These are the questions I missed from episode 135, simply because we ran out of time.
Thank you for your patience. Below you'll find more info…
From Mike:
Ben,
Thanks for the webinar!!!
Heres a little info what has worked for me;
What to Take?
A fellow vendor here in Roanoke suggested this. Whats the captive audience (300, 500, 700), plan on one hotdog per attendee. Not everyone will get a hotdog, but most will get two, and it will average out. This has worked for me on several set-ups.
What Cart?
Well, I have a big cart (the Oceanside from DreamMakers), and feel I am quickly outgrowing it. My buddy has a little small cart, he moves around a lot everyday, and that works best for him. When I set up, I'm setting up for the day (and my days is 3 hours serving). You have to look at ewhat you want to do. Now Ben, I am still wishing I had got the StandKing, and that will happen with-in the next year.
Handling money?
I do use a three-pocket apron, but I insert a little 6x6inch cardboard into my third pocket, to separate my 10's and 20's. $50's and $100's go in my FRONT pants pockets. The cardboard, I cut out from that little cardboard separator in your 36pk drink cases.
Change?
I know you don't like the 25cents price points, but man do those change make a great sound dropping in the TipJar.
Money – How much Change to take?
My experience has been, if you are expecting 100-150 cusatomers in a 3-hour lunch period, take $180 ($60 in ones, $60 in fives, and $60 in tens – and if you use 25cent price points, $20 in quarters) I started out using $120, but very quickly to $180 in change (and accept credit/debit cards – this can be 25-40% of your daily income)
Keeping an eye on “Income” when others are handling money, or leasing out a cart?
What has worked for me, and this includes the hotdogs, drinks, and chips, – count the buns sold (yep, inventory the buns), and multiply by $3. for me, this usually is right on with-in $15-$20. (I,e. – you stocked 240 buns, you have 32 left, you have “sold” 208 buns, so you should have $624 in the apron, not counting your opening cash) This works for me as a quick check before anyone working leaves the cart.
Pay rates, and “BONUSES”?
I pay $15 and hour when one person is helping me. Now they usually are only with me at lunch time for a couple hours, but that's a good rate for someone who just needs a little extra $$$, and don't want a “real” job. Im not gutting up their day, and they only have to tender payments, pull chips and drinks, and bag the product(s) – Im doing art ll the fixin of the hotdogs, doing most the talking, etc.. I pay them out each day at the end of the shift.
BONUSES – on big events (parades, art shows, etc…) I set price points like you suggested. It is amazing how engaged that little 17yo girl gets, when she knows she is going to get an extra $50 when we hit $500, or $75 when we hit $750, and so on – My little helper at last years Christmas Parade downtown, up-sold everyone she could – “only the dogs? you want a drink and chips also, right?” She told me at the end of the night, that she was going to make sure we hit over as $1000 – so she worked 430pm-9pm. Her pay was $70, and her bonus was $100. Not to bad for four hours work (and yep, I made money also at 72% gross that night)
Gloves?
You got the idea on the webinar…. I will try to make a short little video soon, and send it to you.
Thanks again,
Mike Quarles
“der Frankfurter Cart”
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