Keep ’Em Coming BackPractical help for Texas honky-tonks and dancehalls
Volume 1

From the Keep ’Em Coming Back books

The Complete PR Guide

This page is a practical extension of Volume 1. The book explains the reasoning; this resource helps put it to work.

Read Volume 1 Resources from this book

Twenty-five practical tools within the 158-tool library

Food and Barbecue Tools

Calculators, planners, logs, checklists, vendor comparisons, allergen matrices, wood records, cook timelines, and production tools.

25
TOOLS
Recipe Cost CalculatorCalculate batch cost, cost per serving, food-cost percentage, and contribution.Open Tool →Raw-to-Cooked Yield CalculatorMeasure trim, cooking, holding, and saleable yield.Open Tool →Brisket Cost and Yield CalculatorEstimate finished brisket cost per pound and portion after trim and cooking loss.Open Tool →Menu Price CalculatorEstimate a selling price from portion cost and target food-cost percentage.Open Tool →Food-Cost Percentage CalculatorCalculate food-cost percentage from food sales and food cost.Open Tool →Food Contribution-Margin CalculatorCalculate contribution per serving and total period contribution.Open Tool →Batch Recipe ScalerScale ingredient quantities from an original yield to a target yield.Open Tool →Portion CalculatorConvert finished product into portions and identify leftover quantity.Open Tool →Catering Quantity CalculatorEstimate protein, sides, bread, sauce, and buffer for an event.Open Tool →Buffet PlannerPlan pan counts, replenishment, and service waves.Open Tool →Prep Production CalculatorCalculate prep quantities from forecast, par, on-hand product, and buffer.Open Tool →Hot-Holding Log BuilderCreate a printable hot-holding log without prescribing a local critical limit.Open Tool →Cooling Log BuilderCreate a cooling log without prescribing local critical limits.Open Tool →Kitchen Temperature Log BuilderCreate a printable receiving, refrigeration, cooking, reheating, or holding log.Open Tool →Allergen Matrix BuilderCreate a dish-by-allergen review matrix for the nine major allergens.Open Tool →Kitchen Opening Checklist BuilderCreate a printable kitchen and pit opening checklist.Open Tool →Kitchen Closing Checklist BuilderCreate a printable closing checklist for food disposition, cooling, sanitation, equipment, and fire.Open Tool →Food-Truck Vendor EvaluatorScore permit, insurance, operations, fit, service, and guest experience.Open Tool →Vendor Price Comparison ToolNormalize package pricing and compare delivered cost per usable unit.Open Tool →Food Menu Profitability AnalyzerEvaluate contribution, popularity, ticket time, waste, and menu role.Open Tool →Food Waste and Spoilage TrackerCalculate period waste value and identify the largest source.Open Tool →Pit Wood Inventory CalculatorEstimate weekly wood use, stock coverage, reorder point, and storage weight.Open Tool →Firewood Seasoning LogCreate a receiving and seasoning record for cooking wood.Open Tool →Barbecue Cook Timeline GeneratorWork backward from service to plan fire, load, finish, controlled rest, hold, and slice.Open Tool →Barbecue Production PlannerConvert expected sales into raw purchase quantities using finished yield and buffer.Open Tool →

Food truck Tool stack

Tools that support the field guide

Use these with actual supplier quotes, finished yield, staffing, event terms, tax treatment, and professional verification.

Food-Truck Vendor EvaluatorVenue and event due diligence.Open Tool → Event Break-Even CalculatorAttendance and contribution scenarios.Open Tool → Recipe Cost CalculatorBatch and portion cost.Open Tool → Raw-to-Cooked Yield CalculatorTrim and cooking loss.Open Tool → Food Menu Profitability AnalyzerContribution, demand, waste, and complexity.Open Tool → Opening and Closing BuilderCreate a truck-specific routine.Open Tool →
Open the Food Truck Field Guide
Read before using Kitchen resourcesSafety, professional-use, and verification notice
Educational reference—not approval, certification, or professional advice. Recipes, wood profiles, temperatures, yields, costs, logs, checklists, and operating suggestions are general planning material. They do not replace the current FDA Food Code, Texas Food Establishment Rules, local health-authority requirements, permits, inspections, HACCP or variance approval, fire-code review, manufacturer instructions, insurance requirements, food-handler or manager training, or qualified culinary, food-safety, legal, tax, accounting, engineering, fire-protection, medical, or insurance advice. Verify every ingredient label and allergen; prevent cross-contact; use calibrated thermometers; use only known, untreated cooking wood from a reputable source; and discard food whenever time, temperature, source, identity, or safety is uncertain. Read the full Kitchen disclaimer.