Hot Dog Business

Why I recommend this download.

While having a hot dog business is not difficult, it really helps to have a hand at finding the right location, knowing where to buy the best equipment at the lowest prices and even how to make money when it rains.

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photo credit: Roy Montgomery

Some of the best locations are free

The download included how to find locations that are free to work in.  This meant that while I was finding the right location, I could work and learn and earn without having to spend any more money. Location is such an important part of your business, but I wounldn’t have thought of half the locations mentioned in the book.

Just having access to information that other don’t give you the heads up.  Most of my friends work in the contruction industry, so I have been setting up camp near their contract work and not only do I get to see my mates, but I make great money.

There was also a lot of info on the pychology of selling.  This is not something I would ever have read before, but it was really easy to understand and put into practice.

photo credit: j_bary.

The Commissary Thing.

When I first thought about getting into vending, I didn’t even know what a commissary partner was or what it was meant to do.   After reading the section on this, I found a partner for free, well not quite for free, but close enough.  I don’t have to spend any money, but we have a mutual agreement that works for both of us.

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What Makes the Recipes so Good.

Although I would love to give these recipes away on my website, they below to Perry and they are really good.  I’ve used a few and looked online for others, but it’s not easy to find really, really good ones.  So as far as the recipes are concerned, they are tasty and my friends have all chosen their own favourites after being the guinee pigs on my test runs.

I have tried a few of my own relishes, but nothing is as good as a the collection that Perry gives.

photo credit: ktylerconk.

Selling is the Game – Even if it feels strange at first.

Although I’ve been in the sales game for a few years, when it’s your own business, the motivation to do it right is far stronger.  A lot of the time people don’t buy something because they aren’t offered it.  This book tells you what to offer and how to do it.

My sales were up and the number of return customers increased quickly as I think they appreciate that I tell them about specials and really am into the job.

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I know it’s early days yet.  Only been doing this for six month and still learning.  Haven’t got into the partner section of the book and maybe won’t for a year or so more, but maybe eventually that’s what the plan will be.

The hot dog vending industry is not a gimmicky industry to get into. Hot dogs are bought and sold everywhere and they are extremely popular. In fact, hot dogs have become such an American tradition that it would be impossible to find a city without corner vendors or a sports event without them. They are even more popular when they are purchased from a great hot dog vendor.

photo credit: seamusiv

This business is almost entirely recession proof. The reason for this is that the cost of buying and preparing your hotdogs is so low that you don’t have to charge a lot of money to make a lot of money. Cheap, filling, tasty food is a great way to ensure your business succeeds, and hot dogs do just that.

While a lot of other business ventures have a limited ceiling of income, this is not the case for the hot dog industry. Over 18 billion hot dogs are consumed every year in America. That equates to 60 hotdogds a year per citizen. The number of buyers is huge. While this means that you probably won’t run out of customers, the point is to make as much with each cart that you own. The average that you can expect is to make around $300 to $500 per day. The more carts the more money.

photo credit: Johnath

Growing your business is also something that you can take your time with or you can grow really quickly. You have options to employ staff when you expand or go into partnership with people. Some even have subcontractors to operate their carts which is a win win situation for everyone involved.

Some hot dog vendors have been known to earn around $250,000 a year. With little eduction and just a desire to make it, you can turn a simple product into a big lucrative business

The set-up costs are probably the best aspect of this whole venture. For just a little over $1000, you can have a fully functional business that could have you recover your initial investment in days or weeks. All that you need is a little research, a little help and a little hard work.

photo credit: PinkMoose

Finally, the lost cost of starting your business doesn’t mean that you have to wait ages to do it. Just a couple of weeks and you’ll be up and running.

Why Open a Hot Dog Vending Business?

The biggest advantages of starting your own hot dog vendor business is that you don’t have to start with a large investment.  In fact it is always best to start small and grow gradually.

Another great reason to get into the trade is that it is virtually recession free.  Cheap food that fills you up and tastes good is in demand all the time, and even more so when the finances don’t allow for fancy extras.

photo credit: srqpix

You will be able to start your business in around two to three weeks.  This is great for anyone who needs the income to begin quickly and can’t afford a long wait before the cash flows.

You also don’t need to have any level of education.  You will need to complete the safeserve certification, which is really easy to do.

What makes this business idea one of the best is that you can really keep your overheads right down and without charging a fortune, you can make a very good income.

Finally, you’ll want to know that this is the right kind of business for you…

If you want to be your own boss, want to work the hours you really want and be able to move your business around to where the money is at, then this is ideal.

You can also grow your business as you feel the need.  Once you have your first van up and running, the investment in building your business will pay dividends very quickly.

And finally, when the time comes to retire or move onto other projects, this is one of the easiest business to try and sell.  The number of people looking for second hand carts and concessions is huge.

When it comes to cooking hot dogs, there are a lot of great tricks you can try out to improve the taste.  One of the best ways is to boil your sausages in water with onions.  You could also try boiling them in beer.

As for the relishes and toppings, there are so many great ones to choose from and finding your own special flavour is fun too.

photo credit: snowpea&bokchoi

Here are a few great ideas to choose from and some even come with recipes for you to steel.

