Franklin BBQ, Goldbelly and Ripoff Shipping Charges

[ssv3]

This is kinda what I was thinking. "No kidding? Only $250 and I don't have to deal with going to TX? hrmm...." It's not going to be on my monthly menu, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a vacation.

And, it's been ages since my Franklins visit-but the LEFTOVER brisket was still better than anything else I have had prior or since.

Yup!!

I agree with you on his leftover brisket. Naturally we hit quite a few bbq places when in Austin but I had leftover brisket in the fridge at the room and it blew me away how good it still was.

 

[Speeed]

LOL....my reply to another thread the OP posted.

A factor that is sometimes overlooked is the customer service one receives is often dependent on the behavior of the customer seeking it.

 

[cdhbrad]

The fact that the Brisket is “Sold Out” speaks volumes. Many are obviously willing to pay the price. If you aren’t, I understand, someone will take your place in line.

 

[onemanlan]

While I agree that is a lot of money for a brisket, I don't think it's as simple as you're making it out to be. That 4.5-5lbs is the cooked weight for a 8-9 pound brisket that was trimmed down from a 14ish pound brisket. Franklin currently charges $34.00/lb for brisket at their restaurant.

Figure 5lb brisket and the meat alone is $170.00/brisket as the base cost. That leaves $80.00 for goldbelly, shipping, and packaging/handling. While high, that doesn't seem as exorbitant as the initial sticker shock may make you feel

These are the important deets you're leaving out. You're getting Franklin's shipped to you rather than waiting in a 5 hour line. They're[Goldbelly] making it possible, in some form or fashion, in addition to being profitable to all companies involved.

You'd hope there would be some healthy competition that might be able to edge in and undercut them, but in reality that's unlikely at present. If people keep paying it they're gonna keep selling it at that price. If not you may actually see a reduction in price.

Would I pay that? No thank you. Have other things $250 can go to. I'd have just unsubbed. lol. Neat to know the service exists, but too rich for my blood at present.

 

[Learning to BBQ]

On a similar note, I was contemplating getting a bag of crawfish from a crawfish company in Louisiana air freighted here for a once in a lifetime crawfish boil. It's airfreighted and all that. You are either gonna go for it or not. It would be cool to do, but I'm still on the fence. We can't get that stuff here. So you pay for it or you don't. I understand the logistics.

 

[agheno]

I haven't used the shipping service and probably never will, but my local favorite bbq pit recently started offering ~6lb vac sealed briskets for $195, shipping not included. They normally sell brisket for $28/lb, dine-in, and they have lines out the door for lunch and dinner every day. After you factor in tax and shipping, the price is in the same ball park as Goldbelly. The total comes out to $242 shipped to my house (and I'm just down the road), or $261 for a random address across the country in NYC. From what I understand, they are not using a middle man; they are doing vac-sealed, semi-frozen, ice packed in an insulated box, 2-day FedEx shipments. $4.50/lb markup doesn't seem unreasonable to me to cover the hassle of getting these briskets shippable.

I don't know how many other pits are competing in the 'ship a brisket across the country' market, but there seems to be demand for it.

 

[KB BBQ]

All I remember from reading this thread is "Donuts & Brisket". After that, everything went blank. What were we talking about? :noidea:

 

[thirdeye]

Doing a 'long distance group buy' is an option we do all the time, and with enough people the price is only a few dollars above the standard price. When Krispy Kreme opened a bakery in Colorado two restaurant owners I know wanted to try them and planned on driving down on Monday. Before we knew it 20 people wanted to try one, then more were interested.... so they called to see about the maximum order, and they made a round trip. I think each person chipped in $5 over cost which covered all the gasoline.

We do a group corn buy, this year we've reserved 158 dozen ears to be picked up on a farm 150 miles away at 9:00 AM. Last year the ears were still cool in the boxes.

When pork bellies all but disappeared, a friend offered to stop by Restaurant Depot in Denver on the way through. Same type of good deal shared with 15 or so people.

 

[Mattb82]

I’m confused. It’s free shipping, or is this just a complaint about total price. This is a ridiculous post. It’s a for profit business and they are sold out, simple supply/demand

 

[gtr]

All I remember from reading this thread is "Donuts & Brisket". After that, everything went blank. What were we talking about? :noidea:

That's pretty close to how I go through life.

