Nathan's Famous

 

Nathan's began as a nickel hot dog stand in Coney Island in 1916 and bears the name of its co-founder Nathan Handwerker (1892–1974),^[4][5] who started the business with his wife, Ida Handwerker, née Greenwald.^[5][6][7] Ida created the hot dog recipe they used, and Ida's grandmother created the secret spice recipe.^[6] Because Nathan's Famous all-beef hot dogs lacked rabbinic supervision and the meat wasn't kosher, Handwerker coined the term "kosher style" because the hot dogs were not made from pork or horse meat.^[8][9]

Handwerker was a Jewish-Polish immigrant who arrived in New York City in 1912^[5] and soon found work at the Coney Island, Brooklyn, restaurant Feltman's German Gardens.^[10] By one account, he was encouraged by singing waiters Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante to go into business in competition with Feltman's; as United Press International noted in 1974, "There are many stories about Nathan and how the business began, but this is the way he told it..."^[10] The company's official history does not mention the future stars' encouragement.^[6] Nathan and Ida spent their life savings of $300 (worth about $7,000 as of May 2018, accounting for inflation) to begin the business.^[5]

Handwerker undercut Feltman's by charging five cents for a hot dog when his former employer was charging 10 cents.^[10] At a time when food regulation was in its infancy and the pedigree of the hot dog particularly suspect, Handwerker ensured that men wearing surgeon's smocks were seen eating at his stand to reassure potential customers.^[11] The business proved immensely popular.^[12]

The expansion of the chain was overseen by Nathan Handwerker's son, Murray Handwerker.^[7][13] A second branch on Long Beach Road in Oceanside, New York, opened in 1959, and another debuted in Yonkers, New York, in 1965. Murray Handwerker was named the president of Nathan's Famous in 1968,^[13] the year the company went public.^[7]

All locations were sold by the Handwerker family to a group of private investors in 1987,^[13] at which point Nathan's was franchised and a great number of establishments were opened around New York City and beyond. In the 1990s, the company acquired Kenny Rogers Roasters and Miami Subs Grill, both of which were later divested.^{[citation needed]}

As of September 2001^[update], the company consisted of 24 company-owned units, 380 franchised or licensed units and more than 1,400 stores^{[clarification needed]} in 50 states, Guam, the District of Columbia, and 17 foreign countries, including Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.^{[citation needed]} One unit was lost due to the collapse of 2 World Trade Center in the 9/11 attacks.

International master franchise agreements were signed (circa 2006) with Egypt and Israel.^[14] The company also owns the exclusive co-branding rights to the Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips chain.^[15]

On March 28, 2017, it was announced that Nathan's Famous had reached a sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball, allowing the company to market itself as the official hot dog brand of the league. While Nathan's was already the official hot dog brand of the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, and St. Louis Cardinals (the sponsorship does not restrict teams from making similar deals with competitors), the deal marked the first time that Major League Baseball had named an official hot dog sponsor.^[16]

Nathan's hot dogs are primarily manufactured by Smithfield Foods,^[17] a subsidiary of China's WH Group. Nathan's Hot Dogs can also be found in stores for retail sale, usually in the lunch meat aisle.

In 2002, Home Depot and Nathan's terminated a co-locating partnership which offered Nathan's space within certain Home Depot stores in New York.^[18]

 

As of 2023^[update], the original Nathan's hot dog stand still exists at its original 1916 site.^{[19][better source needed]} Having been open for business every day, 365 days a year, the stand was forced to close on October 29, 2012, due to Hurricane Sandy. The shop re-opened six months later, on May 21,^[20][21] despite a small fire on May 4, 2013.^[22] Service is provided year-round inside, and during the summer additional walk-up windows are opened to serve the larger seasonal crowds. The original location still features fried frog legs, which have been a Nathan's menu item since the 1950s. It is not offered at any other Nathan's locations. Nathan's also operates a second, smaller location nearby on the Coney Island boardwalk.

 

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held annually at the original location on Coney Island since the early 1970s on the 4th of July.^[23] Contestants try to consume as many hot dogs as possible in 10 minutes. Winners include Takeru Kobayashi (2001–2006), Joey Chestnut (2007–2014, 2016–2023) and Miki Sudo (women's 2014–2018).^[24] In 2008, Chestnut tied Kobayashi after eating 59 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. The tie resulted in a five hot dog eat-off, which Chestnut won by consuming all five before Kobayashi.^[25] In 2018, Chestnut consumed 74 hot dogs and buns for a new world record.^[26]

• Coney Island hot dog
• Kosher style
• List of Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants
• List of hot dog restaurants
• List of New York companies

• Barber, Katherine, ed. (2004). Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2nd. ed.). Toronto: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-541816-6.
• Christoff, Chris (April 1, 2014). "Detroit's Coney Island Hot Dogs Are Edible Solace for City". Bloomberg.
• DeWitt, Dave; Evans, Chuck (1996). The Hot Sauce Bible (Paperback). United States: Crossing Press. ISBN 9780895947604.
• Jakle, John A.; Sculle, Keith A. (1999). Fast Food. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-6109-8..
• Levine, Ed (May 25, 2005). "It's All in How the Dog Is Served". The New York Times..
• Lindlar, Charlie (April 11, 2012). "Pizza Hut To Pioneer New Hot Dog-Stuffed Crust In UK Branches". Huffington Post (United Kingdom). Retrieved August 3, 2012.
• Varricchio, Taryn; Raucheisen, Nicole (December 7, 2019). "How Nathan's Famous turned one hot dog stand on Coney Island into a household name". Business Insider.
• Yung, Katherine and Joe Grimm (2012). Coney Detroit. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 9780814337189.

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nathan's Famous.

• Official website
• A tribute to Nathan's in Oceanside, New York
• Sol Handwerker Interview - Nathan's son recounts growing up in the family business - conducted: August 1 2007 by Coney Island History Project
• Oral History of Nathan's Famous - CIHP