Fluky's (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Jason Carlton
Fluky's was once one of Chicago's best-known hot dog stands, serving Vienna Beef hot dogs for generations after opening in 1929. While the marquee shown here wasn't the original, it still featured the familiar hot dog mascot that made Fluky's easy to spot from the street. 05-09
Founded by Abe "Fluky" Drexler, Fluky's is widely credited with helping popularize the Chicago-style hot dog. During the Great Depression, the stand became famous for piling fresh toppings onto its hot dogs, creating an inexpensive meal that quickly became a local favorite. Over the years, Fluky's moved from Maxwell Street to Chicago's North Side, where it remained a fixture for decades.
Besides the hot dogs, longtime customers probably remember the little pieces of cinnamon-flavored "hot dog gum" that were handed out with orders. It's one of those quirky touches that made places like Fluky's memorable.
Fluky's (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Jason Carlton
UPDATE: The original Fluky's restaurants are gone, and the iconic roadside sign was removed after the final Chicago location closed in 2006. 06-26
Check out this googie looking building at Fluky's. Looks like the cantilevered roofline featured some cool lettering.
Mr. Weenie
Peru, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
Mr. Weenie is the kind of roadside stop that's impossible to drive past without smiling. The giant grinning hot dog wearing a top hat and bow tie has been greeting travelers in Peru for years, making this one of Indiana's most recognizable hot dog stands. 05-09
Located along old U.S. 31, Mr. Weenie still does things the old-fashioned way. Pull into a parking spot, flash your headlights, and a carhop will come take your order. It's a fun reminder of how drive-ins used to operate, and it's a tradition that's becoming harder to find.
The menu goes beyond a standard hot dog stand, with local favorites like the Spanish Dog and the Wrigley Dog drawing customers from well beyond Peru. The restaurant even made an appearance in the independent film Little Big Top, with the famous mascot sign getting a little screen time of its own.
UPDATE: Mr. Weenie remains open and continues serving customers with carhop service. The smiling hot dog sign is still standing and remains one of Peru's best-known roadside landmarks. 06-26
Monroe's Original Hot Dogs
Monroe, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Monroe's Original Hot Dogs has been serving up chili dogs and frosty mugs of root beer for generations in Monroe. This classic drive-in feels like a step back in time, complete with a vintage roadside sign featuring a smiling hot dog that has become a local landmark along Front Street. 01-07
The menu has always been refreshingly simple, centering on chili dogs, potato chips, and house root beer served in heavy frosted mugs. During the warmer months, customers can still pull into a parking space and enjoy the traditional carhop service that has become part of the restaurant's charm.
The combination of the retro sign, classic drive-in layout, and old-fashioned service makes Monroe's Original Hot Dogs one of those places that proves some traditions are worth preserving.
UPDATE: Monroe's Original Hot Dogs continues to operate seasonally on Front Street, with its iconic smiling hot dog sign and classic carhop service remaining a favorite with both locals and visitors. 06-26
Superdawg Drive-in
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
The Superdawg Drive-In has been turning heads in Chicago since 1948, thanks to the giant rooftop hot dog couple known as Maurie and Flaurie. Standing watch over Milwaukee Avenue, the 12-foot-tall mascots have become one of the city's most recognizable roadside landmarks and are nearly impossible to miss.
Founded by high school sweethearts Maurie and Flaurie Berman, Superdawg remains family owned and still operates as one of the last true drive-ins in Chicago. Pull into a parking space, place your order through the speaker, and a carhop delivers your food right to your window, just as they've been doing for generations.
Superdawg
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The restaurant is famous for its signature Superdawg, served on a poppy seed bun with mustard, onions, sport peppers, a dill pickle spear, and its trademark pickled green tomato instead of the traditional fresh tomato slice. It's a Chicago classic that has remained remarkably unchanged for more than 75 years.
UPDATE: Superdawg Drive-In remains open and family owned. The original 1948 drive-in, along with its iconic Maurie and Flaurie rooftop figures, continues to welcome customers while preserving one of Chicago's last authentic carhop experiences. 06-26
Superdawg
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Check out Maurie and Flaurie, the smiling hot dog couple whose neon likenesses decorate the side of Chicago's Superdawg Drive-In. With Maurie's strongman pose and Flaurie's flirtatious expression, these two bring plenty of personality to a stop for a hot dog. Their playful appearance echoes the famous rooftop figures, giving the building another detail worth a look before heading back on the road. It's hard to imagine a more fitting pair to welcome hungry motorists to this Chicago favorite.
Fluky's (Gone)
Fluky's (Gone)
Monroe's Original Hot Dogs
Superdawg Drive-in
Superdawg
Superdawg
