Pretzel stand for markets and events

Shoppers, families and fans at local events, plus organizers who book food vendors.

Sales per pretzel and add-ons like cheese dip or cinnamon sugar, plus vendor fees you pay per event. Busy event days can bring in most of your income.

• Baking or working with dough
• Friendly customer service
• Planning stock for each event
• Handling cash and card payments

• Health department permits and temporary event food permits, which vary by county
• Cottage food rules may not cover baked goods sold at events in your state, so check before baking at home
• General liability insurance, often required by event organizers
• Sales tax registration with your state for prepared food
• Weather, slow event days and vendor fees eating into profit

Estimates are typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your setup and event schedule. Vendor fees, slow event days and weather can eat into profit, so plan your stock carefully for each event.

Check health department permits and temporary event food permits, which vary by county. Cottage food rules may not cover baked goods sold at events in your state, so check before baking at home. Also check sales tax registration and event insurance requirements.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many events you work and how busy they are. The estimates assume at least about 10 hours a week.