Online Resources For Hot Dog Carts And Mobile Food Vending
We have compiled a wealth of resources for researching and learning about the hot dog vending and mobile food business. Below you will find different sections dedicated to different aspects of the hotdog and food cart business. There are links to all sorts of government agencies, local county resources and other non-governmental businesses that can help with your quest for information. There are also resources for food safety and sanitation, product suppliers, business start-up, and much more...
We recommend, that the first question that you research is; what is required for me to obtain a mobile food service license in my state? The requirements vary slightly from state to state, as each state has their own system of mobile food vendor licensing. You will have to start exploring, researching and learning about these requirements with a combination of online resources and telephone calls to the proper health departments and other agencies.
Generally the process is very similar for most states. In brief summary; you will need to obtain commissary service, submit your cart plans for review, apply for a license, get your cart inspected, obtain the state license, and operate your business according to the rules and regulations. There are a variety of other things that will have to be accomplished as well. As mentioned, you will have to locate a state licensed and approved commissary to operate your hot dog cart. This is a mandatory part of operating all mobile food vending business' and it is always a requirement for obtaining your state food service license. Usually, you will also be required to obtain county and/or city business occupational permits or licenses. You may also be required to attend a class to educate yourself on food safety. In Florida they call it the "Certified Food Managers Certificate".
These are the things that you will need to research to get your "State Food Service License", and get your business up and running successfully.
This portion of the website is enhanced with Snap Shots. It's a handy little tool that adds preview images to the offsite links. Place your cursor over the small icon after each link to see the preview image.
State and County Online Resources
Selecting a state on the map below will bring you to state and local hot dog cart and mobile food vending resources.
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Federal Govenment Resources
| • | USDA - Hot Dogs And Food Safety |
| Detailed document outlining many facts about hot dogs and food safety. Many topics covered and this should be required reading for everyone getting started. |
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| • | Food and Drug Administration - State Health Agencies |
| A complete list of State Health Agencies websites. A good resource for researching your state food service licensing requirements. |
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| • | Food Safety.gov - Government Food Safety Info |
| A food safety network of federal, state, and local agencies including the Department of Agriculture, The Food and Drug Administration, The Center for Disease Control, and The Environmental Protection Agency. |
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| • | Recalls.gov - Food Recall Information |
| The Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture share responsibility for food safety. There are great resorces here for monitoring food recalls. Email newsletters and alerts are available. |
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| • | US FDA - Center For Food Safety and Applied Nutrition |
| Government food safety and related information. FDA documents and proposed regulations. |
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| • | US FDA - Starting A Food Business |
| General information for starting a food service business. Safety, manufacturing, labaling, import/export and other assorted articles. |
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| • | USA Search.gov - Hot Dog Cart |
| This is a government access search website that has links to information on all sorts of topics. Much of it is related to rules and regulations. You can customize the search parameters to your local area. |
Forum Resources
| • | RoadFood.com - Hot Dogs and Sausage Forum |
| This is a great resource for finding and discussing everything related to hot dogs and sausages. There are very many nice and informed people who are always willing to discuss this common topic of interest. |
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| • | RoadFood.com - Resturant Professionals Forum |
| This is also a RoadFood Forum but the topic is slightly different, centering more on the business aspects of the business. Ask about American Dream Hot Dog Carts and you will find that we have a stellar reputation among their community of peers. Just ask and see for yourself. |
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| • | Chow Hound - Food and Restaurant Forum |
| A very popular forum style website with every imaginable topic available. Go take a look, make some small talk, or just browse and see what you might learn. |
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| • | FoodService.com - Food Service Forum |
| An online forum with subjects like Restaurant Biz Talk, Industry Current, and other food related topics. |
Food Safety Resources
| • | Pro Food Safety - Food Business Info and Training |
| Contains food safety fact sheets covering a few of the more common topics dealing with the day-to-day operation of a hot dog cart, such as proper hand washing techniques, use of multi-compartment sinks, and hot and cold holding temperatures. The site also contains ready-to-use signs in a PDF format that can be printed. |
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| • | Fight Bac! - Foodbourn Pathogen Safety Info |
| A public-private coalition dedicated to educating the public about safe food handling to help reduce foodborne illness. Members represent industry, government and consumer groups, as well as alliances with corporate America. |
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| • | National Food Safety Education Month |
| National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (NRAEF) International Food Safety Council created National Food Safety Education Month as an annual campaign to heighten the awareness about the importance of food safety education. More excellent information on food safety. |
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| • | National Registry of Food Safety Professionals |
| Food safety training and certification. The NRFSP exams are accepted in all states and jurisdictions that recognize the standards set by ANSI and CFP. NRFSP is recognized internationally for its tests and service delivery standards and practices. |
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| • | The Bad Bug Book |
| This handbook provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health. |
News Story Resources
| • | Bill Geist Goes To Hot Dog University |
| Here is a great news story and video from CBS News about one of their reporters who attended the Hot Dog University. He sold a ton of dogs and got his HDU diploma! |
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| • | Dream Job: Hot Dog Vendor |
| An article in The Daily Texan online newspaper. Very short article, but fun reading, check it out. |
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| • | The Evolution of the Hot Dog |
| Here is an interesting story detailing the evolution of the hot dog. |
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| • | WQED - A Hot Dog Program |
| An All-American celebration of those fabulous and phenomenally popular little sausages in their soft little buns. |
Other Misc Resources
| • | Health Guide USA - Local County Health Departments |
| A simple listing of links to many local and county health departments throughout the United States. Use these to locate addresses and phone numbers. |
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| • | NSF - National Sanitation Foundation |
| NSF International, The Public Health and Safety Company, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, is the world leader in standards development, product certification, education, and risk-management for public health and safety. |
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| • | Hot Dog Blog - Hot Dogs Across The Nation |
| Website devoted to eating hot dogs from around the country. Tons of reviews and recipes posted from every corner of the nation. |
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| • | Hotdoggin The US |
| A great hot dog directory. They have links to literaly hundreds of hot dog restaurants, mobile hot dog carts and other resources. This is a great place to get your new business listed. |
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| • | National Hot Dog and Sausage Council |
| Established in 1994, the Council conducts scientific research to benefit hot dog and sausage manufacturers. The Council also serves as an information resource to consumers and media on questions related to quality, safety, nutrition and preparation of hot dogs and sausages. |
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| • | The Hot Dog Hall of Fame |
| Interesting website dedicated to celebrating everything Hot Dog! Especially great are the recipes that they offer. Go take a look, very cool. |
Many of the files located on the hot dog cart licensing resource websites are created with Adobe Acrobat software to create PDF (Portable Document Format) files. PDF files are platform independent (designed with the Internet in mind). You will need the appropriate version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, navigate, and print PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is freely available for all major computing platforms. You can download a copy from the Adobe Acrobat Website.
Some of the forms and documents are also available in an alternate Microsoft Word document format. If you have Microsoft Office installed on your computer you should have no problem using these files. If you do not have Microsoft Office; the free Word Viewer program is available for download at the Microsoft Download Website.