• French’s Grain Mustard
• Honey Mustard
• Spicey Relish
• Sweet Relish
• Onions
• Cheese
• Kraut
• Barbecue Sauce
• Ketchup
• Tabasco Sauce
• Red Pepper
• Celery Salt
• Mayonnaise
• Chili
• Cole Slaw
• Sauteed Peppers and Onions
• Chili Beans

You’re making an investment in your business, so you’ll want to ensure that you fixed assets are insured.  There are a variety of different levels of insurance that you can look at, but if you make a big investment, then you’ll want to ensure that you are covered for all eventualities.

Another thing to take into consideration is the location of your business.  If you have it on a street corner, then you may have a higher ensurance premium than if you have it located of private property.  Depending on your personal circumstances such as having a cart versus a van, you might want to consider having separate liablity cover and vehicle cover.

photo credit: Digiart2001 | jason.kuffer

We live in a world that is very quick to sue, so you must make sure that you’re business interests are protected.  You don’t have to get the most expensive insurance on the market, but you will want to ensure that it covers you in the event that something does happen.

The Health Department is one of those aspects of the business that you really need to get to know properly.  Because you are dealing with food, it is vital that you have the right permits.

Getting the right permit from the board of health will require that you have a Servesafe certification.  You can find out where to do this by searching online for Servesafe.

This whole process is not difficult to complete and then you will have the Health inspector come and inspect your van. I would recommend that you phone them up after you have done all your research, but before you spend any money to ensure that the equipment you are going to buy for your cart satisfies their requirements.

photo credit: joshstaiger

They are also a really great source of information, so if you want some answers, it’s always a good idea to give them a call and ask.  You will want to make an appointment for them to come and see you.  You could also ask them if all the information you have is correct for the business you want to set up.  They will have a lot of insight into the kind of licenses you need for both a public and a private hot dog stand.

Getting the right information is really important before you spend any money.

No matter what business you decide to start, you are unlikely to be able to begin without first getting the required licenses. Each state and local municipality will have it’s own requirements which means that you will have to do a little research of your own.

State license versus local license?

While you may be expected to have a state business license in some areas, you may not require it where you live. You may only need to have a local license. Some states require that you have one or the other and in some cases you may even need to have both. This makes it extremely difficult for a lot of people to get started. YOu may also need to ask about ‘mobile vendor’ permits befor you get started. Having a guide to help you through this tedious, yet very important part of your business will make it a lot easier.

The best source of information for your area is to ask someone who is presently working a hot dog stand what the requirements are and where to find the best information, or alternatively you can read all the information in our hot dog cash download.

photo credit: Tony the Misfit (taking a break)

When you are doing your research, you may also want to enquire about weather your license can be used if you are going to move your cart to another location. Sometimes a state license will cost a bit more but will allow you the freedom to move your cart when you have an event that is worth working outside of your normal location.

Although licenses and permits are a pain to have to get, getting the right ones is an investment in time and money that you just can’t afford not to invest. Get your licenses and start making money.

ALL STAR CHILI DOGS

Serves 8 Ingredients:

Chili Sauce

3/4 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

8 hot dogs,

cooked according to package directions 8 hot dog buns, split and lightly toasted Cheddar cheese, shredded, optional

Directions: 1. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, brown beef and onions, breaking up beef into small pieces. Drain fat from skillet. Reduce heat to low. 2. Stir in tomato, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauces, chili powder, salt and pepper and sugar. Simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Place cooked hot dogs into toasted buns. Ladle 1/4 cup chili sauce over each hot dog. If desired, top with cheese.

So you want to start your own business as a hot dog vendor?

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Do you know that eighteen million hot dogs are sold and eaten every single year.  That works out to be 60 hot dogs per person!

Why is this such a great business to get into – because hot dogs are a way of life, a quick meal on the run and they can be found on nearly every street corner.  You can start to make a good living by knowing where to put your cart, when to work and when to enjoy your time off and how to make people want your dogs more than other dogs.

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The Best Way To Succeed is to Listen To Successful Hot Dog Vendors.

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The best way to do this is to get the inside scoop.  That’s what I did.  I found a website that explained exactly how to start my own vending business, what I needed and step by step how to make it a success.

The guys name is Perry and he’s put together a great book with all the information you’ll need.  I bought the book with the intention of seeing it this was something I could do.  I don’t have anything more than a high school eduction, but I really hate working for someone else.

I didn’t know if I had what it takes or what it would take and having worked in a ‘job to pay the rent’ since leaving school, I was ready to take a look at some alternatives.

photo credit: ceiling

Hot dog vending is not just about living your life, come rain or shine on a street corner, which is what I thought.  You can branch out into a variety of different avenues and with this guide, you can actually grow your own hot dog business with multiple carts and locations depending on the time of year and where the business is best.

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How Recession Proof is This Business?

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What I really liked about the book was the real information you get when it comes to the legal stuff and how to make sure that you do it all right the first time.  After deciding to make the investment and do just do it, I had my cart up and running in three weeks and by the end of the first month, I had earned the same wages as my old job paid me and business was just getting better.

All this started in June 2009, in the middle of the worse recession in decades.  The company I worked for were retrenching and I didn’t know if I would have a job for long.  So I took my package and did this and just six months later I’m definately enjoying the freedom of being my own boss and making more money than I ever did before.

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Click here to go to Perry’s website to find out more.

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