Wienerschnitzel

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This article is about an American restaurant chain. See Wiener schnitzel for the traditional Austrian dish.

Contents

Relatively new Wienerschnitzel restaurant located in Sunnyvale, California. (which does not have a steeply pitched roof)
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Relatively new Wienerschnitzel restaurant located in Sunnyvale, California. (which does not have a steeply pitched roof)

Wienerschnitzel is an American fast-food chain founded in 1961 as "Der Wienerschnitzel" that specializes in hot dogs. The chain's advertising mascot is a hot dog that runs from people who want to eat him.

The chain is known for the striking shape of its restaurants with their tall and steeply pitched roofs, similar to the original distinctive structures used by the International House of Pancakes. Structures that have been converted from Wienerschnitzels to other restaurants are easy to spot since their architecture is so conspicuous.

Wienerschnitzel's largest advertising campaign comes from its sponsorship of the tongue-in-cheek Wiener Nationals, the de facto national dachshund racing championship series for the United States.

The first Wienerschnitzel was opened by John Galardi in 1961, at a hot dog stand along Pacific Coast Highway east of Figueroa Street in the Los Angeles community of Wilmington. This location is still in operation as of today.

It is also interesting to note that a handful of Wienerschnitzels were converted to Original Hamburger Stand restaurants in the Denver area and several other Western cities in the late 1980s by the founder, John Galardi. Wienerschnitzels now sell Tastee-Freez ice cream, a brand also owned by Galardi.

[edit] Etymology

"Der Wienerschnitzel" is a famous example of incorrect use of German by native English speakers.

The expression der Wienerschnitzel is German—however the correct article to use in this case is the neuter form das, not the masculine der. This is true for both the actual food (das Schnitzel) and the restaurant itself (das Restaurant, das Lokal), though in the genitive plural, the article does change to "der": Das Restaurant der Wienerschnitzel would be gramatically correct though at least awkward; it literally translates to "the Wiener Schnitzels restaurant".

Strictly put, Wienerschnitzel might also be seen as incorrect, as the term is a two-word expression in German, written in two words only by the uneducated or by wags suggesting naives of Vienna (Wiener) having been processed to Schnitzel. Thus, Das Wiener Schnitzel would have been correct usage.


In addition to these linguistic flaws, Wiener Schnitzel actually means "breaded veal cutlet, Vienna style", which the restaurant chain does not sell. The name probably came from a mistaken belief that Wiener Schnitzel meant "Wiener sausage". The chain changed its name to "Wienerschnitzel" (sans article) in 1977, though many franchises retained the older name on their restaurants. Also, some older customers still refer to the chain as "Der Wienerschnitzel".

[edit] Slogans

  • Everybody loves a wiener.
  • America's most wanted hot dog!
  • The world's largest hot dog chain.
  • The world's largest wieners!

[edit] Trivia

Welcome to Der Wienerschnitzel
May I take your order please?
Yeah, I want:
Two large Cokes, Two large fries
Chili-cheese dog, large Doctor Pepper
Super deluxe, with cheese and tomato
You want sperm with that?
NO!
  • Current to-go bags of Wienerschnitzel refer to a Chili Dog Diet, and then near the bottom of the bag says in small print "A diet that isn't one." This, of course, is not true because diet means "the food and drink regularly consumed." One who eats nothing but chili dogs is on a chili dog diet. One common usage of diet refers to losing weight, but it is not at all uncommon to hear the word diet used simply in connection to what one eats.

[edit] External links

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