What's NOT bugging you? (2020s edition)

[Thurston Fluff]

The new team rankings for NCAA wrestling came out. As per usual the Big Ten dominates with ten teams in the top twenty five and seven in the top 10 (including Wisconsin at number nine.) The top three all come from the Big Ten. That a Big Ten team will become national champions isn't even a question at this point. The only remaining debate worth having is what's the highest place a team not from the Big Ten will take?

[GAME05]

My meeting with the prospective commissary (commercial kitchen) went well and it looks like I'll be able to use them this coming Spring to vend my hot dogs. Storing food at home is illegal, so I just need a place to keep food and wash dishes. And the place next door I accidentally walked into first is owned by the guy who runs that town's hot dog cart, so he gave me the low-down on all the other places to vend around here. He said he makes $250-300 per day which is roughly what I was figuring and he's in a not-great location.

[homer]

My meeting with the prospective commissary (commercial kitchen) went well and it looks like I'll be able to use them this coming Spring to vend my hot dogs. Storing food at home is illegal, so I just need a place to keep food and wash dishes. And the place next door I accidentally walked into first is owned by the guy who runs that town's hot dog cart, so he gave me the low-down on all the other places to vend around here. He said he makes $250-300 per day which is roughly what I was figuring and he's in a not-great location.

 

Congrats! Will you serve brats too?

[GAME05]

They're not called "brats" down here. It's just "sausage" or a "sausage dog". And everyone here likes the BrightLeaf hot dogs, which are regular hot dogs died red which I think is off-putting. I'll likely offer a brat and maybe also a BrightLeaf (those would require me picking up my food from two different places, though). Apparently mayonnaise on a hot dog isn't uncommon.

[nodakfan17]

They're not called "brats" down here. It's just "sausage" or a "sausage dog". And everyone here likes the BrightLeaf hot dogs, which are regular hot dogs died red which I think is off-putting. I'll likely offer a brat and maybe also a BrightLeaf (those would require me picking up my food from two different places, though). Apparently mayonnaise on a hot dog isn't uncommon.

Could you offer an authentic Wisconsin grilled sausage experience to differentiate yourself from other vendors or are you basically the only game in town wherever you set up?

[LouisEly]

They're not called "brats" down here. It's just "sausage" or a "sausage dog". And everyone here likes the BrightLeaf hot dogs, which are regular hot dogs died red which I think is off-putting. I'll likely offer a brat and maybe also a BrightLeaf (those would require me picking up my food from two different places, though). Apparently mayonnaise on a hot dog isn't uncommon.

State Street Brats will ship brats nationwide. You can order their famous red brats, which sound like they may play nicely off of the BrightLeaf hot dogs.

[GAME05]

Thanks for the tip and I'll definitely keep that in mind. For this year just wanting to keep things simple and then do more as I get used to vending and based on what customers are requesting. There's the potential for vending at fishing tournaments which would be a $2000 day as well as maybe leasing the cart out to someone else. I make some flat fee but also avoid the burdens of having an employee.

[homer]

 

[GAME05]

My Food Manager test is tomorrow, which I guess isn't totally easy. But worst-case I spend another $150 and take it again in a month. And after 1.5 years I finally secured my commissary. So once I pass the test I can then get my Vending Permit and then I'll be good to finally start vending hot dogs! And even if it still takes a while my work schedule is such I don't have time for it, anyway.

Met another cart owner in a nearby small town and he said he nets $200-250 per day, and my location is a little better balanced out by me not being able to have a regular schedule. 

It'll mean a bunch more work on my off weekends, but also not super-stressful work. 

[nate82]

6 hours ago, GAME05 said:

It'll mean a bunch more work on my off weekends, but also not super-stressful work. 

Until a “Karen” shows up and says you can’t sell hot dogs here and those don’t look like real hot dogs and then demands to speak to your manager!

[GAME05]

Yeah, that could well be. Fortunately this isn't my career and so it'll only cost me $5 in sales when I tell her to pound sand.

[LouisEly]

Looking at gas prices and reminding myself that I've had to go into an office for work once since March 16th, 2020.

[GAME05]

Yay I finally got a call to get my initial inspection done by the Health Department. They do an initial inspection mostly to make sure your equipment is up to code (my cart is brand new, so shouldn't be an issue) and that you know how hot to get your food (165 then hold above 135). Of course now I gotta race to make sure all the food is in the commissary and things are ready to go, like wiping out coolers and testing how many ice packs it takes to keep it at 41 degrees and paying for food insurance.

It's been nearly two years getting things together, including waiting a year and a half for the commissary to have a spot for me.

Bonus that I'm hearing that there's more potential for sales in town than I figured. There's a farmer's market once a month, a First Fridays once a month which is pretty desperate for a food vendor, and the only fast-food place in town has gotten expensive and the construction workers don't eat there anymore. I'd only planned to vend on free weekends, but I guess depending on how much I'm willing to work there's money on weekdays, too.

I even bought an XMRadio boombox so I can catch the Brewers games while I vend.

