Rich has an excellent question and the answer may surprise you…
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Steve I have a couple questions I’d like to share with you. Reading this article on a site so far removed from hot dogs, it really made me realize just how strongly America truly worships their hot dogs! I mean here are total tech nerds lamenting it’s not summer without their fondly revered staple street eats and it’s still winter! Click here for the article on Cnet.
Which prompted me to wonder what are the 7 most popular known hot dog toppings in the hot dog hierarchy? Also Steve I have been doing some research and I got to know a vendor who told me that 80% of there sales were the more expensive and larger smokies. The rest (20%) were regular all beef wieners and a very few veggie dogs. Many slinger veterans insist stick to the all beef and keep your overhead low thereby increasing profits, but this guy was pulling in $450 per day outside of a hospital of all places.
Do you suspect they were doing well but might have done better if they focused on the cheaper dogs with lower overhead… or was this a case of cleverly (but easily) developing a niche market for the uber dog which quickly brought in more cash. I believe he was selling the smokies at $5 each and it took only 3 hours 11am till 2 pm to make this average of $450 gross per day. That was every day incidentally from July 1st through August 31st. Which translates BTW into $27,900 gross for two months working the one cart each and every day. The street food industry in my area is strongly encouraging new and tempting recipes by the city to keep people shopping downtown but the wise vendor must also not price himself out of the market. Seems there’s a fine line between profits and popularity which is why I’m very interested to learn what toppings are the recognized best sellers.
Thanks Steve, take care… Rich.
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Hey Rich, awesome questions!
As far as the most popular condiments go, it varies by region. Just look at the difference between a Chicago Style dog and a Seattle Dog. One looks like a salad bar on a bun and the other is smothered in cream cheese. You must stock the basic KMOR but after that the sky is the limit. The best way to know? Ask your customers.
Bigger dogs and sausages can be profitable, or they can be big losers. Again it depends on customer preference. A die hard New Yorker wants a smaller 8 to 1 all beef dog and they are willing to buy two or three of them. I found that my customers here in Missouri don’t really know dogs so they want something big. A friend of mine sells a ton of 1/4 pounders from his cart.
It’s tempting to calculate profit margins based on what products you want to sell, but the reality is that it’s just not up to you. You need to give your people what they want or you won’t make any money at all.
-Steve
P.S. Hey, NewOps Members… The Cnet review referenced at the top of this article would be a pretty good template for one of our money making techniques. I just wrote an in-depth lesson on how to do it, but pay attention because there are a few tricks that can 2x your income on these. You’ll find it next to the picture of the blow up doll (yes, there’s an “inflatable figure” involved). Click here…
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Well one ingredient I’m already for sure going to test is what I reckon must be the key ingredient in that Chicago dog MINT! So subtle keeps them guessing which adds to your fun factor. I plan to “disguise” it in my relish but may just leave it in it’s own condiment tray if it proves popular.
Interesting so the condiments are always evolving that keeps it challenging for the slinger also. Incidentally in speaking to another vendor who worked the Vancouver Olympics last year he bought a cart SOLELY for that event and was averaging over $2000 per day for 14-15 days straight. Talk about a biathlon 15 days straight!!! Geez I’d need a holiday after that meat grinder ( pun intended).
Anyway Steve much appreciated I have a brain teaser for your bloggers… Without Googling what are wiener casings made of?
hint… You will never guess it’s not what you might think! Better cheat and Google LOL!
I’ve been on the road traveling the world since 1999. I love hot dogs. I don’t have a cart yet, but plan to as soon as I stop moving around constantly. I have noticed that there are two factors here. People in Kuwait like McD’s. All over China, you’ll hear them say “We don’t like Western food. McD’s is only for kids.” The reality is that all the McD’s and KFC’s are constantly packed in most places all over the world. (I’ve checked 40 countries so far.) These western fast foods – like dogs – are completely different from the local foods. Here in Malaysia where I am now, fried rice is big, but there are also 3 McD’s near the mall within 200 yards of each other. And they are all busy. Here’s my point: if you introduce a clean cart, GOOD food and service for the right price, you can sell sno cones in Antarctica. Yes, there are regional favorites, but those go away or have little impact if your product is really good. BUT, you have to reach a critical mass. Enough people have to know and try your product and, once they know you, they’ll buy Seattle dogs in New York. At least I think they will. What do the rest of you think? Thanks Steve, this is a great web site and great community.
Just started with NewOps. Highly recommend giving it a shot folks. Very informative step by step content. Keep it up Steve.
Yes , bigger Hot-Dogs Bigger Profits
The most popular condiments on my cart are jalapeno slices, then onions…next is tomatoes (diced), mustard, banana peppers…sauer kraut…the customers get nasty when the jalapeno container is empty…it is constantly monitored and refilled…I use a big beef/chicken Polish dog that costs me 30 cents…I sell my dogs for $3.
There is one other hot dog cart vendor in this town of 130,000, and she sells her little red cardboard flavor dogs for $3, chili and cheese brings it to $5, and she nickels and dimes you for each condiment other than mustard, ketchup, and mayo, until your inferior dog costs you $6 – $7. My dogs are $3, plain naked, or with chili, cheese, and any or all of my 16 fresh free condiments. We do different gigs at different times, so we never run into each other.
