Chapter 5
Special Events
Many hot dog cart operators like the predictability of public and private vending. There are others that prefer to work less frequently, but when they do, they really rake it in. Fairs, festivals, craft shows, carnivals, and church bazaars, all fall under the heading of special events.
These events usually have an entry fee, sometimes a very large entry fee. Some of the big festivals charge hundreds of dollars, and the food vendors at these events are pros. If you don’t know what you’re doing, your bank account could get hurt. My advice is to start out at some of the smaller events where you can learn the ins and outs without incurring too much risk.
I can sum up special event success on one sentence. The shortest line wins. When people are hungry, they want to eat fast and get back to the festival. Everything you do should be geared toward speed. Your goal is to serve six dogs a minute. That’s right – you should see a new face every ten seconds. You won’t always succeed but you’ll be surprised how fast you can serve a plain dog and take the money. In a situation like this condiments should be placed on a separate table for the customer to apply themselves. You won’t have time to do it yourself.
Also, you can charge a lot more at special events and you can serve a less expensive brand of hot dog. The inexpensive brands don’t tolerate long holding times because of their high fat content, but you’ll be serving them so fast it won’t be an issue. This equates to huge profit margins. There is one exception – if you also do public or private vending in the same town, serve your usual high quality dog. People will recognize you and this can be a great way to get new regulars.
Six dogs a minute equals 360 dogs an hour. You will have five busy hours a day (two and a half hours each at lunch and dinner time). That’s 1800 hot dogs. If your cost is $.30 for a dog and bun, and you charge $3.50, you make $3.20 per dog, or $5760.00 for the day. This doesn’t include the chips or soda that you will also sell.
If you don’t know what you’re doing you will only be able to serve one dog every minute and a half. That’s 200 dogs a day, or $640.00 for the day.
The entry fee in both scenarios was $650.
I feel the need… for Speed!
Although we discuss equipment and cooking in later chapters, we need to look briefly at these topics and how they relate to special events. The hot dog cart that is designed for daily vending can’t cook dogs fast enough to keep up with festival traffic. Forget about steaming the dogs – boiling is faster. You will need an auxiliary boiler to keep up.
Just go to Wal-Mart and buy a two burner camp stove plus an adaptor so you can use a 20 pound propane tank instead of the little one pound camping tank. Put a full size steam table pan full of water on the camp stove and fire it up. This, plus the two pans in your cart should give you the ability to boil 400 dogs an hour.
Here are the Top 10 Speed Serving Tips:
1. Don’t put condiments on the hot dogs. Let the customer do it at a table off to the side. This will automatically move them out of the way of the next customer.
2. Condiments should be limited to ketchup, mustard, chopped onion, and relish. Ketchup and mustard and relish should be in one gallon pump dispensers. Keep a box of plastic spoons near the onions. Otherwise, when people drop them they’ll ask you for a new spoon – every 45 seconds.
3. Have two people – one handling the money and one serving the dogs. Big events may require more servers.
4. Add a little water to your pans every ten minutes. If you wait too long, you’ll have to add a lot of water at once, then wait for it to heat up again.
5. Don’t steam your buns.
6. The server should give one napkin per dog. If customers take their own, you’ll be out of napkins in 45 minutes.
7. Be sure to bring enough water and propane. If you run out, you will lose money for the day, guaranteed.
8. Leave the covers off the pans. You’ll be serving so fast you won’t even need them.
9. Let the customers get their own soda from a cooler, and bagged single serving chips from the cardboard boxes they come in, on the way to the condiment table. Yes some will get stolen but you’ll be surprised how little this actually happens – most folks are honest. It will cost you more money in lost time if you apply the condiments yourself.
10. Your prices should be prominently displayed to minimize questions. It may sound harsh but unlike private vending, you don’t want to talk to these people. You need to move them through. Price your products in even dollar increments if possible so making change is fast and easy.
“This information was very informative and from what I’ve read so far this is going to be a wise decision on my part of starting my own hotdog cart biz.”
Sincerly
Akieva Heath, Waterbury, CT
I’m glad you find it valuable. We put a LOT of hard work into this package. If you have specific questions please ask them in the comments form under the lesson in question. That way everyone benefits from the answer. Thanks Akieva!
“…We put a LOT of hard work into this package….”
Steve, that’s one of the most spectacular understatements I’ve ever seen. I’ve been reading up on hot dog vending for some months now, and the wealth of material you’ve presented even in just these first few chapters is astonishing. Thanks so much!
Thanks Tim. I’m glad you’re here and that you are finding your Hot Dog Profits Premium Membership to be everything you expected and more! Let me know how I can help you.
“Price your products in even dollar increments”
Hello, does this include tax? Do you even charge tax on the meals, or a single dog?
You must remit sales tax to the state on all food and drink sales. I don’t add tax to the order at the cart, it is too time consuming and makes giving change a headache. Just total your sales for what ever period you pay your sales taxes and pay based on that amount.
I’m going in this with a good friend of mine and we plan to buy a concession trailer like the ones you see at fairs. Also, the concession trailer will enable us to sell more than just hot dogs. We were thinking of also selling popcorn, cotton candy, nachos with cheese, Slurpies, links, etc. We plan to hire a helper for fairs and stuff; is this a good idea or will it slow us down?
It’s a good idea but keep it simple to start and add things as you get more comfortable.
Sounds good; thanks!
To be honest, though…it’s the friend of mine (mentioned above) who is going into this business with me who wants to sell all that extra [stuff]; I’m trying to talk her out of it. lol I’d rather just sell hot dogs.
The TOP 10 Speed serving tips . I would say a newbie should read that twice. Joe
I am a newbie and am committing to memory! I love everything about this course so far am I am very glad I purchased my membership! Thanks Steve for being my guide through the process!
Glad to have you here Kim!
Steve,
Every page we read is exactly the information that we needed (and more), but could not find on the web or in the other books. And the comments section is priceless, KUDOS!
Thank you, Diane and Dave
Glad you like it Diane and Dave! We try really hard to provide everything you need to be successful.
-Steve
Steve,
Thank you for the tips. Just beginning the journey. I am reading in order too… no skipping ahead! HA! My question is on credit cards at big events. Cash only, or cards too? If so, how do you handle that traffic jam?
Greg – OKC
Yes to credit cards, no matter where you are vending. If you need to bring a separate person just to take money and process cards at big events, then do it. It will pay off many times over.
Steve, I’ve attended 2 universities and 3 Community Colleges, this package is practical, real world knowledge! WOWZERS, I’m learning so much! A huge THANK YOU!
Gotta dash, the College of CARTS of CASH are calling !
Mary, Delish Dawgs
Thanks for the kind words Mary. I think we put together the best mobile food cart training available. Glad you like it!
Steve, all I can say is WOW!, I’ve been involved with every phase of food service for the past 30 years, thought I knew it all, been slinging now for just about a year, when I finally decided to “buy in” to your program, Again WOW, I learn something new every page, and just want to thank you for all the guidance along the way. “THE DELI DOG” Top Dog, Bruce
Thanks Bruce – glad you like it!
-Steve