Wienerschnitzel

Glen Bell, then an owner of a small chain of Mexican restaurants called El Taco, convinced John Galardi, a commissary manager for the company, to launch his own fast food chain. Bell invested in it and helped develop the idea. Martha Bell, Glen’s wife, supplied the name for it, Der Wienerschnitzel. It derived from the traditional Austrian veal dish, wiener schnitzel, which has nothing to do with hot dogs. The “Der” was removed from the name in 1977. In 1961, the first outlet, featuring hot dogs, corn dogs, and chili dogs, opened in Newport Beach, California. Galardi’s first stand was flat-roofed but he switched to an A-frame structure in which customers actually drove through the building. The chain’s mascot is a hot dog that runs away from people who want to eat him. Wienerschnitzel remains privately owned; its parent company, the Galardi Group Franchise & Leasing, Inc., is headquartered in Newport Beach. Wiener-schnitzel is the largest hot dog chain, with more than 360 outlets in 10 states and Guam. In 2005, the company co-branded with Tastee-Freez so that its menu now includes Taste-Freez items.