Need some advice... Fryer

Only sell 2 food items:  Corn Dogs and Hand-cut Home made Organic French fries made to order (pre-blanched/boiled in vinegar water).
I will sell Organic French fries because i Get them right from a local organic farmer Very Cheap
 
Have a nice outdoor location selected, on-campus at a local university.  So I was thinking about going with a Gas Countertop Fryer set-up under one of thoes nice concession tents. I know how important it is to have the right tool for the job,   Im my case I need help selecting a quailty Fryer. Have no experince with fryers so will need allot of direction here. 

Options:
 Cecilware, Wyott, Frymaster, Globe, Imperial  ect..

Should i go with 2 smaller 13lb fryers like this:
Cecilware GF10 Countertop Fryer (13lbs)

or 1 bigger 25lb fryer like these:
Imperial Elite 25lb fryer
Cecilware GF28 Countertop Fryer(28lbs)
 

Need help

I.M.H.O. IT depends on the amount of fries your selling. another thing is the ground you have to setup on, if you setup on black top it would be more flat than maybe a grassy area where the fryer would be more unstable, remember one of those table top fryers are not going to have the recovery time that a comercial gas fryer will, gas fryer will need ...gas...(duh)... to operate means you have to haul tank around ..have tank out of the area of the tent(at least i would ) i wouldnt want an ugly gas tank that could be seen by customers.elec...what are you planning on using for power?? gen,... power on site...???
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

For me, I would only consider commercial grade equipment. Since you don't have any experience with fryers you probably won't fully understand why, but it's the only way to produce a quality product. Nothing can speak for first hand experience. Go big or go home frustrated.

Curb

It wont let me post a link on this fourm, but here is a photo of one of the fryers im looing at
I think this is a commercial countertop fryer
From the webpage:
Imperial IFST-25 Fryer Gas Countertop Model 25LB Oil Capacity

• 25 pound frypot
• 3 cast iron tube fired burners rated at 65,000 BTU
• Precision welded by a robot
• Cool zone
• Millivolt temperature control circut
• Manual controls
• 100% safety shut off
• 2 mesh fry baskets included
• Crumb screen
• Gas
• Made from stainless steel
• Snap action thermostat
• 4in legs with non marking feet
• 65,000 total BTU's
• Dimensions: 24.5in H x 15.5in W x 28.5in D
  
  Buck
  Can you tell from the specks i posted if this fryer would have a good recovery time?
  
  Here is a photo of the Consession canopy/tent I would like to use,   this  will allow me to hide my Gas tanks and other things like plates/cups and coolers from view
  

yea a 6500 btu fryer isnt to bad mine is 95000 but again ice cream man is prob. spot on about the tent with a fryer i wouldnt attempt that, those exhaust fumes /gasses are hot and need proper ventilation...

I have no doubt it would work but up here you would get shut down and a huge fine we're talking in the thousands of dollars. It would be nice to work somewhere where there are no rules. Here, every year you have to have an inspection of all mobile gas equipment by a licensed gas technician. It has to meet the fire code, hood and fire suppression.

Looks like you are getting some good feedback here. I would consider all of the questions coming up. It's never as easy as plug and play. Lots of logistics to work out. Best of luck!

Thank you for all the feed back but...
Unfortanatly I am now forced to abandon my plan. Due to the stringant Government regulations in my area (PEI Canada).  I thought they were more laid back here, but I was wrong....  they want a full fire supression system installed by a professional.  I would consider building a nice frytruck even with fire supression.  but the costs of paying a pro company to install it are past my confort point.  Im really looking for somthing with lower overhead costs.
 
PLAN B:

This idea came tonight, after cooking a nice stirfry dinner.

A mobile Pad Thai cart

simmilar to this one in this video:

[tube]www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp3IvlDUhrg&feature=fvwrel[/tube]

(The Video link doesn't seem to be working but you can copy paste it into your browser to view it)

Maybe I can build a hot dog Cart and replace the steamers with a wok. 

