Nathan's Famous: An Unauthorized View of America's Favorite Frankfurter Company

Introduction

Nathan’s Famous started as a New York institution and spread across the country and eventually the world. A small idea, executed at a high level, created a legacy that has carried on for a century. Who would think hot dogs would become one of the culinary symbols of American democracy? This was one of my father’s favorite sayings, and it reflects the results of my grandparents’ hard work and understanding of the basic needs of all ranks of our great country’s population.

The birth of the international company began with Nathan Handwerker’s struggle to emigrate from Galicia, Poland, to the United States in 1912 at the age of twenty. After arriving in New York, he knew the American dream was alive and well. But it wasn’t a flash of lightning or an overnight plan that propelled him to frankfurter royalty. It was his entrepreneurial launch of a humble hot dog stand with his wife, Ida, which planted the seeds that blossomed into one of the largest frankfurter companies in the world.

Nathan and Ida were my grandparents. Their recipe for success was simple: to sell high-quality food items at a fair price. That basic yet welcomed operating principle was the foundation for the entire family business. Over the years, Nathan’s Famous was recognized around the world and eventually became a household name. It is a name I am proud of and a family I am thankful to have learned from. My grandparents’ legacy is something I am honored not only to be a part of but also to be able to share with you.

Nathan and Ida Handwerker, circa 1918-21, Brooklyn, NY

Photo credit: Handwerker Family collection

As my grandfather liked to say, Nathan’s has grown From a Hot Dog to a national habit.¹ As the company expanded beyond Coney Island, my father, Murray, revamped the marketing phrase to From a Hot Dog to an Inter-national Habit. By most estimates, Nathan’s has sold billions of hot dogs, bringing smiling faces to the people. Some may say we are in the frankfurter business, but I say we are in the business of making people happy. Our delivery mechanism just comes on a warm bun.

My grandfather had very strong beliefs on many levels. In fact, one of his basic philosophies was imparted to me at an early age. His mantra was to sell the highest quality product possible, which translated even to the name of that product. Heaven forbid he ever heard anyone call his product a hot dog. If they did, he would quickly remind them: You should never call them hot dogs. Hot dogs are made from inferior meats. Nathan’s frankfurters are made from all beef and a special spice formula!

If you even spoke that widely accepted description, he would make you feel like you uttered a four-letter word. Although I called them franks for many years to come, it was futile to fight common parlance in pop culture, and even he eventually relented. And so, in our company’s culture, the hot dog generation was born.

The family business was in my blood even before I began to work with my grandfather and father. From as early as I can remember, I wanted to work next to my father at Nathan’s and learn everything he did so I could one day help run the business. Nathan’s was it for me. I didn’t want to do anything else. I was proud of what we built and was dedicated to continuing the quality of our family business. It was in my mind and in my blood to build a great company for generations of Handwerker families.

When I turned thirteen, my wish came true. While I was upset that it took so long for my parents to allow me to become part of the family business, I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement from day one. I worked throughout all of my school years until I finished college. Then in 1976 I began working full-time at Nathan’s after graduating college. I was part of Nathan’s Famous daily operations during the next twenty years, and even after my father sold the company in 1987.

My father taught me—and I remain a strong believer—that you have to get up-front and personal with the nitty-gritty operations of your company to fully understand successful business strategies. You should work to obtain personal knowledge of the true experience of your employees and customers on a day-to-day basis to understand the nuts and bolts of your company. I am indebted to my dad for allowing me the opportunity to follow this philosophy.

Over the course of almost thirty years, I observed the company from many vantage points, as I worked in different restaurant locations and management positions, from opening the Coney Island front counter as a young adult to marketing, purchasing, and finally to corporate food service for the company. My ringside seat provided me with insights into how and why the company experienced spurts of growth while simultaneously surviving shifting winds during inevitable setbacks. Working in the family business presents an entirely unique set of obstacles and challenges.

Behind the scenes, I heard earfuls of beneficial strategic discussions and witnessed occasional disagreements among family members and management. But through a common desire to build a legacy, and our love for one another, we found ways to overcome the nonsense and set aside the family drama to move toward the common goal.

Having grown up during a time when our family, its business, and Coney Island itself were in constant transformation, I am positioned to present my firsthand observations and perspectives of exactly what transpired. Throughout the forthcoming pages, I reflect on the company’s rickety ride through intermittent tenuous success, its glorious heyday, and all the ups and downs in between, against a backdrop of ever-shifting economic, cultural, regulatory, and political issues thrown our way.

My sources include personal memories and conversations I had with my grandparents and parents, who never tired of discussing the early years and different business situations or marketing campaigns, as well as how we might expand the Nathan’s concept. More recently, I conducted interviews with longtime employees, friends, and acquaintances integral to the company’s development. I dug up and sifted through countless documents, correspondences, personal pictures, and media accounts about various family and business milestones to ensure the information herein is accurate.

