Industry Fast food Number of locations 14 | Headquarters Champaign Type of business Drive-In | |
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Founder James Griggs, Don Hamacher Area served Midwestern United States Products Hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, root beer Website drive-ins.dog-n-suds.com Founded 1952, Champaign, Illinois, United States | ||
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Dog n Suds is a midwestern United States chain of hot dog and root beer drive-in style eateries, featuring in-car "carhop" service. The chain was part of the widespread popularity of drive-ins during the 1950s and 1960s, and still operates several locations.
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History
The first Dog n Suds was opened in 1953 in Champaign, Illinois, by University of Illinois music teachers James Griggs and Don Hamacher. The chain grew rapidly throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and a training center was established in Champaign, named "Rover College" after the dog on the restaurant signage. At its peak in the mid-1970s, the chain had about 600 restaurants. Griggs sold his interest in the business in the early 1970s. Later owners abandoned the franchise business and sold the rights to make Dog n Suds branded root beer to another company.
In 1991, Don and Carol VanDame, owners of a Dog n Suds in Lafayette, Indiana, purchased the Dog n Suds trademark and identity rights. In 2001, the VanDames created a new company, TK&C's LLC, to administer licensing rights for the brand.
Don Hamacher died on January 4, 2013.
Food
Dog n Suds serves fast-food staples including hamburgers, french fries, and soft drinks. Its trademark items include Coney Island hot dogs (the "Dog") and its own root beer served in frosted glass mugs (the "Suds"). One of its popular hamburgers is the Texas Burger, made with two meat patties, a three-part bun, a slice of cheese on the top patty, lettuce and house sauce on the middle bun, and Coney sauce on the bottom bun.
The chain's root beer is billed as "The World's Creamiest Root Beer", and is also sold in bottles in vending machines, retail, and online.
Locations
As of March 2015, there are 14 Dog n Suds restaurants in the United States.
The oldest location still operating is in Robinson, Illinois. Opened in 1953, it was the second Dog n Suds location.