Starting a Chicago area hot dog business

Does anyone know of any good resources (books, videos, websites) in starting a Chicago style hot dog/hamburger business? I have searched everywhere and can't find anything. Thanks in advance!

HI,

This may be one of my very first posts on LTHforum. Someone asked on the other board nearly the same question. I carefully wrote a reply relative to what I would do. By the time it was uploaded the laser focus style there had already deleted the topic and it disapeered. Though I was sure this guy would not find my post, I did write it up anyway. I called it the The Perfect Dog.

If you really want to put energy and creativity into your hot dog business, especially in the northern suburbs, then consider Hot Doug's as someone to emulate.

I know of one LTHforum poster who is in the throes of opening a hot dog stand as I write. Personally I would begin by working at a hot dog stand before I really pulled the trigger. Sometimes things do look greener on the other side and reality can be a great teacher.

If you do really choose to pursue this, I hope you might chronical the adventure here. If there is no book, then you may be the one to write it.

Regards,

hey this is mikey, i agree with cathy.. you better get your foot into the mix and see whats its like when its midnight and the sweat is roollin off your face!!! a good starting point is to talk to the guys at vienna who can run some numbers for you for free!!

An idea I've also toyed with from time to time. Heres a link.

http://www.sbdchelp.com/hotdogs.htm

Agree completely with Cathy2. Having 15 years in the business (institutional foodservice, family restaurants, vending, and catering), I find it very amazing how many people assume that they can run a food operation ... and many of them have NEVER worked in the business.

I would spend a minimum of six months working at a place that is successful **AND** has been in business a minimum of 10 years.

I don't have a TV. However, this week, I was on vacation and caught a program called Hell's Kitchen (sp??). I am sure that I do not like the chef running the place. However, the show does realistically capture the real tension that goes on during a "rush period" whether you are working fine dining or a fast food place.

I was in Laredo, TX and stopped at a place claiming that they served authentic Chicago hot dogs mentioning Vienna. I am not going to judge the restaurant except to say that they serve one MISERABLE cup of coffee and are charging $3.75 per dog. I passed on it as I had other plans and stumbled on to a great tacqueria.

brschwartz wrote:Does anyone know of any good resources (books, videos, websites) in starting a Chicago style hot dog/hamburger business?

Previous LTH thread at this link
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t= ... ct+hot+dog

Good luck. When it comes to serving the public, you are in for an adventure.

Brschwartz,

Can you guess how many hot dogs you'll have to sell every day just to pay your bills and meet your break even point?

Be careful what you ask for...

...you might get it.

about a year or 2 ago, chicago tonight did a piece where they interviewed several owners of hot dog stands in the area. most had been in the business for many years. the owners all seemed to like what they were doing but indicated that times have changed and that running such a business was becoming increasingly harder to do, if not really difficult. they also, i think, touched on the money aspect, too.

if you can get your hands on a copy of the piece, i'd recommend it.

Anyone know how much profit is in the business? I heard drinks are the #1 money maker followed by hot dogs.. I wonder if a sabrett hot dog would work in Chicago.

Here's my advice, FWIW:
1) Radioactive green relish. You don't have that, I won't eat the dogs.
2) Fresh cut fries. Gotta differentiate yourself from McD's.
3) Italian beef -- if you serve nothing else, ya gotta have it
4) Don't charge extra for giardinera, please, it's why I'm ordering the beef to begin with
5) Location
6) Location
7) Location

brschwartz wrote:Anyone know how much profit is in the business? I heard drinks are the #1 money maker followed by hot dogs.. I wonder if a sabrett hot dog would work in Chicago.

Chicago = Vienna

I think Vienna has a how to book. That is were I would start.

I am heading in that general direction myself having worked in my aunts hot dog stand for about 6-7 years. Working in a stand first is the best advise. it gets hot back there and if u don't know what u r doing, u could lose your shirt.

As far as the Sabretts dogs...well they could work. U don't have to use a Vienna dog to be successful. A good example is SuperDawg. The problem with Sabretts is were to get em. The cost to bring em in will not make it worth it, IMO.

gp60004 wrote:I think Vienna has a how to book.

They do. It's $50 which is refunded on your first wholesale purchase. They'll also help with signage and other materials needed. Vienna made its name in Chicago by giving people practically everything they needed to open a stand. While their zeal is no longer necessary, they do continue their tradition of guiding the owner through the process.

http://www.viennabeef.com/business.htm

Best,
Michael / EC

HI,

Long ago, I took a tour with Culinary Historians of the original Maxwell Street, which included a visit with the owner of Jim's Original.

What were his most profitable items? His proprietary Polish sausage followed by the bone-in pork chops. His least profitable was the lowly Vienna hot dog probably because you are not only buying the dog, you are banking on their market recognition and support. Why else do some businesses keep the Vienna signage and don't offer Vienna dogs. They know what their customer's consider quality, even if it is not really provided. If you can offer something unique, proprietary and desired by your customers, then you will have found a great profit center.

Jim's also found it more economical (which translates to profitable) to pickle their own sport peppers. He hired someone once a week to peel hundreds of pounds of onions to be freshly slice and grilled as needed. A lot more processing and hand work than may be expected, but in business pennies count.

At Hot Doug's, his Chicago hot dog is a loss leader at $1.50. You get into the exotic encased sausage, proprietary=profitable, they you are $4 and up. Plus his flare for marketing and attracting the press on the cheap is phenomenal; which is intended as a compliment.

Where are you considering having this business?

Regards,

Buying the food is the least difficult of the problem. By the way, getting the Sabretts dogs will not be difficult. The larger distributors like Sysco or Gordons Foodservice will obtain and stock any item as long as you are using their stock up over the course of time. I was always able to get ANYTHING from anywhere - and that was in the old pre-internet days.

The REAL issue in the restaurant business is getting the PEOPLE. You better speak Spanish. You better plan to simplify your processes as you will see 100%+ turnover each year. And plan to be in the restaurant pretty much all the time through the first year or two.