Maddie’s Dogs food cart drives the extra mile

June 20, 2022 | Miasha Lee

Maddie's Dogs owners Thomas James and Dianna Rizzo.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

WARE – Maddie’s Dogs is a traveling hot dog cart that owners Thomas James and Dianna Rizzo started in 2020, with their home address in Ware. They’ve traveled all over Western Mass. and northern Connecticut. They’ve done block parties, baseball games, birthday parties, anniversaries, jamborees and private parties for businesses. Last year, when the western Kentucky tornado hit, Maddie’s Dogs hosted a donation drive for the victims in Kentucky.

Rizzo said, “What we were going to do was put our hot dog cart on a tow behind trailer and fill it up with drinks and food. We were just going to go down to feed the victims and it blew up. That was the most rewarding and fulfilling part. We love to help people.”

She continued, “What makes Maddie’s Dogs unique is our passion, dedication and customer service. We have a following and know our customers by name.”

James added, “You get your food on the spot. I’m Southern, she’s Italian and we give people what they deserve – respect and good food. That is what we do.”

Along with their hot dogs, they do nachos and walking tacos. For grinders, they do Kielbasa, chorizo, sweet or hot sausage and meatball. They have a variety of chips, soda, Gatorade and water. They have their Maddie meal which is aimed toward children. The Maddie meal is a hot dog with any choice of topping, chips of their choice, drink of their choice and children get a surprise with the meal. A lot of adults even get the Maddie meal as well, Rizzo revealed.

For over 20 years, James was an 18-wheel truck driver and would stop at many food trucks. When Rizzo met him seven years ago, he mentioned that he wanted to do a food truck or a food cart. “When COVID[-19] hit, Thomas said now is the time,” Rizzo said. “I was hesitant, but we did it and we’re making it work.”

James and Rizzo bought the cart in April of 2020, but due to COVID-19 they opened in August. During the time that they were coming up with a name for the business, they got a Husky blue heeler mixed dog named Madeline after Rizzo’s late mother’s middle name. The two call the dog Maddie for short, which is now the name of their cart.

This year, James and Rizzo hosted a block party for the Old Mill Pond Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) in Palmer, a soccer jamboree for Burgess Elementary School in Sturbridge and the Relay for Life Crafts Fair at the Belchertown Common where they donated 10 percent of their profits to Relay for Life. In July, Maddie’s Dogs will be doing a private event for the Palmer Senior Center, will be at the Brimfield Flea Market and at the Three Rivers Farmers and Artisan Market.

In September, they will be at a car show in Ware and a farm day in Stafford, CT. In addition, they will attend a fundraiser in Monson in October.

James and Rizzo plan on being open during the winter, and ultimately, year round. Their next move is to get a full-size concession trailer so they can incorporate more food to their customers.

Rizzo said, “In the future when the money is right and business is right, we want a concession trailer that pulls behind with a smoking porch on the back which would involve putting a wood or a pellet smoker on the porch and have meat smoking while we’re serving ribs, brisket, pork shoulder and chicken wings.”

She continued, “Inside the truck it would be sides that vary from baked mac and cheese to Southern style green beans or sauteed corn. The possibilities are endless when it comes to getting a concession trailer.”

Maddie’s Dogs home address is on Bank Street in Ware. Their business hours are 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. For more information, follow the business on Facebook where Rizzo posts their daily specials.

Share this: