Hot Dog Cart News

43 Comments so far ↓

• DAVID // Feb 23, 2010 at 12:31 am

  hey that looks great i want one

• mary // Feb 23, 2010 at 12:49 am

  Steve, well I am finally getting to see daylight with my hot dog cart.Its been quite an ordeal with the state of california,but i am almost there! My problem is we just dont have enough commassary space in this area to accomadate the amount of carts, so Ive decieded to open my own.Do you have any information on opening a commassary? I know I must have commercial sinks, restroom, commercial stove,shelves,floor drains, do you or any of the readers have any input for me or where to get some?oh by the way great idea on the chillie delimma. Thanks Mary

• RogerDog // Feb 23, 2010 at 12:51 am

  Great set-up. Now that we all see it…we all want to know where we can obtain these?
  If they are not available my first stop would be the local machine shop with measurements to cut two holes in a pan lid. Any leads?

• Esteban Guzman // Feb 23, 2010 at 1:08 am

  Thats pretty sharp, I like that set up, although I went with 1/4 size pans for my chili and kraut, one 1/2 size pan for warming and steaming my dogs and buns, one 1/2 size pan to boil the dogs. I might have to look into this pan set up though.

• Cyberdog International // Feb 23, 2010 at 1:09 am

  I think Dave’s idea is better than my own idea. Good job Dave!
  Using a a simple solution and you won’t need to worry about cleaning off the wooden cutting board (ref: my last chili submission).

• AJ Ramos/ Triple Play Dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 1:46 am

  This is great, but most of us don’t have the room in our cart for this. I thought about this same setup for soups but lack of space kept from doing it, but I may may this year by adding a portable stove to my cart. thanks for the pics Dave.

• duggsdoggs // Feb 23, 2010 at 2:31 am

  Now that’s the way to go. Great design!!

• Dave // Feb 23, 2010 at 3:32 am

  This is a great idea. I was thinking about adding a fold down/up shelf to the side of my cart to fit a 2 burner stove from Harbor Freight, and run it on its own propane tank. This would fit on it very nicely and not take any space away from the original steam table. The cart I am building is the EZ Built. Its almost done, and I hope to be painting this weekend. Cant wait to send Steve some pix.

• Pocono Hot Dog // Feb 23, 2010 at 4:24 am

  Thats alot of Chili! If I used that much chili in a one Day set-up, I’d be…well,… Set Up. Dare to dream…One Day, The “World’s Largest Chili Dog”will need The “World’s Largest Chili Set-up”
  No beans about it.

• tenacity // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:21 am

  Well Steve, you’ve convinced me to trade in my full size wire steamer pan for 3 – 1/3 size pans, two of those with steam holes. Thanks for the picture.. Sam’s club right??? Did you say that the cheese can be pumped cold? Just about finished with KZ’S Rte. 66 Little Red Wagon. Got a great location the other day to park it and I’ll be Hot Diggity Dogged!

• Tony/ Hot Dogs U Relish // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:21 am

  Hey they are great, okay next question, where do you find these. please respond back.

  Tony

• Coneyman Dave // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:27 am

  To obtain this chili setup, a restaurant supply store will usually have everything that you’ll need, and have them in numerous sizes and arrangements. In Seattle, we have the Restaurant Depot; http://www.restaurantdepot.com/
  and Bargreen Ellingson;
  https://www.bargreen.com/

  As for Mary wanted to setup up her own commissary, this is a very expensive option. My suggestion would be to approach her local restaurants to see if you can use their kitchen on an “as need” basis. This is the quickest, easiest and most cost effective solution when a commissary is mandated by your local Health Dept.

• Frank // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:36 am

  You can find this stuff through any restaurant equipment outfit. Hey, I know they make 1/4 and 1/2 pans…. do they also make 1/8 pans?

• Natur Jefferies // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:37 am

  grat idea for my meatball sandwiches which are a huge seller. I always run out in 2 quarter pans.
  THANK YOU!

• Natur Jefferies // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:38 am

  where did you find these?

• Jim Farhat // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:42 am

  Where can we get these…love em!

• Jimmy's Ala Cart // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:44 am

  Nice chili set up!

• James // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:45 am

  That is a great idea. Why didn’t I think of that. Saw a similiar set up for boiled peanuts at most truck stops and large
  fueling area on the road but the light never went on. I am going to add the boiled peanuts to the cart when I build one.
  and maybe a smaller set up for the chilli and cheese. ..

• Bob Abraham // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:00 am

  I used to sell chocolate covered bananas at my candy store.

  My equipment was through Dairy Queen.

  I used an electric 2 pot heater. It was not in a water bath.

  I used disposable plastic inserts that held to something like 200 F.

  I bet you could use these for chili eliminating the cleanup.

  I am close to getting started in my Hotdog biz. I would love to know where you can get this setup for chili.

• Bob Abraham // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:03 am

  I bet they make this type of setup for smaller pans that would fit a cart.

