At 1310 Surf Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn, stands one of New York’s most well-known institutions. This is the original home of Nathan’s Famous, started by Nathan Handwerker and probably the most famous fast-food emporium in NYC. Their history is quite interesting, and rather than distill it here, I recommend you check this short article.

They originally sold through fast-food establishments but are now doing major acquisitions, corporate expansions, merchandise branding, etc. For better or worse, this is the pattern of virtually every company with a history in the U.S. Apart from their classic hot dog, they also sell lemonade, seafood, fries, etc. And they sponsor a traditional yearly hot dog eating contest every July 4th.