Road side food

I know I am asking alot of questions here but I am in the middle of negotiations as to where my first cart will go. Our local small flea market where anyone from our county can pull up and sell for free has told me that it would look like they were supporting me over the other restaurants in the area if they let me sell there. My other option is roadside next to a "twice the ice" ice machine. There is going to be alot of construction going on(new middle school) about a mile away. Normally I would think that is a good thing for a hot dog stand, but with a cart and no walkthru traffic I don't know.Anybody had any luck with a side of the road cart?

the univ of ga is about 15 mins away but you have to wait for someone to retire or die to get a spot. The commisioners here are giving me a hard time but maybe i can wear them down.

What do you mean, there is no organized crime.

cablemagne


What do you mean, there is no organized crime.

 
This is True----It's very disorganized but very finely tuned!!

I live outside Pittsburgh Pa.  Thinking of going out to industrial areas 

David sets up in parking lots on the side of the road.  There needs to be slowish traffic (25 - 30 mph) multiple in/outs. He currently is parking his cart in a strip mall between an AC/Heating contractors office (they use it as a warehouse on the backside) and a carpet outfit (a friend of his).  He is on a 3 lane one way road.  He has had folks swing around the block to get back to him.  He seems to be the only hot dog cart in town.

This is the link to a google map  http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Van+Hook+Carpets+Franklin+NC&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.426353,55.898438&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=35.184507,-83.378677&spn=0,359.986353&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=35.185116,-83.374543&panoid=KXMsaAt9rFsQ9JQqM7ux0A&cbp=12,108.73,,0,5

MikeinRI

 You're on the right track concentrating on location. But foot traffic is the way to go. No downtown area there? Colleges near by? Kids on campus are in a hurry, want to grab something they can eat on the run and love spending only 5 bucks on lunch.  

Campus locations are ideal if you can get one. Sometimes a local gas station or retail spot that needs to draw college kids works well and benefits both owners. Think bookstore, copy shop/Kinko's, CVS/pharmacy, etc. 

Near the local University (35,000 students), I sat in my car from 11am until 3pm and counted an average of 500+ warm bodies )not all students) that were going to these retail locations, getting on or off a campus bus and/or going to the 800 unit apartment complex across the street. I asked the leasing manager if I could arrange a parking lot spot near the pool on the weekends for my cart, - letting her know that potential renters would see this as a party atmosphere on the weekends. She thought it was a great idea, especially when I offered to keep her pool area cleaned up.