  The other thing about the plastic inserts is that the chocolate didn’t react with the metal. I bet the same would be true for chili.

• Tony/ Hot Dogs U Relish // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:14 am

  Natur Jefferies, are you using a hot dog cart or a conession trailer to sell your meat balls out of, I love the idea, email me please with the info
  tonyinflorida1@yahoo.com

  Tony

• Uncel Dave // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:37 am

  Somebody anyone point into the direction to where I can get one of these and also how does it run……

• Lep // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:37 am

  MARY Don’t forget about using a Church for a commissary

• Lynn // Feb 23, 2010 at 10:21 am

  Hey everybody, herad about eBay…thats where I got ALL of my pans…when I built my cart…
  I have 3 full sizs steam pan set up like steves’s and place my Chilli, Cheeze and Krout in one of them in a full steamer with water using 1/6 sizs -4″ pans…works great.
  Lynn Oh,yeh! Look under (Used Resturant Equipment)

• ***QUESTION FROM STEVE*** // Feb 23, 2010 at 10:34 am

  ***QUESTION FROM STEVE***

  Did anyone have trouble accessing the site yesterday?

  Please answer yes or no…

  Thanks!
  -Steve

• Pocono Hot Dog // Feb 23, 2010 at 11:05 am

  NO

• Frank // Feb 23, 2010 at 2:36 pm

  Hey Hot Doggers; you can find just about everything you need for the food & restaurant business at Superior Products.com. I was in the food & liquor business & I dealt with them from day one,from an empty building to the finish line

• Jeff D. // Feb 23, 2010 at 4:29 pm

  Nope, NP Steve.

• DAVID ATKINSON // Feb 23, 2010 at 5:11 pm

  Great Idea I’m looking @ our local Resturant store…
  We have all permit & Licences now ..
  We will be set up in March @ the
  The Cleaning Depot In Windsor Ontario
  Then @ the City Market I hope & a Marinia
  Steve You Are A Great Help To Every One Please Keep It Going
  David &Ava

• Wicked Good Dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 5:31 pm

  No Steve

• duggdoggs // Feb 23, 2010 at 5:46 pm

  no

• duggdoggs // Feb 23, 2010 at 5:48 pm

  no never

• Johnny's Mighty Dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:00 pm

  No problem with the site on Monday Steve.

• Renee's Dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 7:56 pm

  I had no problem accessing the site yesterday Steve.

  Dave in Seattle (Are you sleepless?)
  I LOVE that set up. It’s absolutely perfect for what I want, especially since I want to start offering chili/cheese nachos and it would be great for the chili in one and the cheese in the other. Although the cheese in a squirt can is also a good idea and you don’t need to heat that….
  I know my local Restaurant Depot doesn’t carry them, so I’ll try the Superior Products.

• Jim Lester // Feb 23, 2010 at 8:17 pm

  Steve no problem
  Jim

• Cindy // Feb 23, 2010 at 9:06 pm

  No, worked fine using IE

• pinky's dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 10:10 pm

  what a great dispenser. where do i get it?

• aj/triple play dogs // Feb 23, 2010 at 10:47 pm

  hey folks, you can get this setup at restaurant depot. go to http://www.restaurantdepot.com and check if they are available in your state. they also have the 3 pans setup as well. membership is free and the prices are good. good luck to all.

• Louise // Feb 24, 2010 at 8:05 pm

  Hi Steve and fellow hot doggers!

  Here’s a great link for concession stand supplies:

  http://www.webstaurantstore.com/

  I haven’t posted much since last summer, but have been reading. I started w/ my hd biz last October, but quickly ended my grand opening w/ the swine flu. All better now.

  Since I’m in the No. East, I was planning to run from April to end of October anyhow, so I just put everything on hold ’til this spring.

  Mary, I was going to recommend the churches, deli’s, bowling alleys, clubs, bars, golf courses, etc….
  Opening your own comissary licensed place will most likely cost triple the estimates; A very costly project, especially when you are first starting out.

  If you decide to go that route, best of luck to a huge project! It could be quite profitable in the end.

• clyde // Mar 1, 2010 at 1:57 pm

  what size roung pans is sogs 1926 useing in the picture on 2/24 thank all of you

• Andre/Between the Buns // Mar 3, 2010 at 3:51 pm

  love the chili pans. nice set-up.set-up, looks like you can use for soups, sauces , kroute or any thing to keep warm.wow! great find, must get one myself.
  Question? I am looking an outdoor fryolator simular to cajun bayou fryer. However it must be NSF /ANSI Standard aproved.

• Bob Jones // Jul 6, 2010 at 3:50 pm

  KZ Route 66 Little Red Wagon – She smokes and never washes her hands nor uses gloves on both hands. Same when she touches money which is one of the dirties things there is. I will never eat there again. YUCK!!

• Relish It! LLC // Aug 30, 2010 at 6:05 pm

  Whoa! That’s a High Volume Cart!