Another crucial resource includes the hours of interviews my cousin David Sternshein conducted with our grandfather, Nathan, just months before his death in 1974 at age eighty-one—may his memory be a blessing. Those tapes reveal a spirited, tough businessman who was determined not to allow his family to suffer the kind of deprivation or degradation he experienced while growing up poor in the old country.

These lessons from a hard-nosed immigrant taught me more than I could ever learn from textbooks or academic settings. I am a product of my years with Nathan’s Famous. I am even more confident that the lessons I learned from my grandfather and father, and from working within the family business, could be extremely valuable and meaningful to anyone starting a new company or looking to grow an existing one.

All of these experiences have enabled me to take a step back and contemplate the history and legacy of my family and our little frankfurter business. The story of Nathan’s Famous (and our family) has many twists and turns. My account may sometimes feel like a Coney Island ride—often a wicked fast rollercoaster, sometimes the thrilling Steeplechase, or a revolving carousel with floating wooden steeds and music of the calliope playing. The ride will be worthwhile and provide many practical benefits, as well as a great account of Nathan’s Famous.

If you’ve never been to Coney Island, this book is bound to serve as a sensory smorgasbord, bringing you the scents, sounds, and most of all, the flavors surrounding Surf and Stillwell Avenues just off the Boardwalk through the unique lens of the Nathan’s Famous story.

Preserving this legacy of hard work, spirit of entrepreneurship, and perseverance comprises the first purpose of this book. I am proud to be part of the heritage that continues to give pleasure to those who stop by the original location and the many Nathan’s restaurants around the world, as well as those who purchase Nathan’s products to prepare in their own homes.

Second, this book culls the lessons from my grandfather, who built something out of nothing with the sheer force of grit, self-sacrifice, and determination; from my father, Murray, who had the passion and vision to expand the company’s menu and its geographic reach around the world; and from various mentors who helped my father and me to achieve those goals. Our hard work should inspire readers who have the passion, grit, and willingness to roll up their sleeves and open their own proverbial hot dog stands.

Many of my stories will inform as well as entertain readers. These lessons have also served me well in my work and life, and they serve as an important slice of my family’s legacy—a slice I am confident will inspire you throughout your journey.

Within these pages, I have tried to present the stories of this journey in an honest and balanced way. As a result, I hope and intend that my book will help keep current and future generations of my family feeling proud, while inspiring nonfamily readers to remember, reflect on, and relate to their own rich heritage.

Have fun reading my book, and try eating a good frankfurter every now and then. Better yet, plan a trip to Coney Island and stand in front of the original Nathan’s Famous on the corner of Surf and Stillwell on a hot summer day. Then take a deep breath to enjoy the combination of smells of salty ocean air, fresh grilled hot dogs from the many full grills behind te counters, and our beloved fresh-cut crinkle french fries. Your mouth should start to water in anticipation of that first bite into the frank as it snaps and the juices explode with flavor.

But a word to the wise: when you order your first frankfurter, take a bite without slathering anything on it, to enjoy what the best frank in the world tastes like. To quote my father, "The best way to take your first bite of a Nathan’s hot dog is to have it au natural. Then put on either mustard, ketchup, or whatever toppings as you like." The memory should last with you forever!

Section 1

FROM STEAMSHIP TO ROLLERCOASTER

1882 - 1940’s

Nathan (in front of counter with tie and coat) working at Max’s Busy Bee, Manhattan, NY. 1914-1915

Photo credit: Handwerker Family collection

Chapter 1

From Galicia to Manhattan

The End of an Era

On March 23, 1974, almost three years after Nathan and Ida Handwerker retired, Nathan suffered a heart attack at his home in Florida and passed away. It was the end of an era. At the time, I was away at Ithaca College. When my mom called to tell me that Grandpa had died, I returned home immediately for the funeral in Brooklyn, NY.

I can remember it like it was yesterday. We drove up to the funeral home where the service was being held, and crowds of people were everywhere. My grandma had already arrived and was sitting in a private room, while the family was waiting to offer the inevitable final tribute that would begin shortly. Walking into that room was a surreal experience. As a teenager I tried to comprehend what was happening and did not know exactly what to think or say. We were all grieving and struck by great sadness.

The chapel was jam-packed with caring people—from longtime friends to business associates and neighborhood people who came to pay their respects to our family. When the funeral director indicated it was time for our family to walk to our seats in the front row, I remember looking back to see an ocean of people. The sun glared through the windows with a blinding burst of light that illuminated the room with patches of brightness. It prevented me from seeing anyone’s face, so I was able to simply absorb the moment and become lost in the grief of losing such a wonderful man. At that time, I just wanted to be with my family, and I shut out everyone else’s presence. In that moment I came to the realization that the service was about to start.

