Hot Dog Cart Frenzy

Well good friends and followers, the economy has now been officially stimulated by hot dog vendors all over the world. I have reports in every day about how amazing the hot dog vending industry is and how it offers freedom to those looking to generate a part time income or those owning their own hot dog dynasty so to speak with several carts. Here in the Indiana showroom we are busy.. so busy we can't keep some of our best models in stock. At Hot Dog Cart World.com we allow our new vendors to post a pix of their new business as well as their business address and name. Some have taken advantage of it and some are camera shy that is for sure. Our new site is coming together. If you have any suggestions for the site please let us know, it is our goal to create a community to support the hot dog vendors in the world. We have accessories, parts for hot dog cart repairs most any type of support you need in the business. I can brag of 10 years in this business, this being the busiest by far both in sales of the hot dog cart units and in requests for mobile food service. I am not only a trusted business resource for the new hot dog vendor, I am also someone who has been in the business and struggled with the health department rules and regulations, mother nature's rath of a a rainy season or a "hot" season where people only want to drink, not eat. If you have advice about the hot dog business to new vendors, post it. They come here to read about what we are doing.

What are we doing? Well, secret be told we are starting a new location to soon be announced in the southern states. Yes, you heard it from me and stay tuned for more. We will still run our Indiana location, a young upcoming hot dog vendor chick will be in charge of the Fort Wayne Indiana midwest showroom which boasts of over 2,000 foot of warehouse space. Open right now because our stock is so low.... big mistake this year. Underestimated what the economy could do for us. There is a Frenzy my friends... don't mistake it. Hot dogs are Hot !!! I have a friend a local mortage broker and his wife the RN, they wanted to teach their kids to run their own business and make enough money for the wife to cut back her work hours. Their second year in business and I am hearing their name all around town. They have made their mark in Fort Wayne Indiana and success is theirs for the asking. This business is what you make of it. If you let that cart sit in the garage then it will sit there and not do it's job as a very wise investment. Get it out, find out what it takes to sit on a busy street corner... it's your best marketing technique. You will get recognized, put on a ketchup or mustard costume. Act silly, make some money. Do a promo.... sell a $1.00 dog, just for a week include a coupon or flyer with your name ... it will happen. It did for me and I am so happy. Yes, I talk and walk hot dogs 7 days a week. Guess what I had for lunch today? You guessed it... a hot dog, traditional with relish, ketchup and mustard it was delicious. Take care... Fellow Foodies and keep doggin it.

What is your favorite Dog?

What you ask is my favorite dog? Many of my customers ask often about what dog I prefer. Quite frankly, I like many dogs, cheddarwurst bursting open on a seasoned grill, topped with mustard, ooozing with cheese in a snappy natural casing. I also love sabretts, nicely steamed hot dogs in Southern Florida.. yes, I went to Florida this year and found a hot dog vendor on the causeway to Sanibel Island. He had a simple set up and a very worn out cart, he needs a new one so I gave him my card...lol but his dogs were great. He says he retired from selling hot dogs for awhile, missed the people and the work so he went back to doing it. I bet it can get pretty hot in the Florida sun at times. Not like Indiana. What do hoosier's like? What is their favorite dog? Well, hoosier's will differ as much as any other geographical place as to what they really like the best but most of them agree that they want their hot dogs burnt to a crisp and moistened with chili and cheese. These little delicacies have been selling well from my hot dog cart for over 10 years. Every time they ask me to burn their dog I have to laugh about the genuine Chicago folks who would roll over with total dismay about the hoosiers burning their hot dogs on purpose. We are only 3 hours away, but different in culture and taste. We are looking for your favorite recipes.. do you like them with sweet slaw southern style? Do you like a sweet bbq sausage and pickles with onions? Tell us.. what is your favorite, what do you crave? Until next time... I'll be doggin it and tellin you all about it. "The Weenie Queen"

June 2009 Hot Dog Cart Events

Wow, it's now June. The last time I posted I was feeding like 250 kids. Since that time we fed a group of 300, full hot dog meals at the local Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne Indiana. Saturday, a private event. Tyler's graduation party. Tyler is special, he lives in Fort Wayne an is graduating and going off to basic training for the Marine Corp. If that alone doesn't make Tyler a special kid, he worked a few days wrapping hot dogs between his main career. His mom, Sherry and dad, Tim are a bit worried about Tyler going off to be a jarhead but I told them that if I could manage to be married to a jarhead for the last 17 years don't worry so much. God will take care of him.

We have a great summer line-up of events. June 20, 2009 at 11:00 we will start firing up the hot dogs & brats for our 21st Annual SCAN duck race in Fort Wayne Indiana. Talk about a great fundraising event ! SCAN is a society that prevents child abuse and neglect. Their mission is an important one and we are proud to be a part of it. People say it's not nice to have favorites, well at Willy Dog of Fort Wayne we love SCAN, along with Turnstone, Center for the disabled, Junior Acheivment of Fort Wayne which we will be talking about their July event coming up soon.

Also, coming soon an event to remember. My sister-in-law, Catherine Osborne is getting married. It is a glorious event, first time... great event and a fundraiser to boot. I am sure that she will convince us that "no" wedding is complete without the hot dog queen serving up some hot off the grill. The event is combined with a fundraiser to support SAFY, an organization to support children who grew up in foster care giving them the right support to integrate into society and experience a normal productive life. A very worthwhile cause. This will all happen with a heck of a party on the campus of IPFW on June 27, 11:00 am to 6pm. Bands, food and fun. Come see the fun and witness the miracles that happen on that campus.. sorry sis didn't mean that it took a miracle to get you married ! lol

If you came to our Blog through our website, www.hotdogcartworld.com thank you. We are building a community of hot dog vendor support. Like none other. If you are into hot dogs, we want to be your world.

Hot Doggin Times

Let me tell you, we have been doggin it... Last Friday, we fed 250 hungry high school boys who have aspirations to be welders, carpenters, electricians & more in the construction trade apprentice programs sponsored by Top Notch of Indianapolis Indiana. Top Notch Tradesman donate all of the financial support every year to feed these boys. I am not sure if the boys come to eat the food.. which seems to be the center of attention or if they actually come to learn. Regardless, they enjoy coming and we enjoy being a part of this event year after year after year. Thank you Dax.. we appreciate your business !

Saturday, out to Shoaff Park in Fort Wayne Indiana. Wind was gusting at over 30 miles per hour. Some vendors grew weary of the wind and the cold weather. We found a nice little nest near the building and fed everyone that was hungry. Carol from the Community Center with the Parks and recreation Department of Fort Wayne calls me every year, we know we have a relationship and a responsibility to feed all of those hungry Peddlers in the Park that day. We enjoy it and we know they do. Thank you Carol for thinking of our little Hot Dog Cart Vending Business. It's our customers like you that make us a huge success year after year. We love doing business with you.

Sunday, yes... Mother's Day. We were doggin it. SCCA racing league of Fort Wayne. I don't know how long we have been their favorite vendor but I think our hot dog vendor relationship has been ongoing for at least 8 years. The guys will tell you that we try to mix up the menu for them. One time they will get grilled honey corn dogs, next time burgers, next time brats & kraut. They love our variety and menu selection, best of all they love to see our smiles...

We don't have any scheduled events this week, we are busy cleaning out our 4 year commercial kitchen facility at the local ice arena. We didn't renew our contract due to a private company taking over the ice sports facility and building a newer, bigger facility. It will be interesting to see how fast it goes up... fall hockey starts in August. Right now on the corner of Wells and Lima Road there are a big piles of hopeful dirt. Good luck guys.

I would love to hear about your upcoming events, I am getting ready to agree to an event at Ivy Tech on June 4th, Fall Kruse Auction in Auburn Indiana and sign our annual contract for Muddy River Run in August. Until next time.. Keep Doggin it !!!

Deb

Hot Dog Time In Indiana

Well, it's nearly Tuesday and we have 3 full days of activities planned for our mobile food carts. What will we serve? You guessed it, hot dogs. But that's not all. We offer many varities of pre-cooked meats and treats from our brightly colored gourmet hot dog cart. Friday we will serve up a menu of smoked sausage grilled till it pops with juiciness, pub burgers (pre-cooked preseasoned burgers) and of course.. hot dogs, kraut and our famous chili and nacho cheese toppings.

What other goodies will we have on our cart you ask? We will serve up some famous amos cookies, chips & cold drinks. We love our customers and our customers love us, mostly because they are hungry.... friday we will serve up near 300 high school construction trade apprentice boys. Talk about hungry !! We are probably serving up their snack before lunch.

Saturday, come see us at the Family Fun Day at Shoaf Park in Fort Wayne Indiana. There will be crafts, fund and plenty of good people there. Oh, I forgot to mention the hot dogs. We usually serve up the footlong variety of hot dogs. Not sure what we will do .. lots of kids.

Sunday, yes it's Mother's Day and we are working, serving up an assortment of brats, sweet corn dogs and our famous hot dogs to the SCCA racing league.

Looks like we have our work cut out for us.. good for us, good for our customers to see us running a successful business !! We will show you how.

My Hot Dog Cart Business

Well, it's year 9 and running for my gourmet mobile hot dog cart business. People ask me why I call my cart a gourmet cart? The meat is deli fresh and I cook it up in a special way and serve it hot in my own style and flavor.. you will rarely see us serving up the same old menu item. Today's markets offer so many pre-cooked meats and items that a mobile food/hot dog vendor could really give their customers a good variety from shredded flavored meats to anything that looks like a frank. Frankly speaking the menu possibilities are unlimited only by your health department police. Our health department locally will allow us to re-heat pre-cooked non potentially hazardous foods, and we comply. Our food supplier, supplies us with a good selection of pub burgers, pre-cooked bratwurst, jalepeno sausages, shredded beef, whole cooked chicken breast.. virtually unlimited. Recently we tried a new item.. outstanding response. Have you ever tried honey sweet grilled corndogs? Yummy !! It's my new favorite item. Take care, the mobile business is fun. Get into it because you love the idea of it, enjoy the fun and the people you meet in the business. If you have fun, the money will come. I promise, it will come because people will see your passion for the business and they can't say no to a happy hot dog vendor no matter what your product is.

First Public Event of 2009

Ok, this is it. The sun is shining today and we are preparing for our carts to come out of hibernation. We will be at Kruse International Auction Park in Fort Wayne Indiana on Sunday, April 26 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm to serve up some steaming hot brats w/ kraut, hot dogs & bbq smoked sausage. We love SCCA and we have been following them around for the last 7 years or so... will be good to see our friends and fill their bellies of warm food. If you are in the area, if you live near there it is some of the best obstacle course racing in Indiana. Come see them smoke their brakes and squeal the tires. And of course while you are there, have a hot dog.