Anybody have plans for a hot dog cart build? 

How much food service experience do you have?
First you wanted to sell fried crap under a tent, that won't work, now you want to cook Thai food because you made yourself a nice stir fry dinner?
You need to sit down, figure out what you can do and what is realistic.
Then you need to go to the government agencies involved up there in the great white north to see if it is allowed, what type of set up is needed, then go from there.
 

Chef, you hurt my feelings! "Fried crap under a tent."

There are a lot of people that make a decent living selling so called "fried crap" under tents, in trucks, trailers and more than all of those combined....restaurants. Why do some people on this site feel free to be dicks. I wonder what you are like in person without the safety of the internet. Professional? Probably not.

FriedTater


Chef, you hurt my feelings! "Fried crap under a tent."

Sorry Tater, no offense meant, it's an expression.

Curb Hopper


There are a lot of people that make a decent living selling so called "fried crap" under tents, in trucks, trailers and more than all of those combined....restaurants. Why do some people on this site feel free to be dicks. I wonder what you are like in person without the safety of the internet. Professional? Probably not.

Why are you attacking me? Did someone piss in your cheerios this morning?
You attack my professionalism in the food industry? You know nothing about me or what I do.
Put your big girl panties on and get over it.
Fried crap is an expression, ever heard it? My post was tough love for someone who obviously has no experience in the food industry, and no idea what is involved or how to deal with the gov agencies he needs to work with.
If the op had done a little homework, he would not have come here asking about friers.
Now he's wondering if he can convert a hot dog stand to wok cooking.
 

Don't worry Chef I still love you.
Of course being friends with me won't get you any gold stars LMAO.

Buba, if I was "attacking" you I would have directed my post directly to you. I've seen this "tough love" cover up in this forum many times over. Personally I don't believe in it. It comes across the internet as un professional and disrespectful. There are more effective ways to communicate. So what if someone doesn't have a clue about this business. Just because I paid my dues and learned the hard way shouldn't justify me to act like an ass. The internet is an easy way to research for answers. Can you really fault someone for finding their way here and asking questions. I don't feel the need to rip anybody or change my panties, I actually prefer my little girl bottoms over the big girl. Oh, maybe I haven't been around the right hang outs but I've never known " fried crap" to be an expression.

Low overhead cost.
Been looking for some of that myself, put little out and make lots.
If anyone has an idea please let me know.
Not to make fun, but the only thing I can think of is a shovel, they're cheap and people pay a lot to have ditches dug. I don't like digging.
I've got 70,000 into my place and I only sell Ice Cream, franchise places are 250,000 or more. When I see how much you guys put into a cart or a trailer that's not peanuts either.
But there's got to be a way to spend one dollar and make ten.

Chef, never heard the expression "fried crap." No harm done. The best hundred dollar bill I ever spent besides my wife engagement ring is a 4 foot by 10 foot yellow banner I mount on the front of my tent saying "If It Ain`t Fried, It Ain`t Food." Can`t tell you how many people stop and take pictures and sample my stuff. So I`ll continue frying taters, funnel cakes, corn dogs, chicken and alligator.
Now, you want to know what really makes me mad? Although I`m a registered Democrat, I do not vote party lines, I vote for the person I think is best. A Facebook friend of mine, thinking I`m true blue replubican, posted all republicans are son-of-bitches. Uncalled for. Now, thats pissing in my Cherrioes!
Take care.

Fried crap is part of my menu too. Hand cut fries and hand dipped beer battered
onion rings, I sell a lot..... I also do dipped corn dogs at events.
Nothing wrong with fried foods.
If curb hopper didn't like my tone, oh well.
Not everyone deserves a trophy just because they tried out for the team.
There are lots of people that come and go here because they thought they had a good idea, but didn't do any basic research on their own before asking a bunch of questions here.
Go read schmellys posts for example.

