Hot Dog Cart Spring Start up checklist

So you think you are ready to take that hot dog cart out of storage and get it ready to go for the 2011 hot dog cart season? Well, a few things need to be taken into consideration prior to starting a successful vending cart season. Follow this checklist and you will rest assured that you will have months of interrupted food preparation.

1) remove your fresh water tank from your unit and flush with a food grade disinfectant. You can use chlorine bleach, however per the food safety guidelines you will want to mix it to be 50 ppm. No need to rinse out the container after the bleaching process unless you are using more than 100 ppm chlorine mixture. I recommend that this be completed at least once a month to keep any bacteria from growing in your water tank during the hot days of summer.

2) Check all of your water supply lines, make sure that there is no bacterial/dark growth going on in your supply lines. Flush with disinfectant solution also or replace the lines every 3-5 years on your hot dog cart to make sure that your water supply stays as clean as it needs to be.

3) Check your burner system, light it and make sure that your fire stays lit in all of the burner gas supply holes. If only a portion of the burner is working you may either see if you can get it unclogged by using a steel brush or powerwashing technique. Another option would be to replace the entire burner ring and the hose assembly if worn and non working. Check the propane supply hoses really well for any weakness as this can cause a fire during your seasonal operations and possibly shut your cart down for a few weeks. Very few vendors can afford to loose time during the active hot dog cart season.

4) Take your cart to a powerwashing facility that has hot water, wash it thoroughly, then sanitize each portion. After washing and sanitizing your cart, use stainless steel food grade polish or baby oil to protect it. This procedure should take place after each major event or at least a few times a week for the daily operator.

5) Throw out any old serving paper products that have been open and exposed to bacteria during the off months. Including paper towel, hot dog boats, napkins & any other serving ware. Unfortunately if you didn't protect it from the environment..it's probably not worth risking bacterial contamination over. You could make someone sick.

6) If your cart is a towable cart the next thing you want to check is the wheel bearings. Some manufacturers tell you that they are lifetime bearings, be sure that they are. If not you could find yourself in a heap of trouble. Just take the bearing cap off and make sure that there is plenty of grease in the bearings. If they look damaged or dry, you may want to replace them.

7) Tires, check your tires for wear and tear including dry rot. If a hot dog cart sits in one place for any length of time it may cause the tires to be flat on one site and you are in for a rough ride when hauling your cart. An entire tire assembly is available at most Walmart stores for less than $40.00 each.

8) Check your onboard cooler and make sure that it is sanitized by flushing it with the bleach mixture as stated above.

9) Check all locks, rivets and latches to see that they are in working order.

10) Make sure your graphics are nice and clean and neat. I would recommend replacing every 5 years or so to keep a professional look to your business.

11) Your umbrella, your open sign, if it's dirty, torn or dingy, replace it. It doesn't have to be an expensive adventure. Go to your local Sams club and pick up a multicolored umbrella for just around $25.00, you may want to buy two.

12) The impression you present with your cart will determine your success. No one wants to hire a dirty mobile vending cart. It is likely that if the owner doesn't care about the cart he doesn't care about you.

Next thing, make calls, make menus, order hot dog cart business cards and Tshirts and you are ready to start the New 2011 hot dog season out right.

New Hot Dog Manufacturers in Indiana

Look at these two innovative hot dog cart manufacturers ! The smile on their face surely tells you that they know something that makes them feel like spring is just around the corner in the hot dog cart industry. Steve Schaefer makes sure that his engineering degree is not wasted by designing the industry's most vendor friendly carts the mobile food industry has ever seen. Jim Osborne his partner in the business is no stranger to the pristine way of manufacturing quality made hot dog carts as he has worked for some the nations highest quality driven manufacturers in the last 15 years.

New hot dog cart designs boasts of something that no other manufacturer offers in the industry today. A huge pull out bun storage drawer where the operator can be more than ready to do a large amount of business in a very short period of time. No more burning your bun bags on the top of your hot stainless steel hot dog cart, just wrap them in foil and they are ready when you are. Two large full size steam table cookers make sure that you will never run out of food even for the hungriest of crowds. Easy to use pull out cooler is ready when you need it and slides neatly inside the cart when you don't need it. No more bending over a hot steam table and getting burnt or possibly catching your clothes on fire, just slide it out, get what you need and slide it back into place. Mobile vendor friendly design. We have also designed an add on stainless steel grill that swings out so that it is vendor friendly. No more having it where you don't need it. It also locks into place when the hot dog vendor is closing their cart for the day. One of the most important features is our affordable canopy top for our hot dog carts, yes if you like you can still use an old umbrella, however once you see this unique canopy... you will never go back to the traditional umbrella. Call Dog House Carts, Inc 877-490-6655 for an estimate on your new canopy set up for your used hot dog cart and give it a new shine for the upcoming season.