Superdawg

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Superdawg Drive-In.  The mascots Maurie and Flaurie, named for the owners, stand tall on the roof.
Superdawg Drive-In. The mascots Maurie and Flaurie, named for the owners, stand tall on the roof.

Superdawg is a drive-in hot dog stand with carhop service located at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Devon Avenue, and Nagle Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Superdawg has the distinction of being one of the few original drive-in restaurants left in the United States. Its methods have been the same since it opened in the 1940s.

Superdawg was featured on The Food Network's television program Unwrapped as well as Emeril Live and has been visited by many critics and food aficionados. Superdawg is also listed in the book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

In 2003, a second Superdawg was opened in Chicago Midway International Airport's B concourse serving Southwest Airlines.

Contents

[edit] History

Superdawg was opened in May 1948 by Maurie and Flaurie Berman, who still own and operate it, today with the help of their children. Although the restaurant has undergone some expansion and remodeling, the landmark figures of anthropomorphic hot dogs on the roof date from the beginning.

Superdawg mascots Maurie and Flaurie.
Superdawg mascots Maurie and Flaurie.

[edit] Carhop service

The restaurant retains a 1950s style of ordering food. Customers pull their car up to one of the carports and order through a retro-looking metallic speaker box. The orders are delivered to the car window by a carhop with a tray that hooks on to the car door. When finished eating, the customer flips a switch on the box and a carhop comes to take the tray back. There is also a walkup window and a small seating area inside the restaurant.

[edit] The food

All of the sandwiches come tucked neatly among rippled french fries, cut from fresh potatoes daily, inside a box that helps retain its heat. Every Superdawg comes with a signature pickled green tomato, one of Superdawg's distinctions from the classic Chicago-style hot dog, along with its spicier-than-usual wiener.

[edit] Selections from the menu

The menu that is located in each carport for ordering.
The menu that is located in each carport for ordering.
A Superdawg with the cover closed (top) and with the cover open exposing the hot dog and french fries (bottom).  Note the signature pickled tomato on the right.
A Superdawg with the cover closed (top) and with the cover open exposing the hot dog and french fries (bottom). Note the signature pickled tomato on the right.

[edit] Sandwiches

  • Superdawg
  • Whoopskidawg
  • Superchic
  • Superburger
  • Supercheesie
  • Whooperburger
  • Whoopercheesie

[edit] Sides

  • Superfries
  • Superonionchips
  • Superveggies

[edit] Fountain drinks

  • Malts & Shakes
  • Supersodas
  • Blackkows
  • Supersundaes

[edit] See also

The Superdawg logo.
The Superdawg logo.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 41.996763° N 87.78706° W