Thanks, Steve,
I was wondering that myself. My brother is always after me to sell “something Bigger” but I keep telling him I won’t make any money doing that. You answered with my own answers from the interview. KNOW YOUR CLIENTS. As I had mentioned there, where I am, Kielbasa wasn’t selling at all, but 17 miles up the road they couldn’t keep enough in stock. As I also mentioned, CT is extremely culturally diversified and even within the same city, you may sell something like crazy on one block, while around the corner you won’t take in a dime on the same product. It’s all about local preference.
Hey Rick,
What Steve says regarding the types of condiments is true, its regional. This said, and to answer both of your questions at once – here goes; we primarily stock a 7/1 wiener and a 1/4 lb. all beef dog which comprises approx. 50% – 60% of our sales, the remaining sales combined come from sausages such as brats, Polish, chicken and hot links. The reason we sell more of the standard wiener is because you can do more with them, ie. condiments. You can make a slaw dog, chili dog, bacon dog, cream cheese dog, etc. Whereas with a sausage, people generally stick to mustard & kraut. On our condiment table, we offer two types of relish, onions, kraut, yellow and deli mustard, and of course (for the kids), ketchup. Listen to your customers, they’ll tell you what they want – then go from there. As an example, we’ve been bugged constantly by our followers for grilled onions – so this year, we’ll test it out on our regulars to see if its a crowd pleaser. Hope this helps & best of luck.
First~ LOL, you gave me my first chuckle of the morning, second~ I love to eat hotdogs that are bigger than the bun so I get 2 extra bites of dog~ one at the beginning, and one at the end~ so yes, size of dogs matters
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Yeh, what are the 7 most popular toppings, in order of popularity. let us know your region when you reply.
always thought provoking and informitive another great discussion. Thanks once again Steve.
All I can say is I did a Festival and had a individual selling hotdog 2 for $1.00 who was setup about 25 feet from my cart. I sell 8/1 All Beef Hotdogs, 4/1 Big Dog and a 4/1 Sausage dog. At the event, my sales were over $1100.00 for the one day event and I sold out of everything that I had. I also had a line all day long and he only got business when I sold out. In the south we use: Mustard, Ketchup, Sweet Ralish, Bananna Peppers, Jalapenos Peppers, Sour Kraut and Kraft easy cheese and my special sauce. I will not say that everyday is a great day but as long as I have fun I will keep dogging….
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
To call a Hot Dog covered with “Cream Cheese” a “Seattle dog” is a new one on me…. I am almost 68 years young, born and raised in Western Washington (have lived in Seattle at one time) and I have never even heard of one of these let alone seen one!!! Most carts that I know of out here serve ketchup or catsup if you prefer (yes ketchup is very big here on hotdogs), mustard, hot mustard, relish and sauerkraut…. and probably in that order… of coarse there are exceptions to everything!
P.S. Also, larger Dogs are generally more popular than smaller ones…
As a part time slinger I set up as a vendor for 2 auctioneers in my area. Serving name brand all beef 1/4 pound dogs on yellow steamed buns at $4.00 and combo with chips and drink for $5.00. I find offering it steamed or grilled and option of grilled onions and chili for the same price keeps myself and wife busy. Product investment is a little more, but the positive feedback is priceless. Being twice retired this is a great way to keep me out of trouble.
@ Grateful Dawg I know the woman ur talking about…Anyway if I knew where ur I would Geaux and git me one of ur Dawg’s..And shoot the —- for a little while..
$400.00 per saturday gross at my flea mrkt. I use a combo meat bun length dog that gives me approx 70 – 75% margin. Most people I know bury a dog in chili, mustard, jalapenos, ketchup, and assorted other fares of toppings. You could give them a prime angus beef dog from the Omaha Steak Co. and they would not be able to taste it because of their toppings. So give them the a top quality dog that alsogives you the best margin for you. Have fun and enjoy the wonderful world of street food, people come for the fun you give.
We also work a weekend flea market. Tried all the name brand and ended up with the standard baker and chef brand all beef from SAMS. We grill them. Get RAVE reviews! We also serve Kielbasa and an all Beef smoked sausage. Dogs are $2 Sausage $3. Sales are about 50/50 and many of the decisions are made due to the size. Surprisingly so on going for the Dog as more of a “snack”. Biggest toppings for us in the south, Mustard, onions, chili, slaw,relish, Ketchup, spicy mustard and our biggest is grilled Onion/Peppers. Inspite of being very restricted by the health department, we were able to add a Frito Pie which is becoming increasingly popular. As a side note, when working downtown our prices go up .50
Wow some excellent pointers you guys BTW CASINGS are made of pine tree cellulose since the dirty thirties . If new like me maybe see what Costco condiments look like here in BC Canada jalapeños sauerkraut and standard mustard mayo ketchup always please and green relish is big also . Up here where it gets chilly on rainy days fries onions! That smell brings them in like a magnet
Thanks for the customer comes first reminder guys easy to overlook . Cheese and/Or chili dogs are good bets here also . I’ll experiment first wee while the local Home Depot s cart does about 50/50 large and small franks so again listening to your customer requests pAramount IMHO Thanks so much for all your suggestions and lastly up here in BC grilled on a BBQ is nearly standard preference at any cart any menu! Thanks guys! Rich