I cannot remember any of the eulogies offered that morning. But what happened after the spoken words passed still chokes me up to this very day. At the end of the service, Grandma Ida said to my dad, to my uncle, and to my aunt that, before laying Nathan to rest, she wanted to drive him past the Coney Island store for one last trip. I didn’t grasp the full power of this request until the funeral procession slowly inched by the Coney Island store. As it passed, all the employees and customers who stood curbside, had their hands placed over their hearts. It was a great and fitting tribute, an intensely emotional moment, and one felt especially by my grandma.

Nathan’s funeral procession passes by the Coney Island store.

Photo Credit: GettyImage

I was amazed to see the looks on the faces of the people standing there in tribute to my grandfather. I was extremely proud of my grandfather and the effect he had on so many people. I’d like to think Nathan would have been thrilled and proud to see how much he was loved and appreciated. He was never one to showboat or brag about himself. He was a tough guy who didn’t take any crap. He took great pride in the products he sold, and how they were prepared and served to his customers.

My grandfather gave back to the community on an ongoing basis. From the beginning, he just wanted to give the world a product that made them smile. He took great delight in knowing that a well-prepared frank and an order of french fries could fill the stomachs of our loyal customers and make them feel very satisfied. As dramatic as the end of Nathan’s life was, that’s how humble its beginning was.

Frank Lesson: No matter what you do, find joy in it. Direct your actions to secure a purpose that can make a difference in the world around you.

Humble Beginnings

In late nineteenth-century Poland, there was a simple recipe for life for the majority of the population: try to get by until the next day, and maintain hope in the process. Such was the case of the Handwerker² family of Narol, a town of about five hundred people in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, which today is Poland. That’s where Nuchum (who would become known as Nathan after he immigrated to America) was born on June 14, 1892. Nathan was one of thirteen siblings, seven brothers and six sisters (plus three other sisters from Nathan’s father’s first wife). Their father, Jacob Handwerker, was a shoemaker. Their enterprising mother, Rose, sold vegetables and chickens in an open market in town.

Like most of his contemporaries, Nathan never knew what it was like to be just a kid. In fact, he had little time for playing ball or hanging out with friends. As a typical child of the poorest of working families, as well as being the youngest male, when he wasn’t working for money he swept and polished the floor, cleaned buckets of sewage from his home, and washed dishes at the nearby stream, drying them with thick grass near the water.

Clothing was not about fashion; his hand-me-downs were the last stop and not in the best shape after extensive use from his siblings who came before him. However, Nathan was proud of his shoes because, after all, his father was a shoemaker and they were made very well. He took pride in what he had, no matter the surrounding circumstances.

Nathan’s childhood years taught him how to persevere through tough physical and mental conditions. The feeling of living in a crowded house with little food and lots of hungry children never left his soul, even after he became more successful than he could ever imagine. As a child and young adult, he always thought about how to do more for the family’s survival than for himself. He was obsessed with finding ways to improve his family’s situation. That attitude and common goal was a constant throughout his life. Nathan never forgot where he came from, especially after he left. He took great pride in his heritage and always strived to include his family in his success.

Religion was a major part of Nathan’s upbringing. Jacob, my greatgrandfather, took his responsibility as a Jew seriously. As was customary in religious families, Jacob sent his sons to Hebrew school to begin studying with a local rabbi at the age of three. Nathan continued to study whenever he wasn’t hustling for work. Shortly after turning six, he went to synagogue both morning and night to pray. His Jewish heritage remained important throughout his life.

Nathan’s First Jobs

During his years in Poland, Nathan and his family often traveled through many towns to try to find consistent work. That never give up attitude propelled him to do whatever was necessary to earn enough money to buy food for the day, even if it meant weeks or months away from home. Although the youngest, Nathan seemed especially driven to do whatever he could to help. He was a team player and worked to carry his weight, even at a young age.

At the age of six, Nathan asked his father to let him go with him to a town a few miles from Narol to look for work. They went into a bakery and arranged for the owner to hire Nathan. While his age and size prevented him from lifting heavy sacks of flour, Nathan was able to take baskets full of fresh, hot knishes to the streets and go door-to-door, singing, Hot and fresh knishes for sale! A knish is a Jewish delicacy typically made from potato and onion or kasha (buckwheat), wrapped in thin dough, and baked thoroughly. He quickly sold out his inventory every day. There was no doubt his entrepreneurial spirit was embedded within his heart and soul from the beginning.

The owner let Nathan sleep in the bakery, and he fed him daily with more food than Nathan ever ate at home. It may have been that first job in the food industry that inspired his desire to enter the food business later in life. Funny enough, through running a successful food operation, he likely felt confident that his family would never go hungry again. Nathan viewed each job he had as an opportunity to develop, to grow, and to shape his destiny, even if he remained homesick during the process.

I can only imagine how