# HELP!!!! Keeping Concession Food Warm



## jenscats5 (Oct 16, 2010)

I'm pretty sure you can rent a popcorn machine.....that way you don't have to "maintain" it .....As for funnel cakes, since they are fried dough, they are very difficult to keep warm without getting too soft or greasy....funnel cakes are a made to order type of thing.......Same with the corn dogs - the outer coating can tend to get soft/greasy/doughy if they sit too long. Fried things definitely cannot be reheated in a microwave w/o ruining the integrity of the food. 

So depending on how much you want to spend, you may want to check out renting equipment....


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## Xane (Oct 13, 2010)

Maybe you can even find someone with a carnival-style concession stand that would be able to do the event for you and be willing to negotiate catering prices rather than standard overpriced carnival rates.


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## Druidess (Sep 2, 2010)

http://www.partycity.com/product/ec...tby=ourPicks&size=all&from=Search&navSet=heat

assuming I linked you to the right product, these little cans you light keep food warm for hours. You just put an alluminum pan in a stand over the top, light, and voila: warm food for a while. As mentioned before though, the funnel cakes especially will lose appeal after time. This will work with other things though. Good luck!


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

My husband agreed to rent me a cotton candy machine and a snow cone machine...at $35 each I cant imagine renting anything else ....I may check out some of the sterno pots as Druidess suggested (Ive used these for fondue and they last a good while) I dont want to make all the food ahead of time just a little amount so these may work...I figured I would try out a few things for the keeping the popcorn warm and if all else fails we will just make small batches in the microwave or just opt for the prepopped popcorn...if all else fails maybe I can lure some of the teens into the food cart for extra prize tickets (towards our raffle)...  thanks for the advice


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## msmaranda (Sep 17, 2011)

If you are thinking about renting a popcorn machine I would call around. Sometimes you might find a deal. For a sale at work I rented a popcorn machine so I could make popcorn in large amounts and sell my butt off. Some places like the one I went through if you rent it on a friday you got it til monday for the price of one day. For my party this year (both daughters birthday and halloween party) we will be having a movie themed party outside and the popcorn machine will cost me 60.00 for fri sat and sun with no popcorn. I called several places in the phonebook before I found this local company. This way I can make all my food either ahead of time or at the start of the party and be free to be the paparazzi. Good Luck


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Msmaranda your party sounds great and what a deal for a three day rental  Im looking at $35 for each machine for 24 hrs...my top priorities are snocones and cotton candy...my husbands is popcorn...hopefully the budget will allow all three, fingers crossed


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## LadySherry (Oct 4, 2011)

I use a product from Oscar it is a extra large hot plate that you can use your pans or their pans on. It has variable temps. I got mine at Target for $30. I use it all the time for holiday dinners and parties.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Awesome...I'll have to check it out...thanks


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## yummum29 (Oct 22, 2008)

I'm not sure what your lay out is, but have you thought of a grill or BBQ? You can use indirect heat and keep everything warm?


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## kevin242 (Aug 30, 2005)

sterno would work, no?


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

I was thinking sterno's too or aluminum pans with a huge light over them...the grill may be an option too...our biggest problem is we want people to come and go for food like they would normally. However I don't want to be stuck in the concession stand all night frying corn dogs and funnel cakes...most of the other concessions I'm allowing them to self serve (cotton candy, popcorn, lemonade and snow cones). I have a small convection oven I could maybe put to use for reheating too  Sounds like I need to drag out a couple sterno's and some different things to see what works best


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## azazel (Jul 18, 2011)

sounds like you need to hire one of the local teens to run a concession stand maybe offer him/her like 40 dollars for the night to make the stuff an brief him/her on the machines an what you wont ???????????????????????


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

I would but I'm just too big of a MOM to let anyone near a fry station...I would feel terrible if someone got hurt. I think I have 2-3 other adults who will assist me in the concession...but rest assured I've got the teens working my game booths...what's better theyre doing it for free yay!!!!!


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