QSR February 2023

fresh ideas Letting the Dogs Out One of the industry’s most nostalgic categories is riding a wave of comfort-food preference. | H O T D O G S S E A R C H F O R G R O W T H |

B Y I S A B E L L A S H E R K

Hot Dog on a Stick keeps delivering its recognizable menu to guests.

H ot dogs are a classic and nostalgic food that generations of Americans have enjoyed. Memories of celebrating the Fourth of July, for example, are often associated with grilling the food by the pool or out on the deck. People crave hot dogs at the fair, the carnival, or the boardwalk. Hot dogs are hardly new to the consumer conscious, but industry professionals in the category are working to keep them relevant to modern diners. During the pandemic, online ordering and third-party delivery boomed, and the trend has proved to have lasting power—some thing that translates well to hot dogs. Being stuck at home brought

a return to the comforting, nostalgic food people grew up with, now available through a few clicks on their mobile devices. One of those items was undoubtedly hot dogs. What normally is an occasion-based food shifted into an opportunity for convenience. Jenn Johnston, president of the quick-service restaurant divi sion at FAT Brands, where Hot Dog on a Stick is housed, says the pandemic surge continues to adjust dayparts. The snack brand’s year-to-date sales and transactions are each up 10 percent. “I think that is a testament to consumers really continuing to crave comfort foods post pandemic,” Johnston says.

HOT DOG ON A STICK

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