Drive-ins: The original curbside service.
On the corner of Milwaukee, Devon, and Nagle is the Superdawg Drive-In restaurant, a relic of way back when. The roadside hot dog stand opened in 1948, and after 72 years, the carhop is still standing, serving customers, and dishing out some award-winning franks.
While restaurants are now open for outdoor seating, you won’t to worry about the patios filling up at this old fashioned drive-in restaurant.
In 1948, Maurie Berman opened up Superdawg restaurant after returning home from WWII. As he was then studying to be a CPA, Berman opened Superdawg with his wife, Florence (Flaurie), as a way to pay his way through school. The two ran the restaurant during the summer months until two years later when Maurie passed his CPA exam.
Instead of letting the business go to the wayside, the couple instead doubled-down on Superdawg, opening the hot-dog stand for year-long service. Over time, the two took advantage of advancing technology by installing an electronic speaker system — along with equipping the restaurant with an electric blue control tower — for the crew to take order via switchboard.
Before, servers would go outside to take orders, and would know when to pick up the customers’ trays when they flickered their headlights.
While the technology has continued to advance in many ways, and the times continued to chance, Maurie and Flaurie have preserved the classic drive-in experience of their hotdog stand. With a couple minor additions to the menu, and a light (neon) facelift in 1999 — along with an inside dining room complete with a new speaker system — Superdawg has yet retained its classic spirit.
In May of 2009, the couple opened up a second location in Wheeling, IL, making sure that their new restaurant would retain the look and feel of the original Superdawg.
Presently, the two restaurants are in full operation. Their menu features their trademark Superdawg — a Chicago-style dog served with mustard, piccalili, kosher dill pickle, chopped Spanish onions, and a hot pepper. You’ll also see on the menu an assortment of burgers and sandwiches, malts, sundaes, and ice cream cones, along with tamales, chili, battered veggies, and a host of other eats.
What’re you waiting for? Get in the car and treat yourself to this Chicago landmark drive-in!
See more: Recess Unveils Gigantic New Patio In West Loop
[Featured image: @superdawg]