Growing The Hot Dog Business!!

[@glennshaffer2682]

I was afraid that the biz was not doing well, but wow look at that new spot! Awesome! Can't wait to see how the alcohol sales factor in.

[@Sohailali1]

WOW. What a surprise and great expansion!

[@dustyc324]

Good Deal. 2 carts and a Bar in just a few blocks.

[@TheGlizzyKing]

Keep it up brother!!! You definitely inspiring me to push harder this year and expand!!

[@diecastmodelhub]

I am just starting my hotdog journey

[@rowdybroomstick6394]

The old Cravin Vapes place. I woulda never guessed a liquor license would've came with that place, what a score.

[@rollierabin]

So happy for you Dan! You were my inspiration and I've been outside one or two bars consistently every Fri at one of them over a year now. I'm constantly trying to think about how to get someone else to run it. I feel like I make the business, and it's hard to find another me!

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

I'm so happy for you! I had the same concerns when I started having other people run my cart!! The best advice I can give you is to let it go! I thought I was the star when I was running the cart, but I put a new guy on it and told him to do his thing. He now makes double what I was making and he is a COMPLETELY different personality than I am. He cusses, he pokes fun at customers, he yells, he shouts, BUT the customers LOVE IT! He puts on a show. You never know what he's going to do or say, and he's entertaining. I'm more the "professional, customer service with a smile" type, so I questioned his work at first, but when the numbers started climbing, I learned to just let him do his thing. You can't work ON a business if you're working IN it.

[@rollierabin]

@@HotDoggingwithDan you're right on the money with that last statement! "You can't work on a business if you're working in it!" That's inspiration for me. I think I read something on one of your comments on how to pay your employee? Do I charge a flat rate or what? Then I could actually start working on expanding the business!

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

I charge a flat weekly "equipment lease" fee. This eliminates the need to track their revenue and eliminates the possibility of theft. My main guy buys his own food, but I buy the food for the other carts. This keeps the product consistent... so for example, I charge a weekly fee of $1000/cart. About $300 of that goes towards food (they get a set amount of everything each week). So I profit $700/week per cart and the vendor keeps anything over the $1000 that they pay me. They have their own square accounts, etc... so they are basically independent operators or franchisees.

[@CrestwoodRocks]

Looks like Dan is totally having fun with Dan's Hot Dogs.

[@emeraldcoastfoods1025]

Congratulations and good luck with the new location.

[@thejeffneville]

Wow Dan, I just came across this video - I wouldn't have bothered you asking if you were still dogging if I'd seen this - looks great, hope all is going well!!

[@frankielasota2104]

Hope your new venture is blessed

[@LaddDentalGroup]

Great location!!

[@frankpappalardo630]

Looks great

[@photovideo215]

Aight brother I just searched up "owning a hot dog stand" and your original video came up. I always wanted to own a hot dog cart because its what I liked when I was younger. I came across a $5,800 card for sale at $2,500. Since I've never done it, I wanted to know what it was like to do own a stand it. I don't have the money because I am a nursing student with a family, but I now see what it can do, and what you have done with your business. Congrats!! What do you suggest on how to acquired this thing? I am not afraid of the work involved. Thanks!

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

Start with a used cart. I bought my first cart for 2500, put $50 worth of parts into it, and it has worked like new ever since. That cart has now made me over six figures since I've owned it! They are easy to work on and cheap to start up

[@glennshaffer2682]

Dan, Jesus cant just keep me hanging in suspense

[@rellstorri]

I was lookin and I was like this is brilliant. I wish I could do something like this in Indianapolis. I realized you live in my city. That’s 5 min from my house. I’m interested in investing or working for you. Lmk what you think.

[@galebaker1315]

Have you looked into these outdoor pizza ovens a friend uses his at festivals and makes 16 in pepperoni pizzas and cuts them in 6 ices and sells them for 6 a slice my pizza trailer had a double stack 220 electric o en plus the commercial refrigerator and sinks You can get a 16 in pizza for 5.00 at aldis

[@Sohailali1]

I miss your laundromat

[@rowdybroomstick6394]

I'm at 5$ for a 8to1 and 6$ for 1/4lb. But I'm probably going to go up on my loaded Nacho's. 5$ is too cheap! Frito pie will probably stay 5 as I make them in a smaller container compared to the 3lb tray I use for the Nacho's.

