Hot Dog on a Stick: Serving Iconic Flavors with a Splash of Tradition

Hot Dog on a Stick® has built a lasting reputation in the fast-food world with its unique stick-based menu items and its famous hand-stomped lemonade. The brand’s journey began in 1946 when founder Dave Barham opened a stand on the legendary Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California, originally offering ice cream cones and refreshing lemonade.

Barham soon introduced a new item that would define the brand—a hot dog coated in his mother’s cornbread batter recipe. This innovation prompted a rebranding to Hot Dog on a Stick, focusing on this now-iconic creation.

From its beachside beginnings, Hot Dog on a Stick grew steadily, finding homes in malls and shopping centers throughout the United States.

Today, the brand remains instantly recognizable, thanks to its cheerful striped uniforms—fondly described as “Red, White and Blue with a Splash of Lemonade”—a symbol of its enduring focus on friendly service. In 2014, the franchise joined Global Franchise Group, and later became part of FAT Brands in 2021, expanding its reach while preserving its nostalgic charm.

Training

Hot Dog on a Stick offers franchisees a comprehensive training program designed to prepare them for operating their restaurant successfully. The franchisor covers multiple stages and formats of training. Here’s how the training is structured:

1. Initial Training Program
   Hot Dog on a Stick provides a detailed Initial Training Program for up to five individuals at no cost. This program includes both classroom instruction and hands-on experience in areas such as food preparation, customer service, inventory control, and operational systems. The training must be completed before the restaurant opening.
2. Additional Training
   If additional individuals beyond the five-person limit require training, or if any retraining is needed, the franchisee must reimburse the franchisor. The cost for this additional training can go up to $1,500 per week per person. This ensures that new staff or replacements can still receive the necessary education to meet company standards.
3. Pre-Opening and Post-Opening Assistance
   Franchisees also receive in-person assistance before and after opening, for which the franchisor covers up to $20,000 in direct and indirect labor costs if it’s the franchisee’s first restaurant. Any extra support beyond this amount, including travel and accommodation for franchisor personnel, must be reimbursed by the franchisee.

Territory Protection

Hot Dog on a Stick does not guarantee exclusive territory protection for its franchisees. According to the franchise agreement, franchisees are granted the right to operate at a specific site approved by the franchisor, but this does not extend to exclusivity beyond that location.

Franchisees may face competition from other franchisees, corporate-owned outlets, or different distribution channels that the franchisor operates or controls. In some cases, multi-unit franchisees may receive territorial rights defined in their specific development agreements, which outline development areas and schedules.

However, unless those agreements explicitly provide “Protected Rights,” the default arrangement is “Non-exclusive,” meaning the franchisor retains the right to license or operate additional locations within the same area.