Hot Dog Cart Menu Ideas

Most hot dog vendors rely on getting some level of repeat business from their customers. The ability to attract regulars is what can make the difference between an average cart and one that makes a killing on a daily basis. This is where your menu comes in. Your menu must be just right if people are to enjoy your food, go away happy and spread the word.

In the following article we look at the importance of hot dog cart menus and how to put them together. We also offer some ideas on what to include in your menu.

Menu Design

The best menus offer customers enough variety to satisfy them while still being simple enough to avoid complications. A simple menu is easier to understand and it can help you to avoid errors and wasted time as people ask questions. A simple menu also means that you won’t have complications when ordering the stock that you need.

Marketing with Menus

Don’t forget that your menu can do much more than simply convey information. It should also be an advertisement for your products. Having some ‘mouth watering’ images on your menu can really boost sales, especially if they have been done by a professional photographer.

You may want to offer ‘combo’ deals whereby customers can get a full meal for a special price. The most common deal is to offer a hot dog, a bag of chips and a soda for a price that is much more attractive than if the items were ordered individually.

Research

Tastes can vary from state to state so you may want to do some research at the local level to find out what is popular. You will also have to check the provisions of your license as these may restrict your menu to some degree.

The Main Attraction

Your hot dogs are obviously your main attraction so you must do all that you can to ensure that you have a five star product. Here are some things to consider.

1) The common frankfurter is your key ingredient, although you can also offer variations like Polish or Italian sausages. You can also get Kosher hot dogs or even vegetarian hot dogs if you think that their will be sufficient demand in your area.

2) Look for a local supplier and do some taste testing. In general, you can’t go wrong by using a national brand like ‘Nathans’.

3) Some people may want to order ‘double’ dogs with two frankfurters instead of one. Others may order a ‘hot dog’ without the bun, especially if they are trying to limit their carbohydrates intake.

4) There are many regional variations in the US. A ‘Chicago Style’ for example never contains ketchup and in New York they often use a special ‘brown onion’ sauce.

5) Hot dogs can be boiled or grilled. In the Northern states grilling is more popular while boiling is common in the south.

6) Always use quality, fresh buns. Some vendors simply steam their buns while others toast them. Some regional specialties have specific bun requirements such as the ‘Chicago Style’ which typically comes served on a poppy seed bun.

7) The sauces and toppings that you can put on hot dogs are endless so you should look for recipes online to get some inspiration. You may be limited by your license though and you may not be permitted to use toppings like cheese or mayonnaise that require refrigeration.

Other Common Menu Items

Apart from hot dogs you will want to sell beverages. Soda, diet soda and bottled water offer excellent profit margins and require little effort to serve on the part of the vendor. Chips and candy bars are even better as they won’t take up your valuable refrigeration space.

Hot dog stands often also sell salads, coleslaws, French fries and nachos to name just a few common hot and cold food items. You may decide that it is not worth complicating things by adding too many other products. Your license will also limit you to some extent. However, if you have a busy location then you may as well test as many products as you can within reason to see what sells well.

For hot dog cart menu ideas and other information on how to start a hot dog stand business visit – Black Book of Hot Dog Stand