Anyone passing by McDonald’s Meats in Clear Lake on a summer weekend has seen the familiar tent in the parking lot and people seated at picnic tables.

It’s the brat and pork chop sale, a fundraising tradition that has gone on for well over a decade.

“I’ve been here for 10 years and they were doing it when I got here,” says Kim Lutz, who manages the sale.

McDonald’s has a pork chop and brat sale on Friday and Saturday in May and September. 

In June, July and August, it’s Thursday through Saturday. 

The event is set up by McDonald’s, but the people who serve the food are from community groups looking to raise funds for their organizations.

“We get Legion clubs, Boy Scouts, church groups,” says Lutz. “We’ve had Becker gymnastics, the Becker robotics team and even the Kelley Farm. They’re raising money to bring in city kids who don’t understand what farming is all about.”

This past weekend, the Clearwater Area Friends of the Library worked the food stand Friday and Saturday selling pork chops, two kinds of brats, potato salad, pop and water. 

There were busy times (around noon), and times when just a few customers stopped by. But overall, everyone made money.

Lutz says McDonald’s gets about 60% of the sales total to cover their costs, with the organizations getting 40%.

“We basically don’t make anything on it,” she says. “It’s more for the groups.”

And there are plenty of organizations ready and willing to spend a good part of their weekend for a chance to raise funds.

“We have about 50-plus groups that apply and 23 sales,” says Lutz. “So everybody wants to get in.”

Organizations can sign up during the month February and hope to get on the “chosen” list.

Lutz says they go through the list of applicants. They consider a group’s past performance if they have been there before. They also look at the type of organization.

“If they’re really a good performer, generally they will be back,” she says. “And we try to keep it local.”

They send out letters to applicants asking for their top three choices for weekends.

“Everything comes back to us and we try to piece the puzzle together,” she says.

Lutz says they tell the groups it’s “rain or shine,” although there have been occasions when the weather hasn’t cooperated.

“One summer it was storming really bad,” she recalls. “We had 11 people hanging on to the tent and the wind actually picked us up and moved us all about a foot.”

But weather’s been good this year, and many of those involved do their best to make it a fun event, meeting new people and greeting some familiar faces.

Lutz says one weekend, members of a veterans motorcycle group were wearing hot dog costumes.

“One guy with a big old beard was out there dancing,” she says. “People have a blast out here. You have to have fun.”

Years ago, when a train passed by and traffic was stopped, some McDonald’s employees would run out to the cars and hand out samples of jerky. That was another way they brought in customers.

The brat and pork chop sale does the same thing,  drawing people into the store.

And those who try the pork chops can’t believe the size and flavor. They’re cut off the end of the loin, big, marbled, seasoned with barbecue flavor and cooked in the smokehouse.

“I think they’re the best chops you can get - better than center cut,” says Lutz.

And they come back for more. A few of last weekend’s customers said they’ve been there a few times this summer. That means more funds to help the community organizations.

Lutz says they intend to continue the sales because it’s been so successful for all the organizations.

“If you work you buns off, especially on the holiday weekends, you can make some really good money.”