Suggestion Box

[Negotiableterms]

Yup, dinner is a great idea! It would keep everyone together for a bigger party, and eliminates the big push-down for lunch.

The only problems I can see are that we'd have to charge more to include dinner. Maybe $25-30 instead of $20, because dinner is more expensive, and we might want to hold the price of Sunday-only attendance at $10. Anyone would spend the extra $10 to eat anyway, and keep in mind I'm making these numbers up, so don't anyone react to them until Dave and Nancy figure out what it will really take.

 

[tentoze]

Anyone would spend the extra $10 to eat anyway,

Hell, I would have paid an extra $10 for somebody who could cut that steak the other night.

 

[Andyman]

Unless it's catered; dinner WILL be a ton of work for someone and I don't think that's fair; that lunch crowd was huge. Plus, wouldn't some of the folks like to get out and away from the hotel for a bit??

I live here, so it's no big deal either way for me, but I really can't see imposing any further on Grumpy and his family.

 

[Andyman]

I'd also like to see some sort of expanded gear swap; somewhere where folks could post what they could or would bring to the Fest IF someone wanted it and vice versa; folks post what they were looking for. Especially the big stuff like those DQ-10s Pete had; I wonder if he would have had to take them home had there been a way to let folks know he had them before the Fest

Maybe just a waiver/reduction of the $50 vendor fee for AKFest or Swap table people so they could post what they had to gauge interest and bring some bigger items folks wanted. Kind of like what RichPA did with his freebies........
I know I have some bigger stuff I could have brought, but I just didn't feel like lugging it over.

 

[EricC]

I love the dinner replacing lunch idea. I was going to suggest it but was worried about stepping on anyones tose. I'd be willing to pay a few $$ extra for it and I am sure there are enough of us that would be willing to help to try to keep the cost and hastle down. With how cheap the eggs are at the resturant I ate a large enough breakfast that I didn't even need lunch. Its hard to screw up eggs.

 

[Fisherdude]

Ok, here's a suggestion...Since many of you have talked about the confusion and problems with dinner Saturday night.

What if Grumpy and I did Dinner on Saturday instead of lunch?

We could do dinner, have any presentations while everyone is eating and then have some live music while everyone is relaxing after dinner. What do you think?...

Nancy, I need to make it perfectly clear that I'm 100% in favor of anything that makes it easier on you and Dave. I'm just not at all certain that dinner is easier than lunch.

I've probably done 10+ dinners like this at conventions, meetings, etc. The biggest one I did was over 600 people, and the tab I signed was $13,000.

Plus tip.

Are you planning on doing the food yourself? Or having it done? If you're having it done, by whom?

If we're doing it at the Plaza, I'm assuming it will be catered from an outside company. Having the Plaza restaurant do it would be very, very high risk. Eric's steak will be small compared to the potential problems. If it's catered from outside, the company will need access to the kitchens. Probably not going to happen. Otherwise, the food will need to be brought in, and then temperature will be a problem.

If YOU do the food, well, pizza and salads will seem like heaven compared to a hot dinner.

As far as logistics go, you have the option of either table service or buffet line. Table service is much more efficient, and quicker. If you do buffet line, it will be slower for dinner than for lunch. If you're planning on a Member of the Year presentation, plus the usual announcements, you won't be able to start while people are still in the food line. Then, the first ones through will be done eating while the last ones will still be in line. If you want presentations at a set time, table service is the better option. Buffet line is better if people can come and go as they like. If you want live music, it will have to be at the Plaza, or at someplace that will let us bring in the music.

I don't think there were any "problems" with dinner on Saturday night, it was just that there haven't been any formal arrangements...everybody was just on their own as far as restaurants, etc. Maybe dinner signups could be one of the things on the message board. Reservations could be made in advance for groups of, say, 8, at different restaurants, with signup sheets on the message boards, with a mod in charge of each sheet, for "BBQ", "Seafood", "Steaks", "Italian", etc. 8 might be a workable number, since that's two carloads of 4 each. By noon, a quick phone call could be made to each restaurant that would either confirm the reservation for 8, or change it to 6, or increase it to 10, or whatever.

I'm just thinkin' of you, girlfriend! Trying to keep it real!

Clay

 

[merrylander]

The dinner signup sheets sounds like a plan, once we have the restaurant map available it will be a snap for me to run-off sign-up sheets to tack on the message board. I could mark in a space for the departure place and time as well, so everyone would know where and when to meet. Could also allow reservations to be made, depending on the size of the group.

 

[EricC]

The dinner signup sheets sounds like a plan, once we have the restaurant map available it will be a snap for me to run-off sign-up sheets to tack on the message board. I could mark in a space for the departure place and time as well, so everyone would know where and when to meet. Could also allow reservations to be made, depending on the size of the group.