[@frankielasota2104]

Ditched roller and get an old school hot dog steamer with bun warmer

[@rowdybroomstick6394]

Can you do a video on how to do scrambled eggs with the hot dog cart steam table? I've never seen it done before. I think I could manage steaming biscuits and buying some decent sausage gravy and could probably fry bacon on a cast iron griddle on top of my grill. But I'm not sure how 30 egg's would cook.

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

Good question. I've never done scrambled eggs on the steam table.

[@christophertyznik7225]

I'm thinking about opening a second cart for someone else to run for me but I don't know where to look to find someone I can trust... and another thing is how do you pay your guys? hourly plus a portion of the tips or all the tips? if you could let me know I would appreciate it. I've been following since the start. you influenced me to start doggin...

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

Finding people to run the cart is the hardest part. I struggled with this for a while. I did hourly and percentages, but cash transactions would magically not get rang up in the square app. I ultimately ended on a "cart lease" routine. Basically, I showed my guys what to buy and where to buy it, then I make them responsible for buying their own product and I just charge them a flat rate to lease the carts weekly. They have their own square accounts, and manage their own income and expenses, while I get paid a flat rate weekly to lease the carts. The key to this is that you have to work the cart yourself at specific locations so you know how much the location brings in and you can set your lease fee accordingly. Ideally, your lease fee should be about 30% of the potential average weekly revenue of the cart. If you know a cart will bring in $2k/week at a given location, your lease fee should be no more than $600/week.

[@Johntyznik]

Thanks!

[@mukmuk6228]

I feel like that will pull $$$ from the carts.

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

Nope. The carts are actually making more money than they ever have. People who go to these clubs don't go to the bars where the carts are. Different clientele.

[@ronlowther9044]

Curious about washroom/Restroom access. Have your own or shared within building?

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

Shared

[@araninfante2242]

Where you been Dan ?

[@AndrewHedlund100]

I gotta decide if I’m going to get a job or get a hotdog card but I’ve come to a point where I don’t wanna quit I wanna be in something for the long-haul I wish I got a hotdog cart right out of high school I’d probably be retired by now

[@Cream_CurdlR]

what about the dirty water ? you cant use dirty water with a roller cooker?

[@TheSoloAsylum]

Where am I going to get my laundromat tips from now?

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

@DannyDangeloKingofLaundry

[@dibs92365]

What ever happened to the laundromat what was the reason for letting it go!??? we need a video!!!!

[@Codezer0]

I'm start out out at $6 for my hot dog 1/4 and also $6 for the bratwurst

[@chadengel1422]

Hows the brick and mortar doing these days?

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

It's not. Strictly mobile now.

[@galebaker1315]

Not my stuff just helping U say u can't serve burgers serve precooked burgers in a hot dog steamer

[@phlatulance]

Hows abouts an update!!!

[@gingercoleman8357]

Which location is your best one?

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

The carts do about even... They are the best. BUT, they've also been established for a while, so they have locals and regulars. The shop has only been open a month, so it's just a matter of word-of-mouth until it gets up to the same numbers as the carts.

[@smitty1013]

What are you going to do in the winter? - Those doors are Huge and your electric bill will be Crazy

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

I can close the big doors and open the barn door for access through the hallway entrance.

[@frankpappalardo630]

Hello

[@galebaker1315]

Too bad you didn't let it be known what was happening I could have totally outfitted you

[@HotDoggingwithDan]

In what way?

[@galebaker1315]

I had a pizza trailer A fry trailer 5 bar guns with carbon dioxide mixer a 220 electric steam table a slushy machine with flavors I would use a steamer rather than the roller serve precooked hamburgers warmed in the steam table several coolers commercial refrigerators with speed top a snow cone machine etc

[@MrNitromike1]

Hey Dan! Mike here. Hey give me a text for a minute

[@paulytv9284]

Bro what you want to do is park you cart outside (1 there's no better sign then you and your cart ) (2 keep cooking on the cart and push them into the bar) (3 spend your money on the bar and liquor) (4 you and your cart is the best advertising there is. And you need to be out front !!!! ) lol I just bought a cart here in Los Angeles ... you have a bless day bro 🙏