RALEIGH, N.C. –
One married couple used the bad economy as a recipe to light a fire under their careers.
After Darren and Lori West were laid off from their construction jobs, they immediately began looking for other sources of income.
“We were sitting around looking for work and discovered this hot dog cart making business on the Food Network channel,” Lori said.
Lori is from 40 miles outside Chicago and she wanted to bring the Midwest taste to the South.
Now on the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett streets, starting at $2.50 you can get a fully-loaded, Chicago style hot dog complete with mustard, onions, relish, a pickle, tomatoes, and a pepper.
They even take credit cards
“We tried to include everybody because we feel not a lot of people are walking around with cash these days,” Darren said.??The dogs are hit with transplants from the windy city and first-time Chicago dog eaters alike.
“To get right here it’s 112 miles from my house and i come down here three or four times a week,” Customer Ricky Conner said after trying a hot dog. “I’m gonna stop down here and get me one of these bad boys every time i come.”
The West’s have only been operating the hot dog stand for about a week, but they said business is going so well that they are already looking at buying another cart.
By Kendall Jones, NBC17
original story at WakeMyNC.com
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Humm, hope the health department doesn’t see this video. Dressing dogs with bare hands is a No-No!
But the dogs look great!
I went to Hot Dog University with the West couple in chicago at the Vienna factory. Very cool folks they are. I know they are gonna do well. Big ups to the Wests!!
Great video! How I wish we could do grilled onions and dogs here in California!
Those dogs look great……..if only they wore gloves. It’s the first thing I check for at a cart.
GRILLED ONIONS ???? never on a chicago dog, and put on some gloves!!!!
Onions on a Chicago style hot dog??
How do they take credit cards on their cart?
Edo, yes, onions on a Chicago Style hot dogs…but I’ve never seen grilled onions though. Diced white onions are what I use for my chicago style dogs, along with all the other excellent condiments that go with building the best dog around, bar none!
Carl, some credit card providers have wirless equipment that uses cellular technology. I can’t imagine it would be worthwhile with all of the fees.
Yes, I want to know how to take credit cards as well. thanks.
These folks are on the leading edge -taking credit cards-This is the wave of the future for every one in any bus.I wish them all the best.
By the way they make satellite credit card machines
No grilled onions on the Chicago dog! The editing made it look like we were using them, we use chopped white onions on our Chicago dogs. Carl, we use our iPhones to processes credit cards, fees aren’t too bad and we generate additional sales due to taking the cards.
There are companies that will give you free wireless credit card equipments, but there have monthly fees and transactions fees so unless you have nice flow of credit card users it’s not really worth it yet, but like Rick said this is the wave of the future, but as foe me it’s strictly cash unless they have a paypal account I can do the transaction in a flash with my notebook!!!!
PBD,
What is the ap you use and are there fees associated with the processing? Where can we get more information… I would consider getting an iphone if it’s reasonable or maybe they have a blackberry option?
Also what kind of cart is that? Top Dog?
There ain’t nothing grilled on a chicago dog..either the dog or the onion’s..the only grilled onions around here are on a maxwell st. polish..must not have been listening to there teacher at vienna u..but she’s from 40 miles away from chicago. you gotta live in the city to know a CHICAGO DOG..
had one of those chicago dogs at steak & shake the grilled hot dog tasted like a salt dog but the peppers were good nice and spicy
Paul,
The App we use is Credit Card Terminal from Inner Fence and can be found on the App Store. Not sure if there is a Blackberry version. And your right we are using a Top Dog Cart. We have been very happy with it.
We must be real cheap in the south, I get $2.00 for my doggs dressed and $3.00 for my combo’s that include a can coke and bag of chips. When I do get busy, I don’t have time to grill onion. Credit Cards may be the future but today this is “cash” business. I operate in very small towns but we have ATM’s everywhere, remember location, location, location. Please put on some glove when you are handling food products.
“Duggs Doggs”
I worked full time selling credit card terminals for a company that uses wireless technology. They offer free equipment, monthly fees less than most companies charge just for equipment, and less than 2%. Contact me for more details.
Beeneesweenees@yahoo.com
They also offer Gift Cards!