All of these me's and I's make it sound like you are already planning to go next year. :thmbsp:

 

[Andyman]

Well, I'll try to Google up some restaurants this weekend on a map and paste some mini blurbs about each to them. If I get it done now, it won't be an issue, plus I can solicit reviews from other locals on them so we aren't heading in blind.

I'll try to keep it 5-10 miles which actually is darn far; you could probably find almost anything within 5 miles of the hotel.

And yes, I'll keep it pretty much north of Daytwah

BTW, where did everybody go and how was it? I know some folks hit the Outback and in years past Memphis Smoke (blues bar place) has been visited.
Actually, Main Street in Royal Oak could probably cover darn near all bases.

EDIT: Mapquest hits 100 restaurants within 2 miles!!!

 

[luvvinvinyl]

For regular diner fare, it's tough to beat the Country Oven. Sandy G and Lauriann, Friday night, last year. Big group on Saturday night. This year, it satisfied 'toze.

 

[Andyman]

Thanks Ernie, I saw that one mentioned a few times

 

[luvvinvinyl]

Probably by me! lol

 

[tentoze]

Less eating, more drinking= problem solved.

 

[luvvinvinyl]

No po'k chops fo' y'all, next year!

 

[dmax99]

Less eating, more drinking= problem solved.

Always been a good plan,why kill a good buzz with a big dinner....

 

[Ms Grumpy]

As Grumpy, myself and Ernie have already started planning next year (and yes he has been looking into different venues), many people have brought up a great reason to stay at the venue we are now. First off, how many hotels would let us do what we do??? I have heard Grumpy on the phone with other hotels and I could almost hear the hotel rep. laughing at him when he tells them that we need the beds taken out of 30-40 rooms. I have also heard him when he thinks that he has found a hotel that is alot nicer, only to hear that many of them are booked thru 2009 (at least for either the Saturday or Sunday on every weekend). Guys I know that this is not the Ritz, but this is where AK fest started. This is the place that was willing to work with us, and they have - ALOT- believe me !!!

Each year we may only get one or two more things, but where else could you guys do what you do best -

and listen to some awesome


I know that this page is for suggestions and I put one out there for us doing dinner. I know that this is something that we will do (if I have it my way).
As far as dinner goes - I know that some have made statements about Steak (dream on!!!) we cannot afford to do that, and we are not going to price this out of anyones pocketbook. I think that Grumpy and I have done a great job trying to find things that were within our budjet, while giving you guys something good to eat. We are already working on ideas for next year...it is never to early to start.

Please keep the suggestions coming...we read all of your suggestions, sometime we may put a little spin on it, but many of the things that we do at AK fest now, were suggestions way back when....

Thanks again for your great ideas!!


Ms Grumpy

 

[Doc Brown]

The Fest was lightning in a bottle. It would be hard to find someone who doesn't think so. I had the time of my life, don't think I'm alone. There may be some rough edges, but I sure didn't notice.

I'm having trouble putting into words my feelings for the everyone involved. I get sort of choked up about it. Only thing to change may be to see that Dave and all don't have to work so hard at it. Why do they call him Grumpy anyhow.

I'm thrilled that I was allowed participate, being such a new comer. I simply cannot wait for next year! Don't change too much. Hats Off.

Anything that I can do to help?

 

[stuartk]

I know that this page is for suggestions and I put one out there for us doing dinner. I know that this is something that we will do (if I have it my way).

Ms Grumpy

I thought that lunch worked out pretty well, and should be much less work to arrange than dinner.

In fact, maybe more of us could help out with serving food next time so you guys get a break?

As for dinner, I would rather have more info about local restaurants and maybe signup sheets for small groups to go out for dinner. Dinner for a couple of hundred is very difficult to pull off well unless you have a lot of time and money to sink into it.

 

[EricC]

I know that this page is for suggestions and I put one out there for us doing dinner. I know that this is something that we will do (if I have it my way).
As far as dinner goes - I know that some have made statements about Steak (dream on!!!) we cannot afford to do that, and we are not going to price this out of anyones pocketbook. I think that Grumpy and I have done a great job trying to find things that were within our budjet, while giving you guys something good to eat. We are already working on ideas for next year...it is never to early to start.


Ms Grumpy

I hope you get your way. The choice of food was great. I'd be happy if the same items were served for dinner.

 

[Cosmos]

In my opinion, Dinner instead of Lunch could serve multiple purposes..

1. Closing the rooms down for the evening. (They can always "Re-open")
2. Transitioning to entertainment, if that is on the schedule.
3. Not interrupting the show during the day. Sure some rooms need to close to allow the exhibitor time for Lunch, but if the room closings were staggered the show would never "close" until it's closed.

On the downside, any announcements AK wants to give, such as the Member of the Year, would likely have fewer people present.

Overall, I'd vote yes on the change to Dinner.