How to be Successful in the Hot Dog Business

I have spent a lot of time visiting hot dog joints, from brand new little hot dog carts on the side of the road, to established brick and mortar restaurants, and everything in between. One question I like to ask every vendor I visit is: "What do YOU think it takes to be successful in the hot dog business?"

See the video on How to Start a Hot Dog Business HERE.

Sib's Lunch Truck is FOR SALE

One of the reasons a lot of people stop by the Hot Dog Truck dot com is they are thinking of buying a used hot dog truck. I have free ads for anyone looking to sell a hot dog cart, trailer or truck on THIS PAGE. The ads don't stay up there for long, because a free ad on the Hot Dog Truck usually means you can sell your used hot dog truck fast.

I got a call from Sylvia "Sib" Pratt today. After 23 years as Metrowest's premier Hot Dog Woman, she has decided to retire (her husband is putting some pressure on her too).

That means she is selling her hot dog truck.

There are some pictures of Sib's Lunch Truck on Hot Dog Stories.

She is offering location assistance for this truck: for 16 of her 23 years in the biz, her truck has been located in front of Loring Arena in Framingham. This is a GREAT location. There is youth hockey year round at the facility and in the warmer months there is youth baseball, football and soccer at the adjacent fields. The location is next to a large school bus company and is on a well traveled route. Heck, Sib was there for 16 years- it is a GOOD LOCATION. The truck itself is in good running condition and will pass Framingham BOH inspection (Sib has offered to assist the buyer with navigating the permitting process as well).

You could run this truck at this location well into the fall (even all winter if you are a hearty soul) and make some good coin-even with a somewhat late start.

I will post more details as I get them, but for now, check out the pics on Hot Dog Stories.

If you are interested in learning more, contact me at Hotdogman @ The Hot Dog Truck dot com and I will connect you with Sib.

Hot Dog University

Here is a story about a CBS news correspondent who went to check out Hot Dog University. This video offers some insight into how to start a hot dog business.

Honolulu woman finds success in the hot dog business

Here's a nifty little video about a gal in Hawaii who gave up on the corporate world to start her own hot dog stand.



Click HERE if you want to start a hot dog business.

You can read the full story about Lava Dogs HERE

Hot Dog Cart Insurance

If you are looking to start a hot dog business, you will need liability insurance for your hot dog cart, trailer or truck. There is simply no way of getting around it-nobody will let you on their property (or on public property) without liability insurance - no insurance, no business. I get a lot of emails from vendors and those starting out looking for answers about where to get insurance for their new hot dog business.

After speaking with different insurance carriers and agencies, I came across Bolt Insurance - a national insurance agency that specializes in servicing small businesses and can provide affordable liability insurance for mobile food vendors. They have a simple online form that will generate quotes for you from all the major insurance carriers that will write liability insurance in your state. It's true one stop shopping.

The folks at Bolt won't give you any high pressure B.S. or sell your name to some insurance agent lead farm. They WANT your business. So if you are looking around for Hot Dog Cart Insurance, click the image below for a FREE Quote and compare quotes online from multiple insurance companies, FAST!

Do you have what it takes to run your own Hot Dog business?

Lots of people come to this site looking for information about how to start a hot dog business or information about finding a used hot dog cart or used hot dog truck. I do my best to steer them to my How to Start a Hot Dog Business site, but there is a lot of information here too.

One thing I have never really talked about is what it takes to be a hot dog man.

You see, a lot of people view the hot dog business with a somewhat romantic lens. They envision working 3-4 hours a day and making a high five/low six figure income. While you can make that kind of money, it takes a lot more than 3-4 hours a day. Believe it or not, running a hot dog business actually requires work!

I have always been entrepreneurial. I had a paper route (remember those?) at age 10 and by age 12, I was wholesaling nursery stock that I grew in my back yard to local garden centers and landscapers. I had a landscape construction business with my college room mate during my years at UMASS. I owned a Duct Cleaning Company in the early 1990's, was a commissioned salesman for quite some time, and I owned The Hot Dog Truck. Maybe I was born this way, maybe not. The thing is, it has always seemed natural to me to start a business. One thing I always wanted to do, even back when I was delivering papers, was have my own hot dog truck.

Like most people, I had a romantic image of being a hot dog man. Selling hot dogs is only half the job though.

In any business, there are questions you need to consider before starting out. The first is an honest projection of how profitable the business can be. In the hot dog business, like most retail based businesses, the three most important things are location, Location, LOCATION. You need to spend some serious time sleuthing out the best location for your business. Without a good spot (or spots), you will fail miserably. Even once you have a location, if it isn't working out, you need the courage to pack up and find somewhere else to sell your wares. Can you find and secure a good spot? Can you honestly say you'd pack up your cart or truck and find a new spot if it didn't work out? You must be able to do this.

Do you like people? In this business, it's a requirement. You must be a people person. Nobody wants to buy anything from a grump with no personality.

Can you manage all the other things you need to do associated with running a business? You have to be able to be a bookkeeper, salesperson, marketer, manager (if you hire help), delivery driver, property manager, janitor, and cook. You need to make sure you take care of all the peripheral tasks associated with running a business. If you just want to cook hot dogs, go get a job at a Nathan's franchise.

Can you make your business a 24/7/365 priority? Your work doesn't start when you fire up the grill and end when you shut it off. You will spend a considerable amount of time cleaning, stocking, and maintaining your business. I spent many an early morning (almost daily) at my local Sam's Club getting chips, soda, buns, ice etc. I spent many a day scrubbing and cleaning my truck. I spent many a night doing the books, scouting events, making home made toppings and more. You'll have to work weekends (at least Saturdays) during the busy season too. If you aren't prepared to constantly work at your business, keep your day job.

Are you prepared for days of poor sales due to bad weather or taking winters off if you live in a northern climate? I once opened in a snowstorm and sold only six hot dogs all day-four to the guys plowing my lot and two to a kindly regular who stopped to see if I was OK. When I closed for the winter, I had to do other things for income. Not making any money sucks. Can you handle it mentally or, more importantly, financially?

Are you mechanically inclined or do you have a good friend or family member who is? Whatever you sell your hot dog from, a cart, trailer, truck or store, stuff will break. Whether you need to change a tire, fix a switch or install new lines for your propane tanks, somebody needs to fix what's broken. If you rely on a hot dog truck or other vehicle to transport your business, you will need engine repairs and maintenance too. When things break, they need to be fixed. Sometimes, fixing something quickly can be the difference between being open or closed for the day. If you can't fix things yourself, you need to have a person in place who can fix what breaks quickly and (hopefully) inexpensively.

Can you cook? I know, you're thinking "how hard is it to cook hot dogs?" Guess what, like anything else, it's a skill and an art. I am sure most of you have eaten a poorly prepared hot dog at one point or another in your life. You must have a consistent product. You must know how your brand of hot dog "behaves" under different cooking techniques. One dog may be better suited to boiling, another to steaming, another to grilling. Pick the best hot dog for the technique you plan to use. If you are offering other items, make sure you can cook them efficiently and safely. If you are grilling buns, make sure you don't burn the bread. If you are making home made toppings or chili, make sure you prepare them in a consistent, "always tastes the same" manner. You'll be cooking for 3-10 hours a day in your hot dog business, make sure you enjoy it and do it well.

Is your family on board? You need the support and encouragement of your family, particularly if you are married. My spouse wholeheartedly supported my venture into the hot dog business. If she hadn't, I would have thought long and hard about making the leap. Since your business is a 24/7 concern, it will affect your family life. If your business choice is going to create a gap in your familial harmony, reconsider what is important to you. I talk to a lot of hot dog vendors. Many are husband and wife teams, many are not. Those that are not generally have the support of their family. If they don't, divorce won't be far behind- I know, I've seen it happen.

I am not trying to be a downer here. I owned a hot dog truck for six years and it was the best "job" I ever had. I made good money, made friends, and just had a great time running my business. Sure I had tough times and setbacks-everyone does- but it was worth it. I was committed to my business and I built a loyal following. But the hot dog business is NOT for everyone. Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor either. You have to have a passion that goes beyond the "wouldn't it be nice to have a hot dog stand" mentality.

So, honestly assess your desire for getting into the hot dog business. What strengths and weaknesses do you personally bring to the table? Be HONEST with yourself. Think about the questions I have asked here and invent your own. If you really think you have what it takes and you want forge ahead to be the "top dog" in your community. GO FOR IT!

Top Ten Reasons to Start a Hot Dog Business

Dave the Hot Dog Man on "Tennessee Traveller"

Here's a video about a hot dog man from Tennessee. Listen carefully to his "ingredients for success."

Hot Diggity Dogs on Cape Cod is FOR SALE

A very cool little Hot Dog Joint on Cape Cod- Hot Diggity Dogs- is FOR SALE! This could be an excellent opportunity for the right person. Here's the Craigslist Ad.

If this were a bit closer to home.......

The Dog House Hot Dog Cart in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Here's a cool little video from a lady in Iowa that gives a glimpse of what it takes to run a hot dog cart.



Check out How to Start a Hot Dog Business

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:

Hot Dog Business Story

I run another site called How to Start a Hot Dog Business. I get a lot of questions and feedback from that site. Here's an email from a guy who bought a truck and opened up about 10 miles from me:

Good Morning!

I just wanted to thank you for all of the information you provided me with as I was starting my own hot dog truck business! I haven't been able to drop by your truck as I have basically the same hours as you do! It is working out pretty god considering the time of year I started up! I am sure it will pick up more as the warmer weather approaches!

Archie's On A Roll is located at 326 Main Street in Northborough. I am in the parking lot at the Dog Spa "A Diamond in The Ruff" in the property to the east side of Lazio's Italian Restaurant. I am there Monday thru Saturday from 11:00 - 3:00. (weather permitting, it has to be above 32 degree's)
I have a great selection of dogs! Michigan Red Hots, Chili Dogs, Mac & Cheese Dogs, Slaw Dogs, Sauerkraut Dogs, etc..
My Dogs cannot be beaten, but the can be eaten!

Again, thanks for all of your help!

Best Regards,

Alan Archibald

GOOD LUCK ALAN!

How to Start a Hot Dog Business

People are always asking me, "hey Hotdogman, where can I get more information on how to start a hot dog business?" I tell them to go read my story So you wanna be a Hot Dog Man?. That can get folks pointed in the right direction. Lots of people are looking for "nuts and bolts" type of info though.

Here's an ebook I found helpful when I was starting out. I still refer to it now and again (I've read it cover to cover TWICE in the past two weeks). It's worth spending the thirty bucks before you go too deep into the process. It's a bit over the top for running a simple hot dog truck, but there's no BS, unlike some of the other "Start a Hot Dog Business" ebooks out there. Lots of information, business plans, forms, accounting tips and more. Definitely worth the dough!

Click Here to check this ebook out.

Incorporating Your Hot Dog Business

THIS POST IS SPONSORED
Having your business set up as a corporation has its advantages. Incorporating helps protect you from lawsuits, gives you increased access to credit, has tax advantages and many other benefits.

Setting up a corporation is as easy as filing all the appropriate paperwork. There are books you can buy for your state that have all the forms and step by step instructions. With a little browsing around on your state's website, you can probably figure it out for yourself.

Or, you could be smart about it! Sometimes its better to have someone else do the work. I hate paperwork and I am happy to have someone else take care of it for me. Incparadise.com is a company that handles all the paperwork necessary for incorporating in all 50 States.

They'll even handle all the other mundane tasks involved with running your corporation and being in compliance with applicable state laws. Plus you can use them for mail forwarding and as a Registered Agent for your corporation.

Any company that makes life easier is always a welcome find.

If you like incorporating yourself, Incparadise.com also offers an opportunity to get into the business of incorporating other companies.

So if you want to incorporate your business, give Incparadise.com a look. Concentrate on the core of your business and let them handle the paperwork.

So you wanna be a Hot Dog Man (or Woman)? part 5: Insurance

As with any business, one of your fixed costs will be insurance. Determining how much you'll pay for insurance each month will need to be factored into your pricing. Obviously, if you have a Hot Dog Truck, like me, you will need Vehicle Insurance. For a quick, easy and convenient quote online, you can go to the Insurance Portal Online to get an idea of what those costs will be. This is one of those companies that gets quotes from over 100 different companies depending on your needs so you can compare rates and coverages in an easy, "one stop shopping" format.

Depending on where you are located (public spot or private property) you may have to increase your liability insurance on your vehicle or, in some instances, purchase separate business liability insurance. I have all my liability insurance wrapped into one homeowners policy with different riders for different liability issues, some business related others personal.

People fear being sued so having the proper insurance is important in any business and is almost always required by landlords and municipalities. I always try to buy the cheapest insurance policy I can find and I am always very careful!

Free Stuff and Poker, What a Country!

If you like free stuff and you like playing poker, check out pokerprizes.com. The deal is you sign up with them, then complete "offers" which involve filling out surveys, taking free trial offers, using a new web product etc. Each completed offer is awarded a point value. Accumulate points and redeem them for prizes like DVDs, video games, ipods, even computers and plasma TVs! You can also use your points to buy into-you guessed it- poker tournaments. Players can win points in these tournaments which can ramp up their point totals thus allowing them to redeem more valuable free stuff. There is no cost to participate. Its a neat little site. I'm going to try to get enough points for a new Mac Laptop by next Christmas. pokerprizes.com

Snow bank

Well all the plow guys are happy today. Yesterday and last night they all got their "white gold" and they've got money in their pockets. The guys who plowed my lot practically buried my truck, there was quite a bit of digging before the dogs could get cooking. Chalk that up to being a bit inconsiderate. The only thing that made me feel better about that was they buried one of their own cars! Chalk that up to being dumb.

Not much action today. Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow so the Red Sox will creep back into the collective consciousness next week.

So you wanna be a hot dog man?

Why be a Hot dog man (or woman)? If you're reading this, maybe you're looking for the answer. As someone once said: "Just when you think you have the answers, I change the questions!"

For me, I wanted a low key business that involved lots of interaction with people. I like most people and enjoy chatting about the news of the day, the Red Sox, football, the weather, kids, wives, families etc. I was a commissioned salesperson for 20 years before I started this venture, so I know about people. I just wanted to deal with people straight up, without an angle. I have something they want and I give it to them-SIMPLE. I wanted no more of the stress and high pressure of commissioned sales.

I also wanted to be involved with hot dogs because I like hot dogs and I feel the way I cook and serve my hot dogs is the best way; I have never found a hot dog anywhere that tastes quite like mine. The secret is in the way I cook them (not telling...yet) and serving them on freshly butter grilled buns (Its all about the buns, baby). I figured if I could serve up a consistently good hot dog, I'd do OK.

Which leads me to the final reason I got into the business- MONEY! Cash is KING and you can make a very nice income selling hot dogs. I know I'll never be a Rockefeller from this venture, but I can earn enough and be relaxed and happy and have plenty of time left over for my family, my little league team, my master's degree and now Helium.
The work itself is very uncomplicated. Serve good food and treat people nice. If you do that, the customers keep coming back.

One of the pitfalls of this business is crappy weather (I write this on a night in February and its about 5 degrees outside-it was a cold and lonely day at the hot dog truck). In the winter you'll be cold-like ice fishing without the fish or beer; in the summer you'll be hot-picture a 95 degree day and you're standing next to a grill all day. Every once in a while I also feel that the work is too repetitive-that feeling usually goes away once I get the first customer of the day. Overall, for me, the advantages and lifestyle this business brings outweigh the bad stuff.
What you need to ask yourself is why do YOU want to be in the hot dog biz? If you decide that you want to give it a go, keep reading about how to get going.

I run my business in the same location, Monday through Friday from 10:30-3PM. Other folks will travel to different locations, operate "after the bars close" in hopping nightlife areas while others work large events (fairs, festivals, parades etc.). I have a customer who sells sausages on Friday and Saturday nights in a downtown Worcester, MA area with lots of bars and he also works Downtown Worcester on the 4th of July-he sold 1200 pounds of sausages on 7/4/2006! For the purposes of this article, I'll deal with the "same location" model.

The first thing you need to do is find a good spot. Anywhere there are lots of people is good. If you are in an urban area where parking is limited or you can locate in a park, you may want to consider a hot dog cart. If you're in a suburban setting, look for areas where there is a lot of vehicle traffic and a ready supply of regular hungry customers. Good parking is a must for this type of setup. If you have the space in your spot (and the money) you may want to consider a truck or trailer for your biz. I like having a truck-mine is a "mobile kitchen"-because there is more room, shelter from the elements and a decent amount of food prep and storage space.
If you are going to be on public property, check with the local police department for any restrictions you may face regarding locations or any special site permits you may need. Most municipalities have websites these days and oftentimes that type of information is available there, if not the cops are a good place to start (cops like hot dogs-I have many as regulars).

Locating on private property eliminates the need for site permits, but you'll have to pay rent. You also need to check with the local building inspector to see if there are any site permits. This is the arrangement I have. The advantages of my location are plenty of parking, good visibility on a well traveled route, proximity to a large industrial/office park and lots of construction in the area (construction workers like hot dogs too). I also know my location will be plowed on snowy mornings and, since I am in the parking lot of an office building and gas station(with a car wash going in next spring) I know there will always be steady traffic in and out. One other plus is that there are few eating places nearby that don't involve going into a congested secondary highway-folks pop out of the back entrance of the office park to get to my spot. The rent is worth it. If you can find a site with these characteristics-you'd be well advised to snag the location. This will involve some networking and sleuthing on your part.

If you get into this business, you will need to get a permit from your local Board of Health.
Many local Boards require Servesafe certification before they will issue a permit. If they do, you'll need to take the Servesafe exam.

Dealing with the Board of Health really means dealing with the local Health Inspector-he or she is the person who you will deal with. Just like any other occupation, some are nice and some are jerks-I am lucky that my local Health Inspector is a fair and nice man-it doesn't hurt that he likes hot dogs too. Whether the person is nice or not, they are a resource. You can find the local Health Inspector's contact info on any municipalities' website. The best thing to do is call them up and politely engage them in a conversation. Tell them you want to open a hot dog stand, where you were thinking of locating (again if its on public land make sure you've checked out local restrictions and permits, if you're on private property let the inspector know where), let them know you'll be getting your Servesafe and ask them what you need to do. Most inspectors will be straightforward and let you know exactly what you need to do and what type of equipment will meet with local health codes.

Once you've figured out what the Health inspector requires, you can move on to acquiring a hot dog cart, truck or trailer. Make sure whatever you buy will comply with what the inspector told you. There are many varieties and manufacturers and prices range from a couple of thousand dollars to over $200,000 for a totally decked out mobile kitchen. You'll need to decide what will suit your site, your tolerance for the elements and your budget. If you're buying new, try to deal with a company geographically nearby-it makes no sense to order a hot dog cart or truck from a company in Sacremento if you live in Philadelphia! There are always good values to be found in used equipment too, try to find someone selling hot dog equipment used and you'll get more bang for your buck. There are many manufacturers of hot dog carts, trucks and trailers online. Do a Google search and you'll find hundreds of manufacturers of all different kinds of equipment. Do your research before you buy!

