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Famous Nathan: A Family Saga of Coney Island, the American Dream, and the Search for the Perfect Hot Dog
From a nickel to an empire, the extraordinary rise of one man, a nation and America's favorite snack.
Before the gut-busting eating contests and franchise stores across the country, there was a single man, Nathan Handwerker. An Eastern European Jewish immigrant who left the small provincial world he knew for a fresh start in America, Nathan arrived at Ellis Island speaking not a word of English, unable to read or write, and with twenty-five dollars hidden in his shoes. He had a simple work hard and carve out a piece of the American dream. But history had bigger plans for Nathan.
Beginning in 1916, with just five feet of counter space on Coney Island’s Surf Avenue, Nathan sells his frankfurters for five cents. As New York booms, bringing trains and patrons to the seashore, so too