Nathan's Famous, early 1920s
July 1916
Ninety-three years ago yesterday, an argument broke out between four immigrants. The men had been eating hot dogs at the recently opened hot dog stand, Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island. The stand’s owner, Nathan Handwerker, had listened as each one had bragged that he was the most American of the four. Nathan feared that the men would get into a brawl. He wanted his brand new stand to remain intact. Quickly, he suggested a hot dog eating contest. Whoever ate the most hot dogs would be declared the most patriotic. Nathan also hoped that the contest would attract more customers.
The men agreed. Nathan placed large plates of hot dogs, buns included, before them. The contestants shoveled in the food at top speed. James Mullen, an Irish immigrant, inhaled 13 hot dogs in 12 minutes (just over one hot dog per minute). He won the contest (and had a colossal stomachache). Nathan stated that a hot dog eating contest would be held at his stand each year.
Nathan Handwerker, himself an immigrant, certainly understood James Mullen and the other men’s pride in their citizenship. Not much is known about Handwerker’s childhood. He was born in Poland on July 14, 1892. When he was 20 in 1912, he immigrated to America and worked as a roll slicer in the kitchen of Feltman’s restaurant on Coney Island.
Like millions of other immigrants, he believed in the American Dream. In 1916, for $300, he rented a small building at 1310 Surf Avenue and Stillwell Avenue on Coney Island. The sign above the countertop read, “This is the Original Nathan’s Famous Frankfurter & Soft Drink Stand.” Ice cream and potato chips cost 10¢ each, a malted milk shake 6¢, and soda and hot dogs 5¢ each. The hot dogs were half the price of Feltman’s. However, people were wary of the cheaper food. They feared it was spoiled. They avoided the new place.
In a clever move, Handwerker hired clean-cut young men. They poised as doctors, and ate at his stand daily. He hung up a sign that read, 'If doctors eat our hot dogs, you know they're good!' The plan succeeded. Over the years, Nathan’s Famous expanded, first nationwide, then globally. Among its' fans were Al Capone, Jimmy Durante, FDR, and Joe DiMaggio.
The hot dog eating contest is still held every July 4th at Nathan’s Famous’ first location. For 93 years, thousands of people have watched as the contestants gobbled down hot dogs, buns included, in a time limit of twelve minutes. The 2009 champion, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, ate 68 hot dogs in 12 minutes. That’s just over 5.5 hot dogs per minute. Healthwise, one hot dog has 297 calories, so he ate 20,196 calories.
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