This past summer I stopped at a food trailer named "CurbSide Grill" I figured this must be a fried crap mobile. I walked up to the trailer, nice looking fellow came to the window, I asked what kind of fried crap do you have. The nice looking feller told me he offered, Hot Pastrami & melted provolone cheese on Amoroso Rolls, hot Philly Cheesesteak, Char Broiled fresh made hamburgers,ch burgers and bacon cheeseburgers, dbl cheeseburgers, he also offered a super burrito special. I asked this nice looking fellow, So you don't only sever fried crap, you offer a chef quality prepared food operation, with all the food coming off the grill and charbroiler, fresh, hot, and juicy. I was amazed at the quality of the food this fellow turned out of this food trailer, he also offered some fried crap to go along with his quality fresh made, hot off the fire food. The french fries were fresh cut, the onion rings were hand made batter dipped.
 I guess the point of me telling this story is, it doesn't take a whole bunch of talent or knowledge to serve fried crap. This operator worked many years in all kinds of Restaurants and Catering operations. This operator didn't just wake up with an idea, spend $60K on a food trailer on a wing and a prayer. The reason why he has a successful operation is, he worked for many years, with all kinds of menus, serving all kinds of people, under all kinds of conditions. This is the recipe for a successful operation.
 This Forum is a place to learn, ask questions, and understand that the food service business is more than making a good stirfry dish one night, then spending 50K the next day to open a business. If some tough love is given in a forum, take it and let it make you tougher. If you have a good idea, experience, a well thought out plan, and want to start a business, just realize more people who enter this business fail then succeed. Chefbuba is just being realistic, trying to tell the OP, this may not be the best idea, fried crap is fried crap. This forum isn't about being a cheerleader, its about learning the harsh realities" you can loose your life savings on your  idea". .......................The Trailer I stopped at on the Washington Coast, was run by a nice looking fellow named Craig, he also goes by the name Chefbuba in this forum...............pnwc

You're lucky, I'd love to go but I can't in the summer and I won't in the winter.

It's a beautiful 38 this morning, high of around 50

Wow I'm impressed this thread turned out to be a great thread that every new poster should have to read!
I loved :
ChefBubba's post
PNWChef post
Friedtater's post
Ice Cream Man's post
Great Job Guys.
jack
PS wait until you see what I did for Veterans Day Weekend, it is too cool! I'll post the pics in a new thread tonight or tomorrow.

Dr of BBQ


Wow I'm impressed this thread turned out to be a great thread that every new poster should have to read!
I loved :
ChefBubba's post
PNWChef post
Friedtater's post
Ice Cream Man's post
Great Job Guys.
jack
PS wait until you see what I did for Veterans Day Weekend, it is too cool! I'll post the pics in a new thread tonight or tomorrow.

Jack, if your weekend doesn't end with you streaking through the streets of Springfield with a btl of Jack Daniels in one hand, and a naked girl in the other, I'll be disappointed.........Second thought maybe just the pictures of the naked gal and the btl of Jack Daniels.........BAHHHAHHHAHAAHHAHAHHAHHA

chefbuba


It's a beautiful 38 this morning, high of around 50

Same here but I don't have to go outside.

Does it have anything to do with a cannon and a BBQ specialist ?

Ice Cream Man


Does it have anything to do with a cannon and a BBQ specialist ?

 
No LMAO but I'm not adverse to cannons. I own a fair size collection of cannons.
 
No what I did was buy 244 4 x 6 inch flags and drilled holes in the top of my wood stack that stretches about  100 feet long and stuck a flag in every 6 inches. Then I put on my marquee "Honk if you Love Veterans" and they have been honking all day. It is a wonderful day abnormally warm 70 degrees and a nice breeze blowing from the west which makes the flags look awesome. I took some pictures and I'll post some tonight. I have had a ton of customers comment on the flags.  It was well worth the money I spent on the flags.
jack

Good I didn't really want to see you shot out of a cannon.
Nov. 11th is a big day here too.