Author: Steve

This brilliant invention just in from Hot Dog Cart News reader Jerry Stussman…

He says it’s a work in progress. I say it’s a work of art!

Thanks Jerry! 🙂

-Steve

 

Steve,
I need some advice. I am going to bid on doing concessions at a city ball park. I would be the only one. Seven fields in all. I don’t know what price to bid. Any help from you would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike Ricchetti

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I did my vending with a daily location in a strip mall parking lot, so let’s go with the pros on this one Mike. I’m sure my readers can help.

How about it slingers? If you have any experience bidding on city parks or ball fields, let us know some tips and tricks in the comments.

Thanks,

-Steve

Thanks Steve. I’m proud of what I am accomplishing here with you. You are empowering us!
– Bob Abraham, NewOps Member

HDCN Reader Rob Marsden just sent me these pictures. Better put on your sunglasses before you look at them. This is a lesson in attention getting!

Rob writes…

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Steve,
I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks for being an inspiration to us as we followed our dream and built our concession business.  I subscribed to your newsletter sometime early last year, and although our plan was not for a hot dog cart, we found that many of the ideas and principles from the hot dog cart business also apply to full size concession trailers.  I remember hearing “flash is cash” from one of your posts, and we kept that in mind as we designed our concession trailer and business plan.  We went live with our operation early last summer, and although we got a bit of a late start, we had a great first season.  Now, we are gearing up for 2012, and preparing for a much busier schedule.  I have attached some pictures of our rig below in case you want to share with your readers.  We had the concession trailer custom built, but all the paint work we did ourselves.  We primarily attend motorsports events, but also do some fairs and independent shows.
Thanks for everything,
Rob Marsden
STS Motorsports Concessions LLC

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Totally awesome graphics on your trailer Rob! Thanks for sending me your story.

Trend: I’m seeing that a lot of my E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart students are now graduating to trailers. They got a great start by building their own carts and are now using the E-Z Built construction methods to outfit used trailers, turning them into rockin’ climate controlled money machines. Pretty cool to see so much success!

-Steve

Click the picture below for a larger version.

 

 

If you don’t have a web site you are missing the boat. Big time. If you have a website but no one ever finds it, that’s just as bad as not having a website at all. Don’t be a dinosaur.

Hot Dog Cart News Reader Discovers One Simple Trick To Making Websites...
Sam Oerly owns Street Eats Hot Dogs and he just made his own really nice website. It’s colorful, has a lot of pictures, and gives Sam instant credibility. He has successfully elevated himself above the competition.

Not only that, he is learning how to use it to drive paying customers to his business.

The coolest part is that Sam isn’t a techie, doesn’t know computer programming, and started from scratch. He found a way to make a killer website without having to know any of that stuff. In fact, he had a live website for his hot dog vending business a couple of hours after discovering this one trick.

He tells you how he did it on the last page of his website, titled appropriately enough “This Website” so be sure to look at that page.

Check it out at StreetEatsTN.com

-Steve

HDCN reader John Magdic sent me this video of his gas engine picnic table serving hot dogs to the local powered parachute flyers (which is also something I would love to try someday). This thing has a hitch on it so you can pull a hot dog cart behind it! He even tells us how to build it…

Check this out – it’s hilarious. The build specs follow the video.

John writes…

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Steve,
Some info: Made from a cushman golf cart. Weld up a rectangular frame, and mount the rear on one end. The cushman rear gives you forward and reverse. By putting a clutch on the gas engine, and driving a belt to the torque converter, you can go really slow with a tremendous amount of power. Pull up to a curb, stop, and slowly add throttle, it will climb straight up an 8 inch curb face! The front is the cushman steering. The wheels are turned by the welded aluminum fruit basket, which is mounted in the center of the table. Anyone seated can steer! We have lights, stereo system, poles that snap on that hold tiki lights. Front headlight and tail lights. The front has a detachable frame that can hold a cooler. The class 3 hitch can be used to pull a hot dog cart.  Or slip in a platform for extra seating or another cooler. What is really cool…The rear wheels are set closer together. That means they fit in between the wheel wells of a standard pick-up. And…Once it is in the pick up bed, you can shut the tailgate, leaving the hitch on the truck to pull your hot dog cart.
-John Magdic

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Can you imagine the word of mouth this would generate for your hot dog business? You could bring this beauty to events and private parties or have a buddy drive it around at your permanent location to catch the attention of everyone passing by. (Note: My Hot Dog Biz 101 course shows you how to build a permanent hot dog stand with a drive through window for cheap. Get it by clicking here.)

