Used Hot Dog Carts

Advantages of Buying Used Hot Dog Carts Versus New Hot Dog Carts

Hot dog street vending is undoubtedly a great business opportunity for an aspiring entrepreneur. It allows you to be your own boss and to make some money whether on a full time or part time basis. As such, you can find hot dog carts at a variety of models and prices to suit your needs.

You may just need a small hot dog cart to place in front of a large office building during lunch break or a deluxe model that will hold sufficient supplies for you to remain at a specific location to sell your hot dogs and other treats all day long.

But one important question a budding hot dog street vending entrepreneur often asks himself is: Do I buy brand new or used hot dog vending carts?

The obvious answer is to get a new one. But veterans in the hot dog street vending business highly recommend getting a refurbished or used unit, whether it’s used vending cart, used hot dog cookers, etc.

Why? This is simply because it makes perfect business sense. You have to remember that you’re just starting in a business you know next to nothing about. So your chances of making mistakes are overwhelmingly great.

So as the saying goes: “Start small but dream big”. As a budding hot dog street vending entrepreneur, that should be your mantra from now on.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a used hot dog cart that will suit your needs. Don’t start by buying three or five vending carts. Just start with one cart first which you should run yourself, even if you can only do it on weekends. In this manner, you’ll get to know the business well enough if the people you’ll be hiring in the future are doing a good job.

Not only that, but any mistakes that you’ll be making running your one-man hot dog street vending business will be small as compared to having three or five vending carts. Get all the kinks worked out on your first cart. Then all you have to do is to duplicate your initial success. No doubt you’ll have it much easier at that point.

Aside from this, a used hot dog cart is less expensive than a new one. Although the prices may vary according to the seller, used hot dog carts can normally be found starting at about $500 to $2,000 for the base models and $3,000 to $12,000 for the deluxe units.

Bear in mind that a good price on a used hot dog cart is likely to be sold rather quickly, so you’ll have to act fast. Besides, the money you save in buying a used hot dog cart can be an additional budget for the supplies that you’ll need such as trays, chip clips, condiments, and a cash box, among others.

Once you’re established as a hot dog cart operator, you can sell your used vending cart and buy a brand new one. By this time, you’ll have more confidence and “street smarts” to run your hot dog vending empire.

But if you’ll be selling hot dogs for special occasions — like sporting events or street fairs — you may be better off renting a unit from hot dog cart distributors. This will allow you to have a cart without breaking the bank. Most rental companies offer daily rates that range from $300 to $600 and at weekly rates that start at $1000.

The moral lesson here is to start small while you’re still learning the ropes of the hot dog street vending business. Then you can expand your operations without making the same mistakes others have made before you. This will give you the head start you’ll need to make a name for yourself in this industry.