Nathan’s Famous

Coney Island and Nathan’s hot dogs are almost synonymous. The first Nathan’s opened in Coney Island and it is still open. Nathan’s Famous was founded by a Polish immigrant, Nathan Handwerker. He worked for Charles Feltman, the original Coney Island hot dog seller, and then started his own business in 1916. Nathan’s hot dogs were 5 cents cheaper than Feltman’s and soon eclipsed his former employer’s restaurant. In the over 90 years that have passed since opening day, Nathan’s has gained worldwide recognition for the quality and taste of its product. Last year, over 360 million Nathan’s Famous hot dogs were sold. Nathan’s Famous also holds hot dog eating contests across the country each year. Every year, the final event takes place at the original Nathan’s in Coney Island. The 96th contest will conclude on July 4th, 2011 in Coney Island. The event will also be nationally televised by ESPN. If you haven’t been here yet, this would be the perfect opportunity to have a bite of Nathan’s hot dogs.