A man from Saskatchewan, who sold his hot dog truck ten years ago, is re-entering the food truck business with the unexpected help of a photographer who stumbled upon the truck during a drive through the province. Kenny Chaplin initially purchased the Diggity Dawgs truck in 2008 from a film production crew and operated it sporadically until 2015 when he decided to part ways with it to spend more time with his young daughter. He believed the truck had been taken to Manitoba and eventually forgot about it.
However, during a recent visit to the Ness Creek Music Festival, Chaplin was recognized as the former hot dog vendor, sparking his interest in the truck’s whereabouts. His daughter, now 14, found a photo posted by Grant Miller, a photographer from rural Colorado, who had come across the truck while traveling through Saskatchewan.
Miller stumbled upon the abandoned truck by chance and was captivated by its unique appearance, describing it as a well-sculpted giant hot dog with intricate details. After Chaplin connected with Miller, the photographer used satellite imagery to determine the truck’s location. This revelation came as a pleasant surprise to Chaplin, who embarked on a road trip with his daughter to reclaim the truck.
Upon purchasing the truck from its current owner, Chaplin discovered it was in poor condition after years of neglect. He has since been working diligently to restore and repaint the truck to its former glory. With plans to set up his hot dog stand in Chamberlain, Sask., near a busy highway intersection, Chaplin is excited to bring smiles to customers’ faces with his iconic giant hot dog truck.