Author: Steve

This just in from Hot Dog Profits reader Dave Barkley…

Steve,

Awesome! Thanks Dave.

You can click on the pic above, or on this link: Football Themed Hot Dogs

Enjoy!

-Steve

Hi Steve,

I finally got a great spot for my cart, just waiting for the city permitting….should be done this week, I hope!

Anyway, I’ll be located at a Car stereo shop right on the busiest corner in our town with great access and parking for customers. The shop owner didn’t ask for rent he only wants me to sell at a discount to his employees….this is my dilemma!

The original spot I was going to set up at across the street was zoned wrong and the guy wanted $50 per month.

A dog, chips and soda sells for $3.00 with a cost of around $1.15….There are about 8 guys working at the shop and claim to be hot dog fanatics! I don’t want them to eat me out of house and home! I can easily see $50 in discounts within a couple of weeks if they eat frequently….Can you give me an idea of what employee discount I should extend to these guys without my profits being eaten up too!?

Thanks for all your wisdom Steve!

Sandy aka Sandy’s Hot Rod Dogs

**********************************

Hi Sandy,

You need a bit more profit margin and NOT just so you can afford the employees discount. Underpricing your product is the fastest way to go out of business. At the very least you will be miserable working your butt off for peanuts.

Even a convenience store hot dog (yuck) with a bag of chips and a soda will cost more than $3.

I sell my dogs for $3 each, $4 as a combo with chips and soda. That includes any condiment including chili or cheese. Make a menu of “signature” hot dogs with unique toppings and names. This is a great way to differentiate yourself from the gas station dogs and justify charging a bit more.

Look at it this way. At your current pricing you will keep $185 for every 100 hot dogs that you sell. If you charge $1 more than you currently do, you will keep  $285 for every 100 hot dogs that you sell, and a $1 employee discount is totally doable.

Would you rather make $185 or $285 for the same amount of work?

Don’t be afraid to charge for a quality product and a unique experience. You are worth it!

-Steve
HotDogProfits.com

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the men and women who served or are currently serving in our armed forces.

America wouldn’t be the land of the free without your sacrifices.

I know that many of you who read my newsletter are veterans.

If I have spoken with you on the phone and I know you served in the armed forces I probably thanked you for your service. That’s something I have tried to make a habit of.

I have the utmost respect for you and consider each one you a hero. This is your day. You and your families should be incredibly proud.

Whether you are currently active duty, in the reserves, or served in the past, I would be honored if you left a comment below and told me and the other readers about where you served and what your duties were.

That way I can thank you publicly. It’s the least I can do to repay a great debt.

May God bless you and keep you from harm.

-Steve

Want to save some time building your own hot dog cart?

Hot Dog Profits Premium member Scott Glover was just about finished with his E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart when an opportunity presented itself. Scott got access to one of the bays at a local car wash and he is going to build it out as a hot dog stand.

Pretty neat idea, but now he doesn’t need the cart. So Scott wants to know if there are any folks in the Pittsburgh PA area who would like to purchase a nearly finished E-Z Built. This is a great opportunity to save a lot of time and a few dollars on your build.

According to Scott, all you would need to do is attach the skins, hook up the plumbing, and paint it. It has four sinks and an extra large steam table. The trailer frame is included and already built. Not sure if it has a water heater or not, you’d have to ask Scott.

The price is a very fair $500.

Interested parties may email Scott directly at sglover@splashtouchless.com. He will email you pictures and more info.

Is it a good idea to combine two separate mobile food businesses? If so, how should it be marketed? That is the dilemma faced by new HDP Premium Member Mike. He writes…

Steve. I just joined your Hot Dog Profits Premium after thinking about it for a long time. I have an established Italian Ice business and now I want to add hot dogs. Now that I’m a member I need to do some reading then start planning for an opening day.

I do have a question.  I really want to use Mike’s Italian Ice since that has been established, and I started a website.

Here is my question: Can two names for the business be successful? Example: Mike’s Italian Ice & Mike’s Big Dogs. Does it go together or is it to much?

I am just thinking.

