Are Any Hot Dog Carts Operating in Las Vegas Casinos?

No trip to Las Vegas is complete without a hotdog from a cart, usually at the Orleans. Are any open during COVID restrictions?

And speaking of COVID restrictions, at the bottom of the page is your link to the new poll on how long you believe it will take Las Vegas to return to "normal."

We were afraid that the hot dog cart at the Gold Coast might be gone for good, but it resurfaced in January, though only on weekends. The hot dogs with all the fixins are still $2.

The granddaddy of hot dog carts came back right after the shutdown last year. The all-beef Vienna hot dog sold from the cart near the sports book at Michael Gaughan's South Point has been a perennial LVA Top Tenner, the tradition of which Gaughan started more than 40 years ago at the Barbary Coast, selling the dogs for 50 cents. That was it, just franks with mustard, relish, and onion add-ons at no extra charge -- no drinks, no chips, no nothing else.

The price was raised to 75 cents, then $1.25 along the way, and South Point now sells more than 600 of them on a normal day -- nearly a quarter-million a year -- with 2,600 sold on last year's Super Bowl Sunday (there's a limit of three per person).

Gaughan says the dogs cost him $1.10 each, so he makes 15 cents per sale.

And here's a sneak preview from a new book we're working on by Chris Andrews, author of Then One Day and sports book director at South Point.

"When Michael started selling the hot dogs at the Barbary Coast, people loved them and the guy selling them made a fortune in tips. Almost everyone told him to keep the change of half a buck or at least tossed him a quarter. When Michael raised the price to $1.25, he didn’t want to make it an even dollar, because the guy working the cart wouldn’t make any tips.

"At South Point, it’s one of our most popular amenities and Michael is particularly proud of it."

Those are the two hot dog carts we know about -- in Las Vegas. Steve W., a big fan of Mesquite, sent us an image of the sign for a hot dog cart next to the bowling center at the Virgin River Hotel-Casino there. They're Hebrew Nationals for 75 cents.

If anyone knows of any others, please fill us all in.

And here's your link to the new poll on Vegas returning to a nominal normal.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

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Comments

Ronald Mar-17-2021

Mesquite Ron

There are also Hebrew Nationals for 75 cents at the CasaBlanca in Mesquite. [Same ownership as Virgin River Casino]

Wayne Young Mar-17-2021

Wayne Y

There was a cart @El Cortez in Feb.

Adam Cohen Mar-17-2021

Tez

There use to be on inside the El Cortez as Wayne pointed out. But there also use to be on on weekends out side the El Cortez that sold Hebrew National. I loved that one after a session at the Tez win or loose I would grab a hotdog and go for a walk down Freemont street

Deke Castleman Mar-17-2021

This in via email from Martin

There was nowhere to put another comment, but I just wanted to add that I was just at the Casablanca in Mesquite, and there’s a hot dog cart near the gift shop. I believe it was $2.00,  but I didn’t have one, so I’m not positive.

Brent Peterson Mar-17-2021

Polls Missed

It's amazing how many polls and their results I've missed since they started to be buried in the QOD. And I read the QOD almost every day! Of course, once I get the gist of the question from the preview on the homepage, I usually go right to the answer. Perhaps including something about the poll being involved in the QOD can be included in the preview on the homepage going forward? Or should there be a poll about it? :-)

[email protected] Mar-17-2021

Mesquite has Two

I Mesquite, Virgin River by the bowling alley/bingo and Casa Blanca by the coffee/ice cream shop. Only 75 cents. Swipe at the kiosk for a chance for a free hot dog.

Dave_Miller_DJTB Mar-17-2021

@ Brent

You’re right that the poll info and link does tend to blend in, but every time since it’s been combined with the QoD, there’s been a mention at the bottom of the question, and the bottom of the answer.

Brent Peterson Mar-17-2021

@DJTB

I realize that now. It may just be a mental block. Or they have so well-trained from the way it was previously, I'm just oblivious to the new way!

AL Mar-17-2021

15-cent profit?

Are we sure that Mr. Gaughan is making any profit at all on these hotdogs? After all, he has to pay the guy who mans the cart. If the guy is being paid, say, $12/hour, then 80 hotdogs would need to be sold per hour just to break even. I have an idea that this is more likely just a break-even or maybe even a slightly losing concession that Michael is fine with in order to have more gamblers come to his sports book.

August Hasbrouck Mar-17-2021

cart

just came from Silverton and there is a dog cart just sitting by the Sports book area. Not sure when it got there but looks like its going to be opened .

AL Mar-17-2021

South Point hotdogs

Instead of saying that the hotdogs at the South Point are sold with "no drinks, no chips, no nothing else", can't we just say that they're sold "a la cart"?

AL Mar-17-2021

El Cortez hotdogs

Because the El Cortez has a Hispanic name, is there any chance that the hotdogs there are actually chorizo?  Or that they're served inside of a tortilla instead of a bun?

Hoppy Mar-17-2021

Re: Al's "Al a Cart"

Al,you make too much sense!

[email protected] Mar-17-2021

hot dogs

hot dog lady at south point told me that their company wanted to sell the hot dogs cheaper but mr. gaughan wouldn't let them.

Question of the Day - 17 March 2021

Comments