Times are tough even for the lowly hot dog man. Vendors who operate at some of the most expensive locations in Brooklyn are reporting a precipitous drop in earnings, which they blame on the brown-baggers trying to save lunch money during the recession. Timothaos Ayad, who pays $48,000 a year in rent to the city set up his cart outside Brooklyn Supreme Court, says he's suffered a 50% drop in business since August, mainly because potential customers like Jenny Guerra are tightening the belt. Spotted by the Daily News refusing to buy her son a $1.75 pretzel, Guerra explains, "I feel bad [Ayad] still has to pay the same rent... But not bad enough." Over in Park Slope, where Tarek Elhashash pays $47,250 to operate two hot dog carts at Prospect Park, business is down 30%. He tells the News, "The same customer who used to come to me and spend $10 on two hot dogs and two drinks and an ice cream, now they get one ice cream and they split it." Guys like Joey Chestnut really need to start patronize these vendors before New Yorkers' convenient access to offal is history.