New Carts

A lot of people come to this site looking for information about starting a hot dog business. There are over 1,500 entries here, so without some site navigation, it can get tricky sometimes. That's why I started one of my other sites, How to Start a Hot Dog Business- to make it easier for wanna-be hotdogmen and women to get information.

Even so, The Hot Dog Truck: the "Life and Times of a Hotdogman," includes some good stuff.

One of the things about being "The Hotdogman" is I get the opportunity to interact with people in the industry. Whether it's vendors, authors, or manufacturers of Hot Dog Carts, I seem to know a few people in the biz.

I have seen many carts "on the street" being used by real vendors- like the folks at Jeannie's Weenies in Holliston, MA. They have a good looking rig. Check out Jeannie's Weenies on Hot Dog Stories to see a real life vendor who has some good insights. There are lots of Hot Dog Biz start-up stories on Hot Dog Stories.

Now I preach trying to find bargains in used equipment-there are a lot of them out there. Just like a car though, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GOING NEW. I haven't bought a new car in ten years: I just traded in my last new "car" (a 1999 minivan) for a used convertible last spring. I LOVE the convertible. Going from a minivan to a convertible was, in itself, a HUGE change- just like going into business for yourself is.

One of the most appealing things about starting a hot dog business is the low cost of entry. A BRAND NEW HOT DOG CART costs FAR less than a high mileage used car. When you're talking about your business, if you can afford to go new, you should do it. A shiny new rig is appealing to customers. If it gets a little worn down over the years, that's OK-you'll have an established business and a little "weathering" adds character. When you are new to the hot dog business, first impressions count and nothing gives a better first impression, other than delicious hot dogs, than a clean and shiny new hot dog cart. If you're in business long enough to bust one of these carts up from over use, buying a new one shouldn't be an issue- these babies last for years.

I'll be honest with you, there's not a whole heck of a lot of difference between different hot dog carts. They're all DOT approved (they couldn't sell them as trailers if they weren't), they're all made of stainless steel, they all offer options, and they all have schematic drawings you can download to present to your local Board of Health. Local Board of Health approval of your cart is the FIRST thing you should acquire- even before you buy a cart.

If you're going to go new, you want to look for 3 things: quality, service, and price. Those three things add up to VALUE. DreamMaker Hot Dog Carts provides VALUE to the purchaser of a new hot dog cart. They're definitely quality hot dog carts- I know, I've seen them being built. I know they provide  top notch service. In my own dealings with them, they've been prompt, fair, and courteous-those are three very important things! As far as price goes,  DreamMaker Hot Dog Carts  are very competitively priced. You can get a brand new, loaded Riverside Cart for less than $5,000. All that adds up to a good VALUE! I I were buying a new cart, I wouldn't consider anything but a DreamMaker. The best thing is, they are 100% MADE IN THE USA! If you are considering purchasing a new cart elsewhere, ASK IF THEY ARE MADE IN THE USA, many cart manufacturers IMPORT FROM CHINA.

You can get a $100 coupon towards the purchase of a cart from  DreamMaker Hot Dog Carts  when you order the HotDogBiz101 course. The course is only $94, so you actually pocket 6 bucks! Even without the coupon, this course is worth 20 times what you pay for it.

Do yourself a favor. If you're going to buy a new hot dog cart, get a cart from  DreamMaker Hot Dog Carts. See their operation for yourself: