Hot Dog Delivery Service

Hi everyone! Brand new to the site and to the Hot Dog Biz, though I've been in sales and marketing for 20 years
I have a Hot Dog concept that I would like some feedback on: I am considering opening a Hot Dog Delivery Service, which I would start by passing out fliers to all the many office buildings in a 3-5 mile radius of my house - my customers would call in the orders and I would have a team of independent contractor drivers doing the deliveries
Advantages:
1. convenient, easy for customers
2. no location problems
3. weather not a major factor (set up my cart at home)
It seems like a good idea, I project that within 90 days, I can get the word out and make a strong go of it, but like most business, it's not what I think that matters, it's the customers...
What am I missing here? Any input would be appreciated!
Thanks
David

Zoning Regs..can you set up a business at your home where you live? In my neighborhood in CT a couple was fined because they had a delivery truck do pick ups at their home twice a day. It was legal for them to have the business but not legal to have a delivery truck come and go so often. Health Dept regs...can you set up a food business in your home? Most states or counties do not allow this, so even though you're outside your kitchen you still would have to prepare everything at a licensed commissary depending on the regs in your area. It all boils down to checking out the laws in your area.

got it-let me add to the question: All food will be prepared from a health department inspected hot dog cart-even if I operate from a parking lot with all necessary town and county permits, in your or any other reader's experience, would the concept itself be a viable one?
thanks

Since the drivers are going to want to make something along with their gas, you may find your delivery prices higher than the food. That may put people off fast. Compared to a $30.00 with the delivery worked, a few hot dogs and fries may not work out the same. Seems to work out the same on eBay with .99 cent deals and $10 for shipping, transporting the product can be more expensive then the product. RJF

There's a guy in, I believe, Morgantown, WV thats been doing this for awhile. I saw it in one of my hot dog news feeds a year or so ago. He works his cart at night, then after 11pm a buddy helps him doing the delivery's (on a bicycle or moped.. I forget exactly). There was also something like a 6 hot dog minimum (or it could have been 6 dollar minimum). Either way, he seemed happy the way things where going. Having a good foot traffic area to start with (near a college), then being able to cheaply expand sounded good to me. You can probably find the story if you Google for it.

How often would you want to order hot dogs by delivery? I think I'd do it once every 6 months, maybe.
Then again, I think I'd say to heck with it and make them myself at home. I don't think delivery is a good idea at all!

quote:

Originally posted by jimsock9

How often would you want to order hot dogs by delivery? I think I'd do it once every 6 months, maybe.
Then again, I think I'd say to heck with it and make them myself at home. I don't think delivery is a good idea at all!

the audience that I'm going after are the people working in offices: accountants/financial advisors/traders/professionals/office parks
I don't know about what area you live in, but in my area, ny/ct, in any office I've worked in for over 20 years, there's always been a file filled with take out menus and there's always been a brisk business delivery people delivering lunch (chinese, subs, wraps, etc)
maybe where you live people go home for lunch
thanks for your input!

I see a problem with the narrow hour(s) ... How many IC's can you get who want to work an hour and a half a day ???

(I don't know. I am just bringing up the thought.)

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

I see a problem with the narrow hour(s) ... How many IC's can you get who want to work an hour and a half a day ???

(I don't know. I am just bringing up the thought.)

good point-i would probably spread the hours between 11-2
as I said in my first thread, that's why I'm asking you and all the other pros to give me that constructive criticism - you can see it from an angle that I could not
thanks!

I think you also need to get a clarification on calling your delivery people independent contractors. You'll be requiring them to work specific hours, so that may make them employees.

Also, I'd suggest doing a formal business plan before you go much farther.

Br sure to have independent contractors agreements in force (Especially regarding no Workers comp or insurance) and file 1099's on them.

quote:

Originally posted by jman

I think you also need to get a clarification on calling your delivery people independent contractors. You'll be requiring them to work specific hours, so that may make them employees.

Also, I'd suggest doing a formal business plan before you go much farther.

I agree. To be considered "independent contractors", they will be required by the state to have their own Taxpayer (or Employer) Identification Number and local business license. I would not attempt to call a de-facto employee an independent contractor in hopes of by-passing state employment taxes and regulations; it just won't work.

I don't think you get the point about a commissary. Even though your cart is "approved," you still need to take it to a legal, approved commissary to replenish water and for cleaning the components. Your home doesn't qualify. You can't store your food in your home. As soon as a competitor or a plain old busy-body hears of what you're doing, they'll sic the inspectors on you like a starving chimp on an over-ripe banana.

I own a brick and mortar hot dog joint in uptown (formerly downtown) Charlotte. I am signed up with a delivery program at Wachovia Bank headquarters. They're right across the street and we can walk the orders over. The orders are placed by computer and come as a fax to us. The company running the program takes the payments online for us. If we had to pay people to deliver, figure out how they'll pay (if you can't take credit cards, you're cutting your own throat) and the other overhead you're talking about to sell hot dogs, we'd s**t-can the program. There are thousands of people at Wachovia, and we earn enough for maybe a couple tanks of gas a month.....and I drive a '71 VW bug. If I'm wrong........................never mind.