Teen entrepreneurs turn simple hot dog idea into six-figure sensation at Jersey Shore
Among them are 19-year-old business and economics majors Matt D'Arcy and Keith Stedronsky, who joined "Fox & Friends" Wednesday to kick off their new series highlighting young entrepreneurs hustling for the American dream.
At just 16 years old, the pair founded their own seasonal "Dogs Out" hot dog stand that has now made them more than six figures in profit and become a staple of the Jersey Shore.
"We were both bus boys at local restaurants. It was going well, but it wasn't really what we wanted to do, so we explored different options to try to make a couple bucks on the side, and we eventually figured [it] out," D'Arcy shared with co-hosts Lawrence Jones, Brian Kilmeade and Ainsley Earhardt.
The duo looked into zoning and permit requirements and learned they had to work with an already-zoned business. After pitching their idea to multiple sites and being rejected by most, one gave them their shot at success.
"We eventually went to the Osprey in Manasquan, New Jersey. It's a bar and club that brings in a thousand people a night, and we asked them to pitch our idea to them, and they loved us, and they gave us this opportunity, and it's been smooth rolling ever since," D'Arcy added.
The two work directly at the bar near the entry before moving over to the exit before the bar closes.
"We give them a small percentage of our sales," Stedronsky explained.
"On a Good Friday night, we could sell like 400 hot dogs."
Customers can buy one hot dog for $3 or two for $5.
"Dogs Out" also sells patriotic merchandise, including t-shirts for $20 apiece. The purchase of a shirt also includes a hot dog.
After graduation, the pair plan to hand the business down to their little brothers in hopes of starting something similar on a larger scale.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business Wire
Faraday Future to Highlight U.S. Innovation and Trade Policy Goals at Private Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, D.C. on July 23
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) ('Faraday Future,' 'FF' or the 'Company'), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, today announced that it will host a private reception on Wednesday, July 23 rd, 2025, at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C., to highlight U.S. innovation and alignment with current trade policy goals. 'We look forward to joining policymakers and thought leaders in D.C. for an evening of shared ideas and forward-looking discussion,' said Matthias Aydt, Global Co-CEO of Faraday Future. 'This reception reflects our ongoing investment in American EV leadership and our desire to work collaboratively toward policy solutions that enable growth and innovation.' The invitation-only event will bring together Members of Congress, senior Administration Officials, and key industry stakeholders for a relaxed, interactive evening highlighting FF's next generation electric vehicle (EV) innovations and its commitment to strengthening domestic manufacturing. The reception is designed to foster strategic relationships and elevate public discourse around trade and American competitiveness, with a focus on the future of U.S.-based EV production. The event will begin at 5:00 PM on the third floor of the Capitol Hill Club, located at 300 First Street, SE. The format will remain relaxed with light food and hors d'oeuvres served throughout the evening, creating space for meaningful conversations between Company leaders and key policy makers. The reception may also feature an on-site display of Faraday Future's flagship FF 91 2.0 and the Company's new FX Super One MPV, offering an up-close look at the Company's AI-driven mobility platforms and design innovations. The reception is part of FF's broader strategy to amplify the Company's voice in policy discussions and reinforce its role in shaping the future of intelligent electric vehicle transportation in the United States. ABOUT FARADAY FUTURE Faraday Future is a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company. Founded in 2014, the Company's mission is to disrupt the automotive industry by creating a user-centric, technology-first, and smart driving experience. Faraday Future's flagship model, the FF 91, exemplifies its vision for luxury, innovation, and performance. The FX strategy aims to introduce mass production models equipped with state-of-the-art luxury technology similar to the FF 91, targeting a broader market with middle-to-low price range offerings. FF is committed to redefining mobility through AI innovation. Join us in shaping the future of intelligent transportation. For more information, please visit FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words 'plans,' 'desire,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' and 'future,' variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding production capacity expansion, the FX brand, the Super One MPV, future FX models, future FX reservations, expansion into new states and markets, and production and sales goals, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.
