This gentleman sells hot dogs, sausage, chips, juice, soda and sno cones on a mobile hot dog cruise that takes him to multiple locations around Miami, Florida.
As you can see in the pictures above and below, he’s parked in front of different factories in an industrial park.
Here’s how I would work this: Stop at a specific factory once a week, on the same day each week. The employees will get used to you coming on that day which guarantees a big turnout. They get conditioned to eat hot dogs every Tuesday for example.
Find five large factories to serve, one each day. You can make five stops a week this way on the day shift only. If you want to do two shifts that’s 10 stops a week, or 15 stops a week if you do all three shifts. Making $300 per stop is not unreasonable.
I’ll let you do the math…
First you need to learn how to get your hot dog business started. Everything you need to know is in my course, “Carts of Cash” at www.HotDogBiz101.com.
-Steve
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Awesome! Keep hussling.
Steve
Fat Franks
Roswell,NM
I love it,,,,I’ve been going back and forth as to what I was going to do in the winter time up in Seattle. The Summer has been great! I think this article has got me thinking. (Boeing, Microsoft). Thanks again Steve…..
Awesome cart, I was looking at the pictures and got a few good ideas for my own use. Keep this info coming Steve. I learn a little bit more everytime I stop by your site.
Love the cart. Where do you get this type of cart?
That looks like a converted golf cart. What a really ingenious idea! As for moving to different sites…exactly what I was thinking of doing, as well as hire myself out to different special events as well as working some select festivals. Thanks for information Steve.
What a great idea! looking for a little advice on the hot dog biz. I have been self employed for over 20 yrs and had to close due to the fall in the housing market in Atlanta Ga, so I have been trying to find a business to do without a large investment, and this looks like one. The problem is my wife is not on board with this. She just can’t take this biz serious, she just doesn’t see $$$ in it. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks for your time.
Ron W. email eliteimageone@aol.com
That is agreat idea. I am going to try it.
wherw can I get a cart thats mobile as it looks like a great idea thanks RW
Steve,
How do you find a cart like this? Send us all some info please.
That model is called a Cushman or an Interceptor The setup would be all custom depending on the design you wish.
We are currently completing one to add to the fleet. If you are interested you may be able to find them for sale on CL
Ron,
I have a podcast called Hot Dog Cart Radio and I just interviewed a hot dogger named Chuck from the northwest who has two houses and five cars all paid off…
With the money he made selling hot dogs!
I’ll be posting the interview here in the near future so stay tuned and make sure your wife listens too 😉
To make sure you don’t miss it, you need to subscribe to Hot Dog Cart News if you haven’t done so already. Click the orange button at the top right. It’s free.
To be honest, the initial investment required to get started in this business is so low why wouldn’t she let you at least try it out. You have almost nothing to lose and the upside is HUGE!
You don’t even have to go all in at first. You could start part time on weekends and go from there.
Good luck!
-Steve
Hello fellow hot dog vendors.
The cart in this article looks like a Cushman. Many municipalities use them for parking meter patrols, etc. I’ve seen used ones sell in my area for as little as $500.00 (needed a lot of work) to $2,000 (ready to install your cooker set-up and make money.)
If anyone is interested, you could build Steve’s cart and instead of mounting it on a trailer, you could attach it to the bed of a Cushman scooter and end up with a very similar unit.
But don’t get started until you’ve read Steve’s book.
There’s not much point in having a great vending vehicle and missing the mark with regard to how to conduct business.
Steve
Just a note to Ron, My wife looked at me like I was crazy when I told her that I was going to invest some money in an hot dog business. But my 2nd week out I was set up in our small town county court house lawn on fri,sat, 6 hr per day and at the end of the day on saturday I got home handed my the cash box to her and said count it for me. WOW! over 1k , and she doesn’t look at me like that any more.
Mike
Hey guys n gals-
been to 15 factories/plants in my area-got 1 to allow us onsite. Reasons for refusal go from ‘our insurance won’t allow it'(regardless of my $ million liability policy) to ‘we have our own vending’. When I ask if their employees would rather have a microwave burrito than a fresh off the grill brat or italian on poppyseed bun I get blank stares but they still refuse. Guess their cousin owns the vending contract or something. If you can sell from the street or right-of-way yer OK but I can’t in my area. I’ll keep trying. Good luck & good doggin!
Jim
GoodDog!
Cookeville,TN
Jim,
Don’t write them off just because they said “no” one time. Salesmen have a saying, “Nine no’s before they go.”
Keep at them, respectfully of course.
The important thing is you got one. Do the best job you can and use it as leverage.
Once you are established there, ask the HR person for a letter of recommendation that you can show to those other 14 factories.
I’ll bet you get into some of them.
-Steve
Chuck I am interested in purchasing a cushman for cheap can you provide me with info. Thanks
what is he pouring into the ice? is it lemon juice? does he have a sno cone machine on that cart?
Like a mini roach coach, anywhere they go so can you. don’t forget technical schools and office buildings, there full of people. Spend a day and follow a food truck around. It will give you an idea of where the business is, talk to them and see if you can also stop by once a week. Just a thought!
Let me show you what it takes to get a licence in Clark County Nevada. I just got back after 4 hours at the Dept office and I am looking at a bill of over $4000,00 for licence fees,inspections, building,fire, health dept, etc etc I have been in the construction industry for over 20 yrs and I know all the service trucs and food caterers have never paid these fees… this to me is govt bullsh** as usual. does anyone out there just pay the fine or have you ever been fined… I think all the fees and crap is totally socialism and need an alternative… any comments???
The carts they are using are cushman haulsters. I’m in california and i had a 3 wheel unit with a hot dog setup on the back…unfortunately, california has gotten so strict on thier requirements that you would have to do lots of research and planning before you could get one built. it was tagged, passed health inspection and all regs through dec 2009, and in jan 2010, the cush got impounded for not meeting health codes. I just picked up 2 more cushmans and I’m planning to build a couple and put them into service in the next 6 months. Anybody interested in linking up for a business venture? Would anyone like to give me some pointers?
on Ians comment…
I went through the same thing with my 1st cushman hot dog truck…
health dept fees: 1000.00
kitchen 4000.00
(must meet strict requirements for ca vendors)
dmv filing fees 250.00
so all in all, it would cost 5250.00 big ones, not to mention what you put in the cushman itself…
hot dogging it is the bum!!!!! don’t give up the #’s are there, l just started this summer, people, business people have embrassed me and my drive, DONT STOP, KEEP MOVING WITH YOUR DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Dave,
I was wondering what it cost to convert one of those cushmans to a cart?
thanks