Dog n Suds
Encyclopedia
Dog n Suds is a midwestern United States
chain of root beer
and hot dog
drive-in
style eateries with the once popular and now rare form of in-car "carhop
" delivery service. The chain was created in Champaign, Illinois
, by school teachers James Griggs and Don Hamacher. Licensing rights are now owned by TK&C's LLC of Lafayette, Indiana
. They were very common throughout the 1950s and 1960s and at one time had about 850 restaurants. Griggs sold his interest in the business in the early 1970s. As of November 2011, seventeen locations remain open.
-style chili con carne
over hot dog
or chili dog
served there, while the "Suds" represent its super-sweet original formula homemade root beer
, which is served in frosted glass mugs and claimed to be "The World's Creamiest Root Beer." Dog n Suds root beer
can also be found in some vending machines throughout the midwest.
Another favorite from the classic Dog n Suds menu is the Texas Burger. This burger is made using two burger patties, 1½ buns (One top, one middle, and one bottom), a slice of cheese on the top burger, lettuce and the Dog n Suds secret sauce on the middle bun, and Coney sauce on the bottom bun.
In the early days, representatives of Dog n Suds met with Coca Cola to bring Coke products to Dog n Suds, but an agreement could not be reached, so Dog n Suds created its own cola.
, Canada
.
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
chain of root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
and hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
drive-in
Drive-in
A drive-in is a facility such as a bank, restaurant, or movie theater where one can literally drive in with an automobile for service. It is usually distinguished from a drive-through. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk out...
style eateries with the once popular and now rare form of in-car "carhop
Carhop
A carhop is a waiter or waitress who brings food to people in their cars at drive-in restaurants. Usually car hops work on foot but sometimes use rollerskates. The popularity of movies such as American Graffiti and shows like Happy Days created a misconception of carhops as exclusively roller...
" delivery service. The chain was created in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, by school teachers James Griggs and Don Hamacher. Licensing rights are now owned by TK&C's LLC of Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
. They were very common throughout the 1950s and 1960s and at one time had about 850 restaurants. Griggs sold his interest in the business in the early 1970s. As of November 2011, seventeen locations remain open.
Food
Dog n Suds serves many different food items, but mainly serves hot dogs. The "Dog" in Dog n Suds represents the Coney Island hot dogConey Island hot dog
Coney Island hot dog refers to a natural casing beef hot dog, topped with an all-meat beanless chili, and diced or chopped white onions with one or two strips of yellow mustard. The variety is a fixture in Jackson, Flint, Detroit, and southeastern Michigan...
-style chili con carne
Chili con carne
Chili con carne is a spicy stew. The name of the dish derives from the Spanish chile con carne, "chili pepper with meat". Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included...
over hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
or chili dog
Chili dog
A chili dog is a hot dog that is served topped with chili con carne . Often, other toppings are also added, such as cheese, onions, and mustard. One popular variety of chili dog is the Coney dog, which despite its name originally came from Michigan and not Brooklyn...
served there, while the "Suds" represent its super-sweet original formula homemade root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
, which is served in frosted glass mugs and claimed to be "The World's Creamiest Root Beer." Dog n Suds root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
can also be found in some vending machines throughout the midwest.
Another favorite from the classic Dog n Suds menu is the Texas Burger. This burger is made using two burger patties, 1½ buns (One top, one middle, and one bottom), a slice of cheese on the top burger, lettuce and the Dog n Suds secret sauce on the middle bun, and Coney sauce on the bottom bun.
In the early days, representatives of Dog n Suds met with Coca Cola to bring Coke products to Dog n Suds, but an agreement could not be reached, so Dog n Suds created its own cola.
Locations
As of November 2011, there are seventeen Dog n Suds restaurants in the United States. There is also a Dog n Suds in Williams Lake, British ColumbiaWilliams Lake, British Columbia
Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George, with a population of 11,150 in city limits....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Further reading
- Carolyn Walkup "Dog n Suds operators gear for revival push - Company Profile". Nation's Restaurant News. July 17, 1995. FindArticles.com. Retrieved 26 Apr. 2007.
- Carolyn Walkup "Classic Dog n Suds Drive-In chain strives for a comeback - Company Profile". Nation's Restaurant News. Oct 19, 1998. FindArticles.com. Retrieved 26 April 2007.
External links
- List of all Dog n Suds locations
- Dog n Suds in Lafayette, Indiana
- Dog n Suds in Montague and Norton Shores, Michigan
- Dog n Suds TK&C's LLC, the owner of licensing rights.
- History of Dog n Suds, at TK&C's LLC.
- Dog n Suds In Loves Park.