 

[jzadski]

Good amount of ignorance on this thread. :doh: Don't knock it till you've tried it. Can't beat the real experience but $250 is way cheap than a trip to TX. If you've had his brisket you'll just fork over your money. It's that good.

To actually eat at Franklin's, it's on my bucket list. Especially after your post about visiting there :-D Ordering from Goldbelly, maybe for round 2 after an initial visit :thumb:

 

[thedude9999]

https://www.kevinsbbqjoints.com/stacy-franklin-franklin-barbecue-austin-texas-interview/

If you want more details about it - starts around 9:30 in or so.

From the video
- the demand is there. They are booked 6 weeks out. When new slots drop weekly (for shipments 6 or 7 weeks out) they sell out immediately. She also talks about how they had to be careful to ensure the Goldbely system didn’t allow overselling of their product.
- she says that it’s a lot of work to package up individual briskets for shipping. I’d imagine that adds to the cost as well.

 

[DBBQ]

My wife knew I always wanted to try a Franklin brisket. Got one for Xmas this past year, and it was fantastic. No problem with Goldbelly on these luxury-type buys.

 

[Wolf13]

Thanks to this thread I’ll be buying one… How did you guys reheat it? My time is far too valuable to sit in line for 5 hours. I can’t stand lines, especially to give someone money!

 

[ssv3]

To actually eat at Franklin's, it's on my bucket list. Especially after your post about visiting there :-D Ordering from Goldbelly, maybe for round 2 after an initial visit :thumb:

It's a hoot Joe. People complain about the line but the line is half the fun. It's like a block party but with strangers you think you've known all your life. Who knows you may even run into the man himself. :becky:

Doesn't hurt to have a brethren roll with you either. :nod:

 

[gtr]

^^^Agreed. I spent one morning catching up with my little sister and meating/hanging out with Gore. Fantastic way to spend a few hours and there's a killer meal at the end of it. Went another time and only waited a little over an hour. Got some good father/son time in and shot the chit with other folks in line. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Only small hitch was my son freaked on the brisket, basically swallowed his sammich like an aspirin then dove in on the slices. He did not want Whataburger for dinner that night - just a Sprite to settle his stomach full of beef, fat & salt. :laugh:
Had a reheated brisket at a friend of mines - reheats real nice. A little pricey for me, but no denying it was farking great.

 

[Lomey]

I would just like to thank everyone in this thread for turning me on to Goldbelly! I had never heard of them and will definitely use them in the future. Being able to get fresh foods from all over is worth the price of the shipping. It's really amazing that this is possible. Living in KC with lots of great bbq joints here I would probably never order bbq, but I would definitely order seafood from the NE and the sourdough bread from SF looks awesome, oh and the Key Lime pie from KW and well lots of things. :grin:

 

[pjtexas1]

Thinking of surprising the wife with some authentic NY bagels. We haven't been back there in years. Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[ssv3]

I had the leftover brisket cold and it was good. :shock: That's how you know if it's real deal.

Now we need to hit Franklin's together then the bash Greg. I gotta say that I kinda dug Whataburger or had a good amount of drinks in me. :tape: Austin was a blast and with the brethren it's even more so.

Next trip is to hit up Micklethwait's, Stiles Switch and Truth BBQ. They were all closed on Monday. It would've been perfect since I had a late flight. There's always next time.

^^^Agreed. I spent one morning catching up with my little sister and meating/hanging out with Gore. Fantastic way to spend a few hours and there's a killer meal at the end of it. Went another time and only waited a little over an hour. Got some good father/son time in and shot the chit with other folks in line. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Only small hitch was my son freaked on the brisket, basically swallowed his sammich like an aspirin then dove in on the slices. He did not want Whataburger for dinner that night - just a Sprite to settle his stomach full of beef, fat & salt. :laugh:
Had a reheated brisket at a friend of mines - reheats real nice. A little pricey for me, but no denying it was farking great.

 

[cdhbrad]

Comes with reheating instructions. Mad Scientist BBQ has a video about the Franklin Brisket on his YouTube channel.