Hey Slinger, want to break out of the $2 hot dog rut and get $3, $4, or more for your dogs? The key lies in “signature” hot dogs and photo menus.
I just got an email from a Hot Dog Profits reader in Bellingham Washington who uses both of these tactics extremely well. Read on and learn how to double the price of your hot dogs in a way that makes your customers happy to pay you more!
Chicago Dogs – A Hot Dog Cart With a View!
Steve,
I notice all your posts regarding everyone’s dog cart setups. Some of them are kind of cool, but I haven’t seen any that enjoy the setting that I do up here in Bellingham, Washington.
I get a view of the ocean and the islands all day long. Sometimes I can watch the sailboat races from my stand as well.
I have attached a picture of my setup, which does Chicago Style food. We do Italian Beef sandwiches, brats, Polish, and a variety of dogs. All products are Vienna Beef and are imported from Chicago. I also attached a picture of the Hawks Dog.
The Hawks Dog has become a local favorite along with the Italian Beef sandwich. I start with smoked bacon chunks and mozzarella with a Vienna Firedog. It is then topped with hickory smoked bacon mustard and Mediterranean feta cheese.
I operate one stand right now, but have two more coming after Christmas and will be operating three by Spring.
Take care,
Frankie,
Chicago Dogs
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Wow Frankie, that view is spectacular! Operating a hot dog cart is fun and rewarding in and of itself, but to be surrounded by that kind of natural beauty is icing on the cake.
Having grown up in Chicago myself, you are speaking my culinary language. Italian Beef sammich – yum! And Polish from Da Coach, Iron Mike himself. Nice! (By the way, as you can see in Chris’s email Chicagoans don’t say “sausage” after “polish”. We just say, “Gimme a polish”. But if you are talking about Italian sausage then we do say “Italian sausage”. I have no idea why, but that’s how we say it.)
Frankie, your Hawk Dog sounds ridiculously delicious. But your presentation is what really deserves the kudos!
Listen up slingers – “Signature” dogs are all the rage and command much higher prices. Naming each hot dog on the menu conveys a sense of exclusivity. Whereas there are any number of places that you can get a hot dog with mustard, onions, and cheese, you could be the only one in town that sells the “Wisconsin Lumberjack”.
The second benefit of signature dogs. Giving a hot dog a name makes it memorable and easy to communicate. That increases word of mouth advertising. People will say things like, “I had the Big Rascal yesterday at JimmieDog. I think it’s the most awesome hot dog on their menu! You gotta try it.”
Photo Menus Rock. The next step is to take a nice high resolution photo of each of your signature hotdogs and have a picture menu made up. This is critical if you want to command the highest price possible. People make a buying decision within seconds of approaching your cart. If they can actually see the delicious finished product they will be much more inclined not only to buy but to pay top dollar. (Check out Frankie’s photo menu in the photos below.)
So name all your hot dog creations and make a photo menu to display them. Folks love it!
Thanks for the pics Frankie and good luck with your business expansion plans. Keep us posted!
Sell ’em all!
-Steve
Wow, that beef sangwich looks alittle skimpy..compared to the ones i get in chicago, like that little old lady from wendy’s said..” where’s the beef”..but i would give
everything else you got a try..
Love the pics and your signature dogs, I might have to “borrow ” some of your creations, if you don’t mind of course! I have a ton of different types of dogs, the Hawaiian dog, the Rueben, Pastrami dog, the Dogzilla, the Jalisco dog and of course, the Chicago, polish and brats. And, for those who like a lot of that Vienna goodness, I have the jumbo dog!
I just noticed your canopy, I love the custom look, I would love to have my canopy with my logo and other info on it, brilliant!
Frankie, I would love to have your view !!! I think your menu with pic’s is a good idea and I might give that a try next year. I have three custom dogs myself. One is a Derby Dog, my smokey flavored dog with sauerkraut, onions, and a sassy horseradish sauce. It has become a big favorite !!! Two is my Chili Cheese dog which has chili and a gourmet nacho cheese again with my smokey flavored dog is what makes mine so good. Three I use a sugar free pancake syrup which people say my dog tastes like sausage and pancakes, people say yuk until they try it !!! And last, the dogs I use have got such good flavor, they don’t need anything on them !!!
Just ask Steve,
right Steve ?
Bruce of “Bruce’s Hot Dog Cartel” .
That’s right Bruce. Dee-lish!
Your set-up looks great. I love photo menu’s it takes the guess work out of the equation. Last night I went to KFC, looked at the drive-thru menu, ordered a 3 pc. chicken dinner, here’s what followed: would you like light meat or dark meat? Is that crispy, original or baked? What side dishes would you like? Would you like to add a drink to that for only $1.00? Geez-o-man I wanted a 3pc chicken dinner! That’s why I like photo menus- I can point and say- “That is what I want”. ~BobD
Great points Bob. If a customer has too many decisions to make they will often choose nothing.
AHA! After Franks comments I think I know exactly what I’m going to be doing for the winter!
Raising chickens?
😉
HA HA!
Folks,
Photographing food is an art!
Think about those menus you have seen with homemade photos – ugh.. I walk out – Why, because the photos look like dog food on a plate.
Pics must be done well – take your hi-def photos, then show them to a dozen independent customers or others – ask them which would they pick and why… wait a minute, for those that have Steves’s web site …. you could post them and have a survey. Then take the highest ratings and use those!!! Gee, great idea Steve. ;-0)
Top Dawgs
Georgia
Great idea Mark!