What other promotional ideas can you come up with using John’s Powered Picnic Table? Let us know in the comments.

Pure. Total. Awesomeness.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You readers are the reason that Hot Dog Cart News is the number one hot dog cart blog on the internet. You folks absolutely ROCK!!! If you are not already a subscriber, sign up here so you don’t miss articles like this one.

-Steve

P.S. You can share this video on your Facebook by clicking the blue “fShare” button at the left.

Lisa just sent me a ton of pictures of this bright yellow concession trailer. It’s a beauty! And guess what? It’s for sale at a very fair price.

Check it out – fully detailed, fully equipped kitchen with a brand new generator included. You can see all the pictures below, but first check out at all of the equipment on this bad boy!

As you read through the equipment list, think about all of the awesome foods you could prepare in this mobile fantasy kitchen, out of the elements and in total comfort!

Refrigerator/Freezer Both are full sized and stainless steel.
2 Fire extinguishers
Ice bin
4 burner stove & oven (burner tops are being replaced).
Microwave oven
Deep fryer
Grill
Salad bar
Fire suppression system
2 Serving windows
Turbo air equipment
3 Basin sink
Hand washing sink
2 propane tanks
Generator (will be new because it is being replaced).

As you can see, this trailer is ready to make some wonderfully delicious foods – and some serious income for it’s new owner. Don’t pass up this chance to own your dream machine!

Asking price $26,000 or best offer. Located in Texas.

To find out more about this fine trailer, contact Lisa Hartlaub.
Phone: 972-533-1745
Email: lisahartlaub@sbcglobal.net

Important: The purchaser of this unit is eligible for a rebate from HotDogProfits.com. If you purchase this trailer, please contact Steve at 636-399-2460 about your rebate. This is a paid advertisement.

Click the pictures for a larger version.

I received a super cool Christmas present from First Mate Jim at Weiners on Water. Dig the threads, baby!

Thank you to Jim and the crew at Weiners on Water – living the dream in CT. You folks are awesome – aaargh matey!!!

-Steve

Today’s question is sure to get some spicy replies…
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I keep hearing references from various vendors pertaining to offering nachos and/or soft pretzels. I might like to try this myself when I get my own cart built, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how one would prepare them on a cart. Can someone please spell this out for me? It’s been buggin me for weeks!
Josh Pratt
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How about it slingers? I LOVE me some nachos – how do you serve them on your carts? I can’t wait to hear your answers in the comments…

-Steve

The following is a guest post by Tim VanDusen…

I really love the concept of of the 5 compartment/w ice tray condiment holders. The only draw back, for me, is using them during festivals and busy days on the cart. They do not hold enough, in my opinion, to be of value.

I put the condiments on all my dogs myself. No self service. It helps control condiment cost. But when I get busy I can empty the onion, tomato, and pickle slots every twenty minutes. I dodn’t want to have to stop and refill in the middle of a good gin.

The 5 compartment containers are good for gigs, like back yard parties, when you can find the time to refill. But on big gigs the stop and refill factor is frustrating. When I was just getting started, back in ’09, I used the 1/8 pans that were on my first cart. We learned to hate them on our very first festival.

We had a line 40 people deep for five straight hours. Had to refill on the run. The mess was unbelievable. And surprise, that was when the health department showed up. Condiments all over the place.

What I found, that worked well for me, was 1 qt metal food storage containers, in coolers on ice. They have a rubber gasket in the lid, air tight, so they stay fresh all day. I fill these, put them on a rack inside the cooler, and fill the cooler with ice.  Also my ice lasts longer in the coolers.

Once they get to temp they hold well. And even when the ice gets low the metal containers still transfer the cold temps quite well. One seven pound bag of ice and they will stay cold all day, even on 100 degree days.

The Blue cooler in the picture below holds the condiments. I don’t have any pics of the inside of the filled cooler, sorry, but I’m sure you get the idea.

They cost a little more. But in my opinion the convenience factor was well worth it. We got them at a place called Miejers. $10.00 bucks each.

Keep Doggin!

-Tim