Hey Slingers,
I just got off the phone with Gary Working, a.k.a. “The Hot Dog Man with the Hot Dog Plan”. Gary is a long time slinger and Hot Dog Profits reader in Indiana.
Gary was brainstorming with me about how to turn a station wagon or mini van into a catering rig for industrial park hot dog vending. Interesting!
I prefer a mini van because of the sliding side doors but Gary is partial to station wagons for sentimental reasons. I do remember riding in that backward facing rear seat as a kid. That was super-duper cool!
Anyhow… here is a quick drawing I put together to illustrate the concept. Click the picture for a larger version.
Click for a larger version.
If I were to do something like this I would build a box that would fit in the back end of the vehicle, accessible with the rear door open.
The box would actually be a short version of the E-Z Built hot dog cart (with no wheels of course). It would contain a steamer set up with condiment trays behind it. It would be built just like in the videos.
I would place a separate cooler behind the cooker box to store my meat.
I would cobble together some kind of a bun rack that hangs from the clothes hanger hooks.
I would need to run the burners on one pound propane bottles unless I could figure out a way to safely mount a 20 lb tank outside the vehicle somewhere. Suggestions anyone? Leave it in the comments…
Then I would build another box and make this one a self contained sink unit complete with battery, pump, fresh water, and waste water tanks per your local code. Again, built just like in the videos. This box would sit inside one of the side doors.
The other side door would slide open to reveal the drink cooler.
The beauty of the box system is that you could easily remove them, put the seats back in the van, and use it for family truckster duty when you’re not slingin’.
Now if I still had enough money in my budget I would have a vinyl graphics wrap applied to the vehicle but that wouldn’t be necessary to get started.
I would definitely make some sort of huge obnoxious hot dog or at least a big sign for the roof. Something to get a lot of attention as that is the first step in the sales process.
I would also add a PA speaker and maybe one of those Dukes of Hazard horns to announce my arrival when I pull up to the factory.
Remember, we don’t sell hot dogs – we sell an experience! Give everyone in that industrial park something to talk about!
Suggestions? Improvements? Let’s brainstorm this idea in the comments section!
-Steve
I love the idea. Van more then the wagon. Maybe even rig it to where the grill top and steam box are on rails and they pull out of the back of the van.
Cool Idea! But can he stand up inside or is it served from the outside? I can’t imagine a station wagon being tall enough to work in and even a mini-van seems likely to cramp. But if it’s served from outside that’s cool setup. I’ll follow this one for perhaps a future vehicle.
No, you would open the back door and serve from outside.
Mount your no wheel version on a system that could be pulled out the back for vending then slide it back in. My county will alow a 20 lb to be mounted inside, fire Marshall Said better inside protected than on the outside where it is exposed to a accident. I have moved into my food truck now and doing well. Keep slinging.
Slide it out on rails. Hmmm…. I like it!
I think it is a very useable idea. I know our local code wants the three sink thing but, looking at the permit it states that as long as you have extra clean tongs, forks etc. you do not need the sink. Just a water supply that can be used for hand washing. so even though i have the three sink(and a fourth one) I have never used them. I just carry extra tong, forks etc in clean bags and when the health dept asks about washing dropped tongs I just show the bag. They smile!! , and check ok.
“sell em’ all”
Same rules here Jerry. But I have the full sink set up anyways.
how do you vent the fumes? I believe my local hd would require a vent hood of some sort.
You would serve from the outside and not have the burners going unless you are parked.
Where is the blue print for head room matey !!
It don’t float my boat matey !!
1St Mate Jim.
Stand outside and serve from the back, me swabby!
I was thinking about building the cart like a two wheeled wheel barrow. Ramps to the minivan. Remove it to use it, at the end of the day, push it up the ramps into the van, and close the door.
That would work.
I have a mini van with over 217k miles. I hate idea of getting rid of it and this conversion may let me keep my van;keep me in the loop when brainstorming
!
Best
Ptr
Keep us posted if you make the conversion.
Look for the propane tank, that came on the older RV van the one with the raise top. that mounts under the van from 1972 to around 1984. and the BBQ grill on a sling from you trailer hitch
Awesome. Thanks Charley!
Love the mobile concept.
First question that comes to mind….While driving around the boil water/steam water would be spilling all over the place.
Since I am just building my cart now, I do not know how long it takes to fill the steam table and get it up to temperature, But if it only takes minutes, then draining the
Steam table between stops would not be a problem.
With this setup, you could drive around like the old Good Humor Ice Cream driver driving up and down the neighborhood streets as well.
Yes, you would have to have lids with gaskets and a hold down mechanism. The water stays hot for a long time once it is up to heat so you wouldn’t have to have the burners on much of the time.
Steve this sounds workable. you can buy 4foot drawer sliders that hold 400 pounds. that would let you serve from the back. as far as the steam table make it from small pressure cookers they have lids with gaskets and you could make a frame they could sit in. You might use a tire mount off the bumper to hold the water heater and propane tank,it would swing out of the way to open the rear door.
Great ideas!!!
Thank you to all you hot doggers out there! Gave me a lot to go with! I have seen the station wagon idea used @least twice, both with moderate success I also saw my late Uncle Leo, run a catering route for over 40 years , with great success, full catering truck, served up hot and cold meals, dinners, pop, just think any and every sandwich you can find in a food service place, he always carried two wallets,full of money! Hot dogs on wheels does work, find them @the lunch break, make your rounds same time each day, and have the best tasting hot dogs and sausage ready for them! They expect you out there daily, same time Thanks to my late Dad who showed me this , well over 50 years ago I love you Dad, and will run with this hot dog catering dream on wheels, with a lot newer station wagon ! Gary that hot dog man with the hot dog plan!
Better check local laws. Seems to me that a burner inside with no hood would not pass inspection.
As long as the burner is not on when the doors are closed, and it is only fired up with the back door open it should be fine. But yes, always check local codes first.
You could probably use a system like the ambulance has for its gurney. the legs drop
down when pulled out. Just find a way to mount the tank on the platform and away
you go.
Neat!
Hi guys, I’ve got my cart for sale do to health reasons, RA and carpal tunnel in both hands have been added, and I just got fired from my job for not keeping up production levels and bad attitude (boss was a little short ———-). Hard part about dogging was maneuvering cart in and out of garage and at the site. I’ve got a GMC Sonoma short bed with cancer on bed. I had thought about taking bed off and putting a nice wooden flatbed on it and putting your cart elements on the back of it, separate steamer unit, sink-water tank/heater unit. All that stuff can be put on the bed and put back in garage easily by a feeble old poop like me and still have a cool looking truck when I’m not dogging. The plan has some merit.
Sorry to hear about your situation Randy!
I had a station wagon hot dog unit, I would just pull up the rear dr . The unit was a regular hot dog unit with no wheels .
Cool!