Don, makes a good point.
It
should be reasonably straightforward, if we all just stop and think, say two weeks ahead of the event.
I can bring, BBQ’s (gas and coals), tables, frying pan(s), kettle, BBQ cooking implements, washing-up kit, and the breakfast stuff ie: tea, coffee, sugar, milk, bacon, sausages, sauces, butter, rolls / bread.
We will maybe need to assume:
A. No catering on Friday evening, as we can hopefully eat in the pub. Someone to make the booking. We can agree who, the number to book for and at what time. That should be straightforward. We just get the total bill and divide the total sum equally between us.
B. Breakfast on the Saturday morning. I’m happy to bring all the breakfast stuff, if people tell me what they’d like. For example, if there is eight of us and five of us would like bacon rolls and three of us sausages in a roll, then I’ll bring what’s needed. Cost? I’ll just buy it all and divide the sum by eight. That is simple.
C. BBQ proper on Saturday night. Again, let’s just be sensible. I like the brai sausage, so that’s one person. Don, does too. That’s two. No more takers? Then (assuming eight) we just need to think about the other six. Something alongside the meat? OK, let’s agree what. If say, two or three people between them buy the Saturday night stuff, then pool the amount into one and divide by eight, that should be easy, too.
In reality it’s no different than catering for an event at home; we just need to be a bit smart about it. It doesn’t need to be military grade organisation. Only enough to make it work, without a load of waste.
D. On the Sunday (departure day) I’d have breakfast in the pub, assuming it’s available or just cater for myself.
E. At the end of the event we add together the sums in B and C and each cough up our debt. This can be done once we get home, via PayPal or bank transfer.
F. If someone wants to DIY, that’s fine. It simply goes down from eight to seven.
The biggest unknown is the weather. Again, let’s just be sensible. If it’s just cold and dark, that’s fine. If it is hammering down with rain (or looking very likely to) then an outdoor BBQ ain’t going to be too much fun; let’s go to the pub or whatever. Snow? We can take a view on.