2 hours ago
President Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam that will let US goods into the country duty-free
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam Wednesday that would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free. Vietnamese exports to the United States, by contrast, would face a 20% levy. On his Truth Social platform, Trump declared the pact "a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries.'' In April, Trump announced a 46% tax on Vietnamese imports — one of his so-called reciprocal tariffs targeting dozens of countries with which the United States runs trade deficits. Trump promptly suspended the reciprocal tariffs for 90 days to allow for negotiations like the one with Vietnam. The pause expires Tuesday, but so far the Trump administration has reached a trade agreement with only one of those countries — the United Kingdom. (Trump has also reached a "framework'' agreement with China in a separate trade dispute.) 'Vietnam has been very keen to get out from under this,'' said Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. 'This is forcing a smaller country to eat it, basically. We can do that. It's the big countries that everybody's keeping their eyes on.'' She doubts that Trump will be able to impose such a lopsided agreement on big trading partners such as the European Union and Japan. The United States last year ran a $122 billion trade deficit with Vietnam. That was the third-biggest U.S. trade gap — the difference between the goods and services it buys from other countries and those it sells them — behind the ones with China and Mexico. In addition to the 20% tariffs, Trump said the U.S. would impose a 40% tax on "transshipping'' — goods from another country that stop in Vietnam on their way to the United States. Washington complains that Chinese goods have been dodging higher U.S. tariffs by transiting through Vietnam. A February study in the Harvard Business Review found that there was "much less rerouting than previously believed.'' In May, Vietnam approved a $1.5 billion project by the Trump Organization and a local partner to build a massive golf resort complex near Hanoi, covering an area roughly the size of 336 football fields. Vietnam was a beneficiary of American efforts to counter China's influence. Companies looking to diversify their supply chains away from China flocked to Vietnam. In 2023, it became the only country to host both President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on state visits. That year, the U.S. upgraded Vietnam to its highest diplomatic status—comprehensive strategic partner—placing it on par with China and Russia.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Trump begins summer on a hot streak
President Trump is entering the Fourth of July holiday on a hot streak, racking up wins with Supreme Court rulings, foreign policy, low border crossings and potentially a massive reconciliation bill containing key pieces of his agenda to top it all off. The string of positive developments for Trump comes as he continues to consolidate power within the Republican Party and as Democrats struggle to unify and settle on a coherent message to criticize the White House. 'President Trump is delivering win after win for the American people, and we are the hottest nation in the world,' White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement. 'The One, Big, Beautiful Bill is going to pass, Iran's nuclear capabilities are obliterated, the stock market is at record highs, the border is the most secure its ever been, and the Supreme Court just ended nationwide injunctions that were being abused to halt the rest of the America First agenda,' Huston said. 'Thanks to President Trump — the Golden Age of America is here.' Trump allies also argued that the series of political wins underscores how the president's second term in office has been defined more by rapid results and Trump's own dominance, rather than infighting and chaos. 'He's had the best seven to 10 days of his presidency of either term,' said Ford O'Connell, a GOP strategist. O'Connell said Trump's foreign policy deliverables — strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, increased commitments from NATO allies and a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — were especially impressive. Trump's recent winning streak arguably began when his administration carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21. Like many of Trump's decisions, the move drew initial skepticism from Democrats and even some GOP allies who worried the president was getting the U.S. entangled in a foreign conflict and risking escalation in the Middle East. Trump's initial claim that the strikes had 'obliterated' the Iranian facilities has also come under scrutiny. But Trump's strategy appeared to pay off after he announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that has held for roughly a week. Trump followed that foreign policy win with another when he traveled to the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where member countries announced they would increase their commitments to defense spending. NATO's secretary-general credited Trump, who has long complained about other allies not paying more, with making the move happen. The president on Tuesday announced Israel had agreed to conditions to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip. He urged Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, to take the deal. Such a breakthrough would mark yet another foreign policy win for Trump, though a lasting agreement between the two sides has been elusive. On trade, Trump racked up another win when Canada walked back plans for a digital tax that would hit U.S. tech companies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted that Canada had 'caved' to Trump, who had threatened to cut off trade talks. The president on Wednesday also announced the framework of a trade agreement with Vietnam, a potentially significant boost ahead of a self-imposed July 9 deadline to reach trade deals with other countries before imposing higher tariffs. Domestically, Trump has also seen things go his way. The Supreme Court last week handed Trump a victory when it stopped judges from issuing nationwide injunctions that block his executive order narrowing birthright citizenship. While the ruling does not fully settle Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship, it curtails the power of lower-level judges whom the White House has routinely attacked as 'radical' or partisan. Trump has also gotten good news on the border, which was arguably the central issue of his 2024 campaign. The number of migrants who were detained crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally hit a record low in June at just more than 6,000, according to government data first published by CBS News. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive tax and spending package containing key parts of Trump's agenda, could serve as icing on the cake. The Senate passed a version of the bill on Tuesday after hours of debate, sending it back to the House for final passage. The bill would extend the tax cuts Trump signed into law in 2017, includes a provision eliminating taxes on tipped wages that Trump proposed on the campaign trail, and would provide additional funding for border security, another key aspect of Trump's agenda. But hurdles remain before the bill reaches Trump's desk, and the president's long-stated goal of signing it by the Fourth of July appears to be slipping. There are several Republicans who have raised concerns and signaled they are not sold on the final product yet, citing issues with how the Senate version adds to the deficit. Trump and his allies expect the bill to pass in the end, arguing most House lawmakers don't want to risk being the target of the president's ire. 'Big day today. Hopefully we get this thing worked out,' Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday after a meeting at the White House with other House conservatives. 'The president answered all our questions, was very informative. JD Vance was there. This was a very good day.'
