Opening up a new trailer...

Hi all, newb here...great forum...was hoping to ask some questions....
 
I am planning on opening an enclosed trailer..probably a 7x14...or maybe a 8x16....It will mostly remain stationary but I may take it to the occasional festival here and there.....
I plan on serving hot dogs which i am hoping is the main draw with my texas sauce on them....But I also will be serving burgers, tacos, breakfast sandwiches, specials of the day/week....Food is going to be of higher quality....
First : Do you think $400/month lot rent is too high ?
 
thanks

Ok, how about asking the rent question another way.....
 
I'm just curious as to what you fellow vendors out there with a trailer pay for lot rent ?

depends on traffic flow, high traffic location, very cheap. back of a deadend alley, not so good. very hard to say.

Well I can forget about the 400/mo location...town won't allow a concession stand there...zoning laws

Unless you live in a food truck friendly town your best bet would be to start with festivals. We recommend starting small and working your way up. The only problem with selling hotdogs at festivals is a lot of vendors sell dogs. Many food vendors list another item as their main speciality and sell hotdogs as an add on item. Also most of the non-profits will try to sell hotdogs. Tacos and Tex-Mex food should be a hit. A lot of the ingredients are the same and you can offer tacos and burritos.

Put a dog in a tortilla, ad some nacho sauce, and call it a Chihuahua! Now you got Mex and Dogs in one!

or......... put a dog in a tortilla shell with a slice of cheese wrap it up toss it in the fryer and you got a "donkey tail"
 
a spirial fry with a sausage inside can get you a "texas tornado" 

One more thing, if you are going to do festivals go with a 14' trailer. Overall is around 17'. Many times you can get by with paying for one space or 1 and 1/2 space. Any thing over 20' will probably cost you two spaces.

thnx for the info on the festivals jody....Unfortunately I cannot start off by just doing a few festivals....My ex-employer cut my pay a few weeks ago by 50%...then when i told them i wanted to use my vacation time they fired me....
 
So i'm being thrown into the fire....It's ALL or NOTHING !!

Where do you want to set up? I don't pay a dime for my spot, I sold myself as a draw to help the strip mall owner attract more business into his lot, he has a few vacancies he needs filled. I have a Lowes within 100 yards of my spot, and it would cost me around $600 + a month to move over there. I will stay in my free spot.
 
Find a spot you like and just ask.

thanks,
   yea that's what i am trying to do now....sell myself as a boost to their business....
 
 

are you able to do roadside vending...?
 

yes, i went to the town i live in and they showed me the zoning map

so save some money and do a roadside spot... if you have the time, I'd look into it... with the county I am going to be in, I also only have to pay for unincorporated palm beach and not a city...so I am saving both with the spot and a city..
 
Good Luck
Bobby G