In this episode of Barbecue Catering Smarts, Michael Attias sits down with Dan Bosworth, Owner & Pitmaster of Big Dan’s BBQ in Catawissa, Pennsylvania.
Dan didn’t grow up in restaurants—he came from manufacturing and supply chain management. That operational background became his unfair advantage. Instead of running barbecue on instinct alone, Dan built systems around food costing, production planning, staffing, and review management.
The result? Catering has grown into a major revenue engine for Big Dan’s BBQ—approaching 40% of total sales—without sacrificing quality or burning out the team.
In this episode, Dan shares:
✔️ Why simplicity is the secret to scaling barbecue
✔️ How “executive sampling” converts corporate prospects into long-term catering clients
✔️ The operational discipline that protected margins during rising food costs
✔️ Why responding to every review strengthened customer loyalty
✔️ How intentional systems reduce stress and make growth sustainable
If you want to grow catering without chaos, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can implement immediately.
Barbecue Catering Smarts is sponsored by CaterZen Catering Software.
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✅ Simplicity Scales: Backyard complexity doesn’t translate to volume. Streamlined menus and repeatable processes create consistency.
✅ Systematize or Suffer: Food costing spreadsheets, prep systems, and production planning protect margins and reduce operator stress.
✅ Catering as a Sustainable Engine: Nearly 40% of revenue now comes from catering—because it’s treated as a core business, not a side hustle
✅ Executive Sampling Converts: Proactively feeding decision-makers generates corporate catering business months down the line.
✅ Efficiency Offsets Inflation: Instead of simply raising prices, tightening waste control and execution preserved profitability.
✅ Reputation is Revenue: Responding to every review reinforces trust and strengthens local market dominance.
✅ Data > Guesswork: Tracking PLUs and costs allows smarter decisions and cleaner delegation.
✅ Prevent Burnout on Purpose: Sustainable catering growth requires seasonal breaks and mental resets.
🔹 “Barbecue doesn’t scale with passion alone — it scales with process.”
🔹 “If your catering isn’t systemized, it’s just stress with smoke.”
🔹 “Complex barbecue is fun in the backyard. Simple barbecue is profitable at volume.”
🔹 “When food costs went up, we didn’t panic — we got more disciplined.”
🔹 “Catering isn’t extra revenue. It’s a different business model.”
🔹 “If you can’t delegate it, you don’t own a system — you own a job.”
🔹 “Consistency is what turns a one-time catering client into a repeat corporate account.”
🔹 “Every ounce of waste is margin walking out the back door.”
🔹 “Executive sampling isn’t free food — it’s targeted marketing.”
🔹 “Growth without systems just multiplies chaos.”
🔹 “Your reputation online is either fueling catering sales or quietly killing them.”
🔹 “Burnout happens when everything lives in your head instead of in a process.”