I am glad I finally decide to join your team.

Thanks,
Mike

****************************************

Hi Mike,

I’m glad you joined us too!

Since you already have established Mike’s Italian Ice as a brand in your community it makes perfect sense to expand upon that brand by adding hot dogs and then cross promoting.

You already have MikesItalianIce.com. Your next step would be to set up a second website called MikesBigDogs.com.

Then place a link from the Italian Ice website to the hot dog website and vice versa. These links should be prominent on the home page. It would be best to use a photo or illustration to grab the eye.

Now when someone comes to your Italian ice website they will see that you also offer hot dogs. And when someone comes to your hot dog website they will see that you also have Italian ice.

If you write a newsletter or weekly email blast (highly recommended) don’t write two separate ones after you add the hot dog biz. Write a single one that includes promotions for both your Italian ice and hot dogs. You should have an email sign up form on both websites but this form should add all respondents to the same email list.

Also list both businesses on any printed promotional materials such as business cards, flyers, etc. The only time I would keep the two separate as far as printed items go is punch cards. I would offer separate punch cards, one for Mike’s Italian Ice and one for Mike’s Big Dogs.

This is definitely a case of 1 + 1 = 3. You will achieve marketing synergy with this strategy, in other words you will get more out of combining the two businesses than you would by running them as two totally separate entities.

Good luck!

-Steve

P.S. Please let us hear any advice you may have for Mike in the comments below!

Hi Steve,

 I grate my own hot dog cheese from blocks, rather than buying the kind that’s already shredded.

But my circular blade got damaged and I need a new system.

Any recommendations for quick and easy cheese graters? Maybe you could ask the vendors in your newsletter.

Thanks,
Dave Parker, Dogs For Dogs

*****************************************

Hi Dave,

I used to use grated cheese for my dogs but I must confess I never grated it myself. I bought the pre-shredded cheese in bags. I found it somewhat difficult to apply to the dogs as it would clump badly unless I kept it very cool.

I have since moved to Easy Cheese as the product of choice for my hot dog cheese. It is made by Kraft and comes in aerosol containers. It’s definitely not “gourmet” but it is health department approved just about everywhere, needs no refrigeration, and you can make cool designs with it on the hot dog, LOL. I like the fact that it is quick and easy to apply, and doesn’t make a mess on my cart.

That being said, I still believe that fresh grated cheese is the best way to make a true “gourmet” cheese dog, so kudos to you Dave for going the extra mile!

OK slingers, what say you? What kind of hot dog cheese do you use? Do you grate it yourself, and if so what device do you use to grate it? Please share your best hot dog cheese ideas in the comments below!

We can all learn so much from each other, myself included.

-Steve

Hi Steve,

I will be selling hot dogs, hot sausages, chicken, and ribs on a huge mobile grill.

Do you have any suggestions on how to handle the hot dogs and sausages on a grill until they are sold?

*********************************************

Hot dogs and sausages will dry out quickly on a grill. If you don’t handle them correctly you will throw away more than you sell.

Here’s what to do if you only have a grill and no steam table…

Get a 6″ deep 1/2 size steam pan, fill it about half way with water, and put it on the grill. Place it strategically over the coals so the water will stay hot but below boiling. 150-170 degrees is ideal. Using a lid will keep evaporation to a minimum but will also increase the temperature so monitor it every once in a while.

Grill your dogs and sausages, then transfer them to the water bath to hold them. They will stay moist and tasty for a long time.

When a customer orders one, pull it out of the water and toss it back on the grill for a few seconds just for show, then serve it up.

You can use a few of these water baths if you have enough grill space.

Sell ’em all!

-Steve

This just in from Hot Dog Profits Premium member John. He did a great job building his own cart with the E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart video and plans (included in the membership). He writes…

Hi Steve, I just finished the cart, breezed through approval and inspection. Made a few alterations, aluminum top and trim work. Will start promo shortly.

-John

********************************

Nice job John! Sell ’em all.

Let’s hear it for John in the comments. We have a new slinger among us!

-Steve

Click the picture for a larger version.