As with any business, one of your fixed costs will be insurance. Determining how much you'll pay for insurance each month will need to be factored into your pricing. Obviously, if you have a Hot Dog Truck, like me, you will need Vehicle Insurance. For a quick, easy and convenient quote online, you can go to the Insurance Portal Online to get an idea of what those costs will be. This is one of those companies that gets quotes from over 100 different companies depending on your needs so you can compare rates and coverages in an easy, "one stop shopping" format.

Depending on where you are located (public spot or private property) you may have to increase your liability insurance on your vehicle or, in some instances, purchase separate business liability insurance. I have all my liability insurance wrapped into one homeowners policy with different riders for different liability issues, some business related others personal.

People fear being sued so having the proper insurance is important in any business and is almost always required by landlords and municipalities. I always try to buy the cheapest insurance policy I can find and I am always very careful!

Here's an ebook I found helpful when I was starting out. I still refer to it now and again. It's worth spending the thirty bucks before you go too deep into the process. It's a bit over the top for running a simple hot dog truck, but there's no BS like some of the other "Start a Hot Dog Business" ebooks out there. Lots of information and worth the dough!

Click Here to check this ebook out.

Hamburger Day

Today's relatively warm weather brought the return of the Hamburger lover to the old Hot Dog Truck. My burgers are very tasty but they take about 7-8 minutes to cook. People don't want to wait that long when its 6 degrees out! I sold a dozen burgers today, which is a lot for even a sunny day. Hot Dogs and Sausages are the big items every day.

The Red Sox Equipment Truck left for spring training today. Thus begins the countdown to Opening Day-the day the picnic tables go out at the Hot Dog truck!

Hot Dog Toppings

The hot dog is quite possibly the most misunderstood food item on the face of the earth. Many people view them with disdain. They've probably never had a "well crafted" hot dog. When this tubular delicacy is properly prepared, it can be a scrumptious meal.

The foundation for a good hot dog is the hot dog itself. Those skinless, mass produced, chicken lip filled dogs most markets carry just won't do. I go for a natural casing "deli style" dog with all meat and no fillers. Kayhem and Deutchmacher are two of my favorites but there are many other good quality dogs out there. These dogs are best steamed, not boiled. I throw some onions and beer in the steaming pot for added flavor.

The bun should be lightly buttered and grilled, anything less just won't do.

Toppings make the dog and there are many ways to do it. "All around" means mustard, chopped onions and relish-that's a good tasting dog without getting too fancy. Another favorite is sauteed kraut with cheese and Guldens (spicy) mustard. A very yummy topping is onion relish-you can make it in a small batch- simply chop an onion, put them in a pot with enough vinegar to cover about a third of the onion in the pot, toss in 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar and a few squirts of barbecue sauce, sprinkle in some celery seed and simmer for 10-15 minutes; chill and serve on a dog with a little mayonnaise and honey mustard-this dog is out of this world! If you like peppers, you can make an easy pepper relish by chopping up a bunch of peppers (I always use one large green, red and yellow pepper, two chili peppers and 2 jalapeno peppers-you can use any kind you want though) and filling a jar with them, pour enough vinegar in the jar to cover the peppers, add some mustard seed and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours; this relish is good with a spicy mustard. I sometimes have my specialty toppings available at the truck-when I do they go fast! Lots of people like ketchup and onions-I'm not much of a ketchup guy when it comes to hot dogs though; try barbecue sauce in place of the ketchup for a change.

Happy Eating!

Ice fishing-without the ice!

If you live in the northern part of the country, you've undoubtedly seen people ice fishing. The hardcore ice fisherman has a hut where they keep from the cold. I often feel like one of these guys in my hot dog truck on a cold day-except I don't have a hole in the floor to reel in fish. No beer either.

I wonder how many ice fishermen like hot dogs? Shanty towns of ice fishing huts spring up on lakes in the winter time. Maybe I should park out on one of these places during the winter.....

Pitchers and catchers in 6 days....