Dog n Suds
American drive-in eatery chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dog n Suds is a midwestern United States-based chain of hot dog and root beer drive-in style eateries.[2][3] The chain started in 1953; by the 1970s the franchise included over 650 restaurants across 38 states. In 2021, the brand continues to operate at approximately 20 locations;[4] the company serves hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and soft drinks.
| |
 A Dog n Suds location at night. | |
| Type | Drive-In |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fast food |
| Founded | 1952 in Champaign, Illinois |
| Founders | James Griggs, Don Hamacher |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 11[1] |
Area served | Midwestern United States |
| Products | Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, root beer |
| Owner | Frostie Enterprises (1974) Don and Carol VanDame (TK&C's LLC)(1991) |
| Website | dognsuds |
History
The first Dog n Suds was opened in 1953 in Champaign, Illinois by Champaign High School music teachers James Griggs and Don Hamacher.[2] According to Hamacher, he and Griggs asked an architect to draw up plans for a building, and the architect lettered into the sign: Dog n' Suds. When Hamacher asked him about it, the architect replied: "that's what you're selling", and that is the name they went with.[5] The second restaurant was opened after the owners were paid to build another by a wealthy patron and from there the owners decided to create a franchise. A training center was established in Champaign, named "Rover College" after the dog on the restaurant signage.[6] At its peak in 1968, the chain had about 650 restaurants.[3]
In the early 1970s, Griggs sold his interest in the business and a few years later in 1974 the company was sold to Frostie Enterprises who owned the Frostie and Stewart's brands of root beer.[7]
In 1991, the VanDames purchased the Dog n Suds trademark and identity rights.[6] In 2001, they created a new company, TK&C's LLC, to administer licensing rights for the brand.[8][9]
In popular culture
On March 3, 1966, the newly opened Fred's Dog n Suds at the Candlestick Park Shopping Center in Jackson, Mississippi was completely destroyed by an F5 tornado during the 1966 Candlestick Park tornado outbreak.[10][11] The story was spotlighted in a 2003 Storm Stories episode by the Weather Channel.[12]
The West Lafayette location was featured on an episode of the Big Ten Network's Campus Eats in 2018.[13]
