local grocery store. He has the butcher slice them 9/16 of an inch thick. One side of sirloin will be enough for 20-25 people. A typical fundraiser will average 12 to 14 sides of sirloin. The slices are pretty big, so Bruce recommends cutting them in two to three pieces after you have grilled them.
How to cook? Bruce uses a gallon of Daddy Hinkle’s liquid and 5 pounds of Southwest dry rub for 12 to 14 sides. He spreads the steak out on large baking sheets and dusts each piece on both sides with the dry seasoning, poking holes into the meat. He then moves them to a deep bowl and splashes them with liquid marinade, poking more holes as he works and layering the meat in the bowl. He only marinates what he needs. He will freeze the sides he doesn’t use for a later fundraiser.
How many grills? Bruce usually has 5 grills set up, depending on how many people he serves. For one of his last big dinners, he added an extra, larger grill.
What about side dishes and drinks? He keeps it simple, and he changes his menu according to the kitchen he is working in. He washes and wraps baked potatoes in foil—the larger the better. He also buys Instant Idaho potatoes. One box serves 60 to 100 people. He mixes in powdered Ranch dressing. He buys gallon cans of cooked new potatoes and mixes them with gallon bags of frozen green beans. For seasoning he adds bacon or polish sausage. Sometimes he has salad and rolls.
Drinks are served three different ways—water, tea, or pink lemonade. The lemonade costs $5-$6.00 and it will make 34 quarts. Occasionally he serves coffee.
He buys 500 count boxes of paper goods—plates and cups. He buys plastic forks, but he has steak knives. He tells people to pick them up at yard sales and any place else they might see them. He has about 150, and he washes them and puts them back out as quickly as he can. If you don’t have steak knives, don’t worry, the steaks will be tender enough to cut with a plastic knife.
Deserts? Yes, according to Bruce, the more deserts you offer, the less meat you will need, and deserts are cheaper to prepare. Sometimes students and parents donate deserts. If not, he says he makes a mean turtle cake,and banana pudding with vanilla wafers, and ice cream sandwiches are fairly inexpensive, or a crowd favorite; dirt cake made with chocolate pudding and Oreo cookies, cream whip, and gummy worms!
In other words, have fun.
Bruce says the main thing is to have people who will help you. If they come out and work, they eat for free. Have as many deserts as you can get. Talk to people. If they can’t come and help, see if they can donate a side of sirloin—or half a side. They can still help even if they can’t be there. Bruce says, “People will help out.”
What were the numbers on Bruce’s latest fundraiser? They served 225 people. They spent $600 on supplies and they cleared $1,200. They charged $8.00 per person. Sometimes the dinners are all you can eat, and sometimes they are one plate per person. They charge $10.00 per person for all you can eat dinners.
Bruce also has bottle sets of Daddy Hinkle’s on hand to sell people when they ask him what he used to make those steaks taste so great.
Bruce says he does it for the kids. He is passionate about helping kids fulfill their potential. If you are interested in hosting a steak dinner fundraiser, but you are still unsure about how to go about it, please feel free to email or call us with your questions. I am going to join Bruce on his next fundraising adventure. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Questions?