Hotdog vendor confidential

January 13, 2006 12:05 PM

Where do hotdog vendors go to relieve themselves?

Here in Toronto, hotdog vendors are on almost every major downtown intersection. Often they set up shop for a good part of the day. I assume they are as human as everyone else and must find some way to relieve themselves throughout the day, but where do they go to do this? I've not seen a single one within walking distance of a portapotty. Anyone out there sell hotdogs?

posted by reformedjerk to grab bag (16 comments total)

I always thought they did it in the hotdog water, seriously
posted by matteo at 12:07 PM on January 13, 2006

Here in NYCity we call em toilet dogs or dirty water dogs, so maybe matteo is right. Damn good question though. Someone should just sack up and aske one of them.
posted by spicynuts at 12:09 PM on January 13, 2006

They get permission to use the restroom at a nearby office building or other business where I live, unless they happen to be close to a public restroom.
posted by desuetude at 12:20 PM on January 13, 2006

Desuetude, who watches the cart while they drain the vein? I've yet to see a hotdog cart manned by more than one person(i'm talking hotdog only carts..the ones with full menus have a couple people).
posted by spicynuts at 12:22 PM on January 13, 2006

Those hot dog carts are topped up with supplies periodically throughout the day. I've always assumed that such housekeeping matters are taken care of while the supply driver is there to keep an eye.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:38 PM on January 13, 2006

Who calls them toilet dogs?
posted by thejoshu at 1:11 PM on January 13, 2006

Here is a relevant chapter from Sidewalk, by Mitch Duneier: When You Gotta Go. Sidewalk looks at NYC curbside book vendors, but I wonder if this chapter doesn't apply to anyone who makes his living on the street.
posted by Tufa at 1:15 PM on January 13, 2006

Oh, you know, we don't really have as many one-man carts in Philly -- I was thinking of the larger carts. Okay, well, come to think of it, I've seen the kabob guy (who works alone) have a friend look after his stand for a minute.

But you know, I don't usually see these guys drinking anything, either. Perhaps they're not as human as the rest of us.
posted by desuetude at 1:51 PM on January 13, 2006

My wife and I were walking in New Haven one day when a hot-dog vendor by the Green called us over and asked if we would mind watching his cart for a minute while he went off to pee. We said "Sure," and robbed him blind ate all his hot dogs waited there till he got back. That's probably not standard operating procedure, though; I'm guessing they make arrangements for somebody to come by and spell them every few hours.
posted by languagehat at 2:08 PM on January 13, 2006

I always figured they had one of those contraptions that long-distance drivers wear. I don't know what they're called, though.
posted by acoutu at 2:14 PM on January 13, 2006

A Stadium pal?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 2:27 PM on January 13, 2006

In Dan Fante's Spitting off Tall Buildings, the narrator works as a NYC cabbie (biographical novel). He carries around a piss carton that he uses, when needed, between fares as he drives. He just dumps it out when full.
posted by bardic at 3:15 PM on January 13, 2006

On my little corner in DC I once found myself, as a repeat customer, put temporaliy "in chrage" while the vendor ran over to the starbucks. I didn't sell any hot dogs but collected a few bucks for cokes and gave her the money when she got back. It was kinda fun. I got the feeling thats what she always did when she had to pee.
posted by modavis at 4:28 PM on January 13, 2006

I know a hot dog vendor in the small town (~40,000) where I live on the East Coast of the U.S. He's friendly with folks who work in the businesses in the area, since they're his customers -- one in particular is happy to let him use their bathroom. In exchange, they get discounted hot dogs.
posted by waldo at 5:29 PM on January 13, 2006

Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about the toilet but more about where the vendor washes their hands after they handle money. Cash is wonderful thing, no doubt about it, but it's also terribly filthy.
posted by Mutant at 1:21 AM on January 14, 2006

I always figured they had one of those contraptions that long-distance drivers wear. I don't know what they're called, though.

Texas Catheter. But that would mean the drain hose would have to go down the inside of their pants. Maybe someone should check if there are wet aromatic patches on the pavement nearby.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 12:03 AM on January 17, 2006