Amanda and Colten Hart have a history of starting community-minded businesses. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit their town of Kalispell, Montana, the pair saw a need for face masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. “People were wearing socks as masks,” Amanda recalled. They started manufacturing masks and employed people who had recently been laid off.
At their newest business venture, hot dog franchise Rescue Dog, all of the tips and a percentage of profits benefit local pet shelters in Montana. “Our first unit donated over $30,000 in the first two years,” she said. The brand has since grown to two food trucks—one corporate and one franchised—with a brick-and-mortar store in the works. “It’s definitely our passion project. We absolutely love it,” she said.
Their business partner, Bob King, found the first fire truck, before either of them even had the idea for Rescue Dog. “We’re like, ‘Bob, what are you going to do with this?’” Amanda said. “‘Oh, we could sell hot dogs out of it.’” Amanda and Colten came up with the menu, the name and the brand’s mission. “We kind of knew from the beginning that this was just too cool of an idea to be a one-off,” she said.
It would be complicated to find an old fire truck for each new location, so the company has since switched to traditional food trailers. The cash investment for a Rescue Dog franchise is a $25,000 deposit, which covers the franchise fee and the deposit for a trailer. The brand also charges $5,500 for its inventory package, and $60,375 for purchase of the trailer.
Rescue Dog also requires franchisees to pick a no-kill animal shelter, to which they donate 1 to 6 percent of gross sales, plus all tips. “It’s that feeling that you’re part of something more, that you’re a business that cares,” Amanda said. “You’re going to be making a difference in your local community. … In addition to, you’re making money at it.”
Rescue Dog franchisees need to share the Harts’ community mindset, have a love for animals and, ideally not mind a bit of hard work, Amanda said. “A food truck is hot. It’s a kitchen on wheels, there’s a lot of work,” she said. “It’s that enjoyment of being out in the community, seeing your neighbors, seeing your kids, friends out.”
With its food truck model, in most areas Rescue Dog would be a seasonal business. A prospective franchisee is someone who is probably looking to make some extra cash in the summertime, Amanda said. The brand is looking to expand in Montana and Idaho, along with Phoenix, where there’s space for 16 to 19 units.
“We’re really looking at stuff that, one, our supply chain can support and that, two, our staff can be there very fast,” she said.
The couple had a “marvelous time” putting together the menu, Amanda said. They started with 25 hot dog contenders and narrowed it down to six signature flavors unique to Rescue Dog. “You’re never gonna see a Chicago dog,” she said. “We wanted to go a different route with it.”
There’s a pizza-style dog, topped with sausage, pepperoni, pizza sauce and cheese; a chili dog with “thick” chili, cheese and sour cream; and a burger-style dog, with ground beef, pickles, cheese and secret sauce, to name a few choices. Each is served on a toasted bun with butter and a cream cheese schmear. The hot dogs are piled so high that Rescue Dog can’t use regular buns, Amanda said. “It’s a different kind of roll that we then modify and toast,” she said.
The pair picked their menu based on what would be easiest to execute and the most cost effective for franchisees. “There was a couple I really loved, they absolutely would have been great, but the cost is really high to franchisees to keep that product in stock,” Amanda said. Maybe those toppings will be limited time offerings at some point, she said.
Rescue Dog makes a special huckleberry-flavored lemonade, too. The flavor is popular in Montana, she said.