Table of Contents Home... 1 Getting Started... 2 County Health Dept. Information... 2 Preparing to Start Your Business... 3 How your food cart works... 4 How your cart works... 4 What to expect at county inspection... 11... 12 More helpful documents... 12 Troubleshooting... 15 Before you get your cart... 16 How your food cart works... 17... 18 Page
Premier Hot Dog and Food Carts Owner's Manual Button Owning your own food cart Getting Started County Health Department Information Preparing to start your business How your food cart works How your cart works What to expect at county inspection More helpful documents Troubleshooting Page Page 1
Getting Started County Health Department Information for Plan Review Your county health department application, plans, and fees should be sent several weeks prior to receiving your cart. Here is what you need to include: Maricopa County Application Mobile Food Type II (for carts)- $45 Plan Review Fee Propsed Menu Commissary Agreement We will provide plans - when filling out the application, write "see attached plans" in this section Page Page 2
Getting Started Items you can complete while you're waiting for your cart Get your business license or form an LLC Arizona TPT (Transaction Privilege Tax) - www.azdor.gov Arizona Corporation Commission - www.azcc.gov Food Manager's Card Insurance - call your existing company to find out if they will insure your cart. If not here are some options: Insure My Food Truck Food Liability Insurance Program Insure My Food Trailer Set up a bank account in the business name. Secure a credit cart payment system. Arrange to have lettering or graphics installed on your cart before the county inspection. Lettering must be 3" high on 3 sides of the cart. Be sure to have a hitch on your vehicle for a 2" ball. Purchase at least 2 propane tanks Page Page 3
How your food cart works How your cart works How to light burners Step 1 - Make sure all knobs are in the "off" position prior to turning on the propane. Step 2 - Turn on the propane at the tank. Step 3 - Without turning burners on, light pilot light with a long extended lighter. Once both pilot lights are lit, you may proceed to turn burner knob in a counterclockwise position until burner ignites. Step 4 - Repeat step 3 for each burner. *Warning* - if burner does not ignite within 5 seconds of lighting gas, immediately turn burner knob off clockwise. This means your pilot light is too low. To increase, follow tube to beginning and you will see a set screw on each side. Adjust accordingly and try procedure again. Page Page 4
How your food cart works How to light the griddle Follow same procedure as burners, light the pilot light then turn knob on position or desired setting. Remember that each burner in the griddle has a separate pilot light and set screw to adjust the flame. Page Page 5
How your food cart works Plumbing When facing the cart, fill tank (freshwater) is on the right, and wastewater tank is on the left. (see picture below) Page Page 6
How your food cart works Fill spout is on top of the fill tank for freshwater. Drain for wastewater tank is located under that tank. The water pump is located on the right side on top of the fresh water tank. Be sure your pump is turned off when not in use. Be sure to charge the 12v battery every day after use. Page Page 7
How your food cart works In order for the water heater to work, the propane must to be turned on. The water heater is tankless so it should heat up right away. The water heater should always stay on the same settings and should not need to be adjusted. Setting as follows: Fire Control - Max Water Control - Low Winter/Summer - Set to appropriate time of year Page Page 8
How your food cart works Maintenance Make sure to check your cart on a regular basis for loose screws and fittings. The carts endure vibration during travel so the screws and fitting can easily become loose. Add this to your regular maintenance procedure. Tires Tire pressure: 75 lbs Page Page 9
How your food cart works Page Page 10
How your food cart works What to expect at the county inspection 1. Keep your cart clean 2. Turn on your propane and your water pump 3. Add water to the pans in your burners 4. The inspector will expect hot water to come from the hand sink - do not have any items in your hand sink, be sure to have disinfectant to wash your hands, and paper towels to dry your hands. 5. The inspector will expect the water in the pans to heat up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and will measure the temperature with a thermometer. Page Page 11
More helpful documents Click here is a sample daily checklist Click here for a sample inventory reorder form Location Ideas: If you plan to sell on private property, get permission from property owner or property manager. If you plan to sell in the city right of way, you need to have the proper city permit. Permanent or fixed locations (regular schedule): Large Lumber / Hardware / Home Renovation Stores (Home Depot, Home Hardware) Large Automotive Chain Stores Large Grocery Stores Big Box Stores (Costco) Large Grocery Stores Strip Malls / Plazas / Shopping Centers Industrial Parks Business Parks Large Factories Office Complexes Large Office Buildings Apartment Complexes Government Complexes Court Houses Hospitals Call Centers Colleges, Universities, High Schools Military Bases Golf Courses Busy Downtown Streets Parks Beaches Parking Lots Transportation Hubs Airports, Train and Bus Stations, Marinas, Freeway Off Ramps, Service Stations, Truck Stops, Car Washes Amusement Parks, Zoos Waste Disposal Sites Special Events Temporary Sites Sporting Events baseball, soccer, hockey, football, bmx races, little league, big league Sales Events / Grand Openings (especially large car lots, furniture and electronics outlets) Large Construction Sites Charity Events School / Church / Club functions Business anniversaries, open houses, golf tournaments, company picnics Boat shows Air Shows and Fly Ins Car Shows Page Page 12
Car Rallies Conventions Music Festivals Carnivals County Fairs Antique Shows Farm Shows Craft Shows Cultural Events Theatres Flea Markets, Swap Meets Home Shows Industrial Shows Parades Auctions Estate Sales Fishing Derbies Tourist Attractions Seasonal Areas: Beaches / Piers Marinas Zoos Parks Catering: Birthday Parties Anniversaries Company banquets, tournaments Weddings Graduation Parties Keep track of your events so you know what you had to pay compared to the traffic and what you were able to make. Marketing and Advertising Ideas: Twitter (Facebook and Instagram): Twitter is a very important tool in the world of mobile vending. Put your Twitter handle on all your advertising materials. Update your Twitter account to let people know where you will be each day, if there are any changes or specials on the menu, or if you are offering any discounts or coupons codes. Also, take pictures whenever possible so you have new and fun things to post to your social media. Flyers: Make up flyers to either hand out, mail, or leave for potential customers in the area to know when you will be selling and what you are selling. This way, they can plan their meals around your schedule. Don t forget to add your Twitter handle and menu on the flyers! Company Newsletters Most companies have some method of communication with their employees that is either email or written. Whatever location you choose, find locations that are close by but where you may not be visible, to advertise. Remember, you only have to worry about this at the beginning. The best advertising is word of mouth so your customers will tell their friends after they try your food. Signs Page Page 13
Adding signs and graphics to your cart with your name sounds simple but is very important. You will want your customers to remember you and this will also make you stand out in a crowd. Schools and Charity Events You may want to consider these types of community events to get exposure. You will want to give part of you profit as donations. Where to Purchase Products Wholesale: Restaurant Depot 724 W. Baseline Rd., Mesa 480-834-4063 Vistar 2434 S. 10th St., Phoenix 602-254-2500 Chef s Store 3115 S. McClintock Dr.. Tempe 480-838-1199 Webstaurant.com Sun Snacks Concession including popcorn, cotton candy, snow cone, pretzel, nacho 260 S. Alma School Rd., #127, Mesa 480-833-2573 Costco/Sam s Club Page Page 14
Troubleshooting If burners are not lighting: 1. Check fuel 2. Check for kinks in the hoses If hot water is not working: 1. Check fuel 2. Make sure the white button on the water heater is in the "on" position 3. Check batteries in the water heater - water heater works on 2 "D" batteries If water is not coming from hand sink 1. Check liquid level in fill tank 2. Make sure the pump is set to "on" position 3. Check pump battery for charge - the pump comes with a rechargable 12v battery Page Page 15
Dear Valued Customer, My name is David Armes, I am the owner of Premier Hot Dog and Food Carts. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the world of food vending. Below is a checklist of what you need to do in the weeks prior to receiving your cart. When complete, you can pick up your new Premier Cart, make an appointment with Maricopa County Health Department. Remember, you are not required to get a license plate through the Motor Vehicle Department because the carts are not considered wide enough to fall into the trailer category. We have included information in this booklet to answer any questions from marketing to business practices but please feel free to contact us anytime. Thank you, David Armes Owner, Premier Hot Dog and Food Carts dave@pfcarts.com 480-834-9434 Page Page 16
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