Murray Handwerker (July 25, 1921 – May 14, 2011) was an American businessman who expanded Nathan's Famous, a fast food restaurant specializing in hot dogs, from a family-owned hot dog stand to a nationally franchised chain.[1] The original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand was opened in Coney Island, Brooklyn, by Handwerker's father, Nathan Handwerker, in 1916.[2]
Murray Handwerker was born on July 25, 1921, to Polish immigrant parents, Nathan and Ida Handwerker, in New York City.[1] He often visited and worked at his father's hot dog stand as a child.[1][2] Handwerker served in the United States Army during World War II.[1] In 1947, he received a bachelor's degree in French from New York University.[1]
Handwerker initially took over and renovated the Roadside Rest, a roadside restaurant in Oceanside, New York, during the 1950s. However, he soon returned to his family's hot dog business.[3]
Handwerker expanded Nathan's Famous in the decades following World War II. In 1968, Murray Handwerker became the president of the Nathan's Famous chain.[1] The company reached ten franchises, with 43 restaurants directly owned by the company, by 1977.[1] Additionally, Handwerker wrote a cookbook, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Cookbook, which was published in 1983.[1] He sold the company to a group of investors in 1987.[1]
Murray Handwerker died of complications from dementia on May 14, 2011, at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at age 89.[1] He was survived by his sons, Steven, Kenneth and William.[2] His wife, Dorothy, died in 2009.[2]