I am up and running

Have 2 weeks under my belt. I am on a street location across from the University. Sold every weekday except one Friday when it poured all day. Made up for it on the following Saturday as it was homecoming. We sold on the parade route and then moved over to my regular location and caught the after football game crowd. Will work the rest of the home games as well.
 
So far none of the restaurants in the area have complained and I passed the first test when a local cop stopped and checked my license and health permit. He was pleased that all was in order. So was I!!!
 
My used TopDog cart has served me well. It was well worth the drive to pick it up and the $$ I invested. It is a real producer.
 
I offer a basic hotdog, a Chicago hotdog made with ALL the genuine ingredients, brats, metts and a chicken apple sausage which is catching on big time! I added burgers on week 2 and have veggie burgers and dogs as well if anyone askes for them...and they do.
 
I'm adding Cincinnati style chili for the dogs tommorrow as I have had alot of requests for the topping.
 
Each day I get smarter and the job gets a little easier. Cleaning up after a day of work is the toughest part.
 
I want to thank you all on the forum as I could not have done it without all the good information that's contained in the forum. The search option has been a great help as there is SO MUCH information in the archives.
 
Here's to week #3.

Sweet man!  I'm sure you know this, but Cincinnati is the birthplace of the chili dog.  I've seen recipies for chili that actually have chocolate in them.  I hear they have a famous dish there called chili 5 ways.

I'm happy to see you up and running.  I have been talking about it for years and back in April, I actually got a cart that needed work.  I got sidetracked with family stuff, but have recently been doing all the fixes to the cart. 

I spent $2400 on the cart, and really for the money I think I could have gotten one in better shape.  I hope to be kicking butt like you soon.

Congratulations Joel!  Glad your up and running and enjoying your Top Dog.  Best wishes for much success.

you certainly are off to a quick start.  congrats.  "Here's to week #3" indeed! :)

zumguteetz


Have 2 weeks under my belt. I am on a street location across from the University. Sold every weekday except one Friday when it poured all day. Made up for it on the following Saturday as it was homecoming. We sold on the parade route and then moved over to my regular location and caught the after football game crowd. Will work the rest of the home games as well.
 
So far none of the restaurants in the area have complained and I passed the first test when a local cop stopped and checked my license and health permit. He was pleased that all was in order. So was I!!!
 
My used TopDog cart has served me well. It was well worth the drive to pick it up and the $$ I invested. It is a real producer.
 
I offer a basic hotdog, a Chicago hotdog made with ALL the genuine ingredients, brats, metts and a chicken apple sausage which is catching on big time! I added burgers on week 2 and have veggie burgers and dogs as well if anyone askes for them...and they do.
 
I'm adding Cincinnati style chili for the dogs tommorrow as I have had alot of requests for the topping.
 
Each day I get smarter and the job gets a little easier. Cleaning up after a day of work is the toughest part.
 
I want to thank you all on the forum as I could not have done it without all the good information that's contained in the forum. The search option has been a great help as there is SO MUCH information in the archives.
 
Here's to week #3.

Sounds like things are going well. I always try to find ways to make clean up easier at the end of the day. When business slows down at the end of the day I start clean up and prep for the next day. I shut off the burners the last 1/2 hour (the water stays hot enough to keep them steaming) Then I drain my cooler and restock the drinks for the next day.

Then I clean and fill all my condiment trays with relish and start wiping down the whole cart. I then load all the bulk of my supplies in the truck and keep what I have left in the steamers. Once I'm done for the day, out come the pans and the I do a good cleaning of the cooking area. Pans go in the truck and all I have to do is fill the water jugs and clean the pans when I get home. (if you have kids or a roommate pay them $5 bucks to clean your pans when you get home) trust me it makes coming home more relaxing lol. I am alowed to keep my pans at home but my cart has to stay in a storage unit.


Having a work van or truck makes things way easier. You can keep most of your supplies in the truck and not lug them in and out each day. When I first started out I would just throw things in the truck and say "I will clean and organize it all when I get home" but I found if you always stay organized it makes things way easier. keep a checklist each day for your setup and breakdown and weed out the things that are not selling enough or the costs are too high.

Congrats on your grand opening

Thanks for the tips. I actually have been working on an AM and a PM routine. Your input is welcomed indeed!

Congrats on the business venture. Fun, isn't it? I love doing it.

In reading your post I saw the term "metts", what exactly is that?

Thanks,
D

sandwichking


In reading your post I saw the term "metts", what exactly is that?

Thanks,
D

When I lived in Ohio, we would go to Riverfront stadium to watch the Reds play. The food stands there offered in addition to hot dogs, brats and metts. I'd always buy the brats, so I never tried the metts. Here is the definition for metwurst:
"Also called Schmierwurst  because it's soft enough to smear or spread, this German pork sausage is bright red, fatty and seasoned with coriander and white pepper. Though it's uncooked, mettwurst is cured, smoked and ready to eat. It's usually spread on bread or crackers." 
I don't think this type of suusage would lend itself to cart vending. I hope someone else will give an example of a cooked sausge that is considered a mettwurst. 

Braunschweiger perhaps.

Mettwurst. Real popular here in Cincinnati.