Hot dog carts have a well established history and have made a number of people very wealthy. A well-known example of this type of entrepreneurial endeavor is the Carl's Jr. Restaurant chain. Started in 1941, Carl N. Karcher and his wife Margaret built this fast food chain with the purchase of a singe dog cart. The Karcher's went from starting a business on borrowed money to the creation of the #4 fast food empire in the United States.
Items to Consider for your Hot Dog Business
Cart Selection: If you have limited startup capital it is important to keep your initial investment into the cart as low as possible. Insure that you have the options to both meet local health code requirements and produce the desired product you envision serving. However, do not invest in expensive and unneeded or unusable options. An example would be an attached grill. While this is a nice option in some areas such as Chicago in other areas such as Miami vendors are not permitted to grill outdoors based upon health department regulations. Therefore an attached grill would simply be wasted startup money that could go to other items such as inventory that could actually bring you a profit.
Location: Review the local laws regarding outdoor or open air vending. Some jurisdictions prohibit the practice completely except during special events such as carnivals or farmers markets. Others are more lenient regarding operation but require that you not setup in the same location for more than a certain amount of time, with or without the land owners permission. These rules vary widely from 30 minutes to 30 days. Sometimes the regulation is imposed by local ordinance, other times by state or county law.
Franchise: Consider a franchise operation if you have no experience in the food service industry. While this may be a more expensive method of getting started they have a vested interest in your success and often have done much of the research for you with regards to rules and regulations. Many times they will also offer operational training. However, be aware that although this might make it easier for you to get started they will get a piece of every dollar you earn. Another point is you can be severely limited to how you operate your cart from the choice of food products offered to the color of the cloths you wear during business hours. Check with an attorney before signing any franchise agreement.
Owning a hot dog cart business puts you in a position of unlimited growth in the food services industry with minimal investment. You will be providing a product that only seems to grow in demand and has a terrific profit margin. As long as you do your homework first, have a solid plan in place, and are willing to work hard it is possible to turn that single hot dog cart purchase into a full-scale food service business in a short time.
Author Resource:
To find a Hot Dog Business for sale in your area and learn more about starting a Hot Dog Vending
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