And then the irony is that there's a 5% chance I transfer parks within the next few months and will have to start all this over again:)

[GAME05]

Days 1 and 2 in the books! Made $7 the first day and $28 the second. But more than anything, this is really just to get accustomed to doing it so that when next Spring hits and there's a lot of customers I'll be prepared. And I have a better location but I don't have the permit for it yet.

Have a feeling I'm going to grow to hate hot dogs, since I can't re-sell the cooked ones the next day. Buns got a little soggy in the steamer, but I shouldn't normally have them in there all three hours. I'll have to experiment with frozen buns to eliminate waste, too.

I like the grill attachment to the cart already because it smokes a lot and puts out a lot of smells.

Preview attachment IMG_20221101_133337124_HDR.jpg [Image] 6.2 MB.URL

[wallus]

My health insurance for 2023 actually went down. 

[Samurai Bucky]

Political ads are... OVER!!!!

[homer]

On 11/3/2022 at 9:21 AM, GAME05 said:

Days 1 and 2 in the books! Made $7 the first day and $28 the second. But more than anything, this is really just to get accustomed to doing it so that when next Spring hits and there's a lot of customers I'll be prepared. And I have a better location but I don't have the permit for it yet.

Have a feeling I'm going to grow to hate hot dogs, since I can't re-sell the cooked ones the next day. Buns got a little soggy in the steamer, but I shouldn't normally have them in there all three hours. I'll have to experiment with frozen buns to eliminate waste, too.

I like the grill attachment to the cart already because it smokes a lot and puts out a lot of smells.

Preview attachment IMG_20221101_133337124_HDR.jpg [Image] 6.2 MB.URL 360 B · 0 downloads

That's awesome! You've been talking about this for such a long time I'm glad it finally became a reality for you.

[GAME05]

Thanks, really appreciate that. Yeah, maybe two years waiting for everything to fall in place.

Will probably get my permit for the town square on Monday, so likely then I'll see a big pickup in business.

Now to figure out how to navigate real work, vending, golfing and working out. My fault for praying and asking God to teach me discipline, you end up with the opportunity to learn it.

[CheezWizHed]

Yes, congrats GAME05! Maybe just push the cart everywhere to get your workout in. ?

[jerichoholicninja]

I've been a Type 1 diabetic for almost 20 years. I've always had great control of it and most of my doctor's have commended me on how well I take care of myself. At the beginning of 2020 I got a CGMS which continuously monitors my blood sugar and sends the number to my phone so I can see it whenever I want instead of having to prick my finger and test my blood. to find out. Since I got it my A1C, which measures your average blood sugar over the last few months, has continually gotten lower (that's a good thing). My last two have been 5.5, which is within the range of a non-diabetic. The higher end but still in the range.

I'm a bit obsessive about keeping my blood sugar where it needs to be, probably more so than most diabetics, but every single diabetic needs a CGMS. It will change your life. Fight with your insurance like I did if you have to but get one.

[LouisEly]

Saw Arby's Sauce and Arby's Horsey Sauce at the grocery store yesterday.

Picked up the Arby's Sauce.  Only 4g of added sugar per serving.  Didn't get the Horsey Sauce - bottle was too big for how seldom I'd use it.  But if you haven't dipped Arby's curly fries in a mixture of Arby's Sauce and Horsey Sauce... you haven't had fries.  I just don't have fries that much, or roast beef sandwiches.

[Samurai Bucky]

16 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Saw Arby's Sauce and Arby's Horsey Sauce at the grocery store yesterday.

Picked up the Arby's Sauce.  Only 4g of added sugar per serving.  Didn't get the Horsey Sauce - bottle was too big for how seldom I'd use it.  But if you haven't dipped Arby's curly fries in a mixture of Arby's Sauce and Horsey Sauce... you haven't had fries.  I just don't have fries that much, or roast beef sandwiches.

When I saw BW3's Mango Habanero sauce at Meijer, I snatched a few bottles.  Awesome stuff!

[TURBO]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:30 PM, LouisEly said:

Saw Arby's Sauce and Arby's Horsey Sauce at the grocery store yesterday.

Picked up the Arby's Sauce.  Only 4g of added sugar per serving.  Didn't get the Horsey Sauce - bottle was too big for how seldom I'd use it.  But if you haven't dipped Arby's curly fries in a mixture of Arby's Sauce and Horsey Sauce... you haven't had fries.  I just don't have fries that much, or roast beef sandwiches.

Does it taste exactly like the stuff in the restaurant?

Sometimes, the restaurant branded stuff just isn't as good as the stuff that is actually served in the restaurant.

[Samurai Bucky]

Sigh -- my 25+ year old Altec Lansing ADA-305 computer speakers bowed out this week.  Sigh...

So, I replaced them with... Klipsch Promedia 2.1 THX!!!!!  Hopefully, they last 25 years, too.  Let's go!!!!!!!!!!!

[GAME05]

Finished putting together my workout routine, which of course is absolutely a work-related activity and therefore no problem to use the printer and laminator at work to put together. An entire day is dedicated to stretches. After years of recognizing I lean forward when I walk, I believe it's called anterior pelvic tilt. Basically, your hips point down instead of flat. Threw in some fixes for forward head lean while I was at it. Next is the hard part.......doing it on the regular.