One of the most lucrative business opportunities for hot dog stand owners is to build connections with event planners. If you are able to negotiate concessions to set up your stand open at an event that is large in size, such as a sports festival such as a carnival, rock concert, or even a carnival, then you’ll have the chance to make a profit that is usually much higher than the typical regular roadside operation.
In these events and shows, there is an enormous crowd that is hungry. Also, those attending the event won’t have a lot of options to get an eat-in or snack. There may be concessions at the event but generally speaking, you’ll have a large audience. The majority of people aren’t likely to quit a concert, event, or baseball game only to head out and find alternatives. Therefore, you’ll usually be able to charge your hot dogs slightly more than in a typical selling setting.
But, managing an event stand during an event that is crowded isn’t easy and distinct from a regular streetside perspective. It is likely that you will be charged quite a bit for concessions. Therefore you must maximize the chance. Here are some helpful tips for selling hot dogs at events that are busy.
A Concession Agreement
When an event’s planner or the concert organizer has signed a contract to allow you to put your display at their event, it is beneficial to write the information down into a formal agreement. Both parties must be aware of their respective positions to avoid confusion.
It is essential to note the dates and times of your event, along with indicating the location, accessibility, and use of facilities. Check out the venue prior to your visit If you can.
Ask the organizer to offer guarantees in relation to the number of people who attend the event and also the number of food vendors to receive concessions. The event’s organizer might require that you stay for a particular amount of time or might have additional conditions.
Understanding Market Needs
In accordance with the type of event you’ll be attending, you might consider making changes to the menu. It is possible to offer tea in a hot cup to the crowd at a trade show or offer cold drinks to the attendees of an evening concert.
Do not forget to consider the weather. If it appears that the day is likely to be very hot, you should put in a few extra cases of soda or bottled water.
Menu Considerations
Keep your menu as easy as you can. On your typical day of business, you’ll have the time to discuss the orders and cook an assortment of dishes. However, when serving a large audience, you must be as fast as you can in both making orders and then preparing the items. Simple menus will help prevent mistakes and questions from customers and will allow you to make it easier to manage your stock.
Necessary Employees
You must ensure that there is enough staff available to keep up with the demand. In a setting that has high volumes of sales, there will be at least two people working at every hot dog stand, and perhaps more. If you have two employees at the frame, it’s common to have one person taking orders while the other cooks hot dogs. It is also possible that you require one employee to manage the stand while another goes off to purchase urgently needed supplies.
Smart Pricing
If you’ve been to other events around your area, you’ll probably have a notion of the cost you could expect for a hotdog at an event. Many people wish to pay more at an event, such as a sporting event or concert; however, they don’t want to be taken advantage of, so be accurate.
Try to round your rates to even numbers. Four dollars is more practical than $3.99, for instance. It is easy for your employees to make sure that customers are paying their bills and keep track of change. Make sure to take plenty of change since the majority of people will carry large bills and may need to buy something with a twenty-dollar, perhaps even one hundred dollars bill.
Efficiency and Systems
If you’re providing hot dog sandwiches to a large number of people, you need to concentrate on efficiency and effectiveness. Discuss the procedure with the staff in advance and ensure that there’s no duplication of effort or waste of time.
There are many small techniques that concession stands sellers have discovered to manage crowds. One method of keeping lines short is to create an additional bar for drinks because the orders can be processed quickly.
The process of running a display at an event is a totally different experience from operating an on-street hot dog stand. The potential to earn huge profits is available at these events. Therefore you should learn how to run a successful business that can maximize the number of sales. It is also essential to show that your company is reliable and easy to deal with. Then, the organizers of the event will want to see you again next time.
