Dog n Suds facts for kids
 |
|
A Dog n Suds location at night.
|
|
| Drive-In | |
| Industry | Fast food |
| Founded | 1952 in Champaign, Illinois |
| Founders | James Griggs, Don Hamacher |
| Headquarters | , |
|
Number of locations
|
15 |
|
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) |
Dog n Suds is a popular chain of drive-in restaurants. They are mostly found in the midwestern United States. This chain is famous for its delicious hot dogs and special root beer.
Imagine a place where you can order food right from your car! The first Dog n Suds opened in 1953. By the 1970s, it had grown a lot. There were over 650 restaurants across 38 states. Today, about 15 locations still serve tasty hamburgers, french fries, and their classic root beer.
The Story of Dog n Suds
How It All Began
The very first Dog n Suds restaurant opened in 1953. It was in a city called Champaign, Illinois. Two high school music teachers started it. Their names were James Griggs and Don Hamacher.
Soon after, a wealthy person liked their restaurant so much. They paid the teachers to build another one! This made Griggs and Hamacher think, "Why not open more?" So, they decided to create a franchise. This means other people could open their own Dog n Suds. They would use the same name and recipes.
Growing Big: Rover College
To help new restaurant owners, they set up a special training center. It was also in Champaign, Illinois. They called it "Rover College." This name came from the friendly dog character on the Dog n Suds signs.
The chain grew very quickly. At its busiest time, in 1968, there were about 650 Dog n Suds restaurants.
Changes Over Time
In the early 1970s, James Griggs sold his part of the business. A few years later, in 1974, the company was sold again. A company called Frostie Enterprises bought it. This company also owned the Frostie and Stewart's brands of root beer.
Later, in 1991, Don and Carol VanDame bought the Dog n Suds name and identity rights. In 2001, they started a new company called TK&C's LLC. This company now manages the rights for the Dog n Suds brand.
