Pronto Pup facts for kids

A Pronto Pup is a yummy snack that's a lot like a corn dog! It's made with a special flour mix and cooked quickly, which is why it's called "Pronto Pup" – "pronto" means fast! You can often find them at amusement parks and carnivals across the United States.

The Pronto Pup was first made in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. Many people call it "the original corn dog." There's even a special place in Rockaway Beach that opened in 2016, celebrating this tasty treat.

Pronto Pups use a type of pancake batter for their coating, while most corn dogs use a cornbread batter. Both batters have cornmeal. The main difference is that corn dogs are usually sweet, but Pronto Pups are not.

Today, the name "Pronto Pup" refers to the special batter used for these first corn dogs. It also refers to the restaurants and vendors who use this batter, which is made by The Pronto Pup Company in Portland, Oregon. Besides Oregon, Pronto Pups are popular in Grand Haven, Michigan, and at county fairs in states like Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. Sometimes, people even use a bratwurst sausage instead of a hot dog!

How the Pronto Pup Was Invented

The Pronto Pup was created in 1939 by a husband and wife, George and Versa Boyington. They had a small hot dog stand in Rockaway Beach, Oregon.

One Labor Day weekend in 1939, it started raining heavily. George Boyington's hot dog buns got completely ruined! As he fed the soggy buns to the seagulls, he started thinking. He wanted a way to make buns right when they were needed, so they wouldn't get wet again.

This led George Boyington to invent the Pronto Pup. It was a deep-fried hot dog on a stick, easy for vendors to carry and delicious to eat. He called it "Pronto Pup" because it cooked so fast. The first Pronto Pups were sold from a shop window owned by the Boyingtons in Portland, Oregon. People loved them! In September 1941, over 15,000 Pronto Pups were eaten at a big event called the Pacific International Livestock Exposition.

How Pronto Pups Grew

The Boyingtons officially protected the "Pronto Pup" name in 1942. They started selling "franchises" of their carnival treat. This meant other businesses could sell Pronto Pups using their special name and batter. Their company, later called The Pronto Pup Company, was based in Portland, Oregon. They would send their secret flour mix to the businesses.

At first, there was one strict rule: Pronto Pups could only be served plain or with mustard. Ketchup was not allowed! However, this rule was changed many years later.

After World War II, many soldiers who had tried Pronto Pups while serving in the Western states saw a great business idea. They opened their own Pronto Pup shops. Soon, franchises popped up all over the country, and Pronto Pups became a national favorite!

Today, very few of those original Pronto Pup restaurants still exist. But you can still find Pronto Pups at many carnivals and county fairs. They are often sold by street vendors who are part of the franchise.

Where to Find Pronto Pups

If you want to visit the "home of the corn dog," you can go to the Original Pronto Pup location in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. This spot opened in 2016. It's one of the few actual Pronto Pup restaurants. They've even added fun attractions like the World's Largest Corn Dog and the World's Only Mechanical Riding Corn Dog at their Highway 101 location!

One of the biggest Pronto Pup booths in the Midwest is at the yearly Minnesota State Fair. The Karnis family owns this franchised booth. It's said that "Pronto Pups make up roughly 55% of hot dogs sold each year at the fair." That's a lot of Pronto Pups!