Hot dogs are a favorite food item.
Americans eat 7 billion hot dogs in the summer alone, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In 2009, $1.6 billion was spent at U.S. supermarkets on hot dog and sausage food products. This love affair with hot dogs has made the hot dog cart vendor a popular stop for people looking for a tasty and handy meal in marketplaces like business districts, sports arenas, parks, and transportation depots.
Instructions
1. Conduct market research. This includes research on market demands, food vending locations and competition. The business operator should consider community tastes in researching the types of hot dog products to offer, and the standard recipe for dressing the hot dog. Develop multiple supplier sources for your hot dogs, buns and condiments. If one supplier is unable to deliver supplies you'll have a backup supplier. This type of market research should be an ongoing assessment.
2. Ensure business licensing and food permit requirements are in place. In addition to registering the business with the local county or parish office, a food permit license is required in most jurisdictions to operate a hot dog cart business. Contact the department of health to learn about food permit requirements. Secure and read all printed information they have regarding local regulatory requirements.
3. Draft operational procedures regarding healthy food preparations. Government health inspections will be a constant part of running a hot dog vending business. Ensure that all employees are trained in sanitary food handling, cooking and storage procedures. There are many reading resources that concisely describe customary safe food handling practices, such as the report "Basic Elements of a Sanitation Program for Food Processing and Food Handling" by Ronald H. Schmidt, Ph.D, professor at the University of Florida's Food Science and Human Nutrition Dept.
4. Create a hot dog concession stand that attracts customers. The cart design itself is the strongest form of advertising for the business operation. Food vendor carts and concession stands are often made from quality stainless steel, with colorful and eye-catching umbrellas and signage. Creativity pays off when food vending competition is strong and foot and vehicle traffic moves quickly.
5. Perform routine daily checks on the cart and all equipment. After washing the cart down each day, before and after use, check all appliances and equipment to make sure they are operating properly. It is a good idea to keep all maintenance manuals in a handy reference binder.
Tags: food permit, food permit requirements, food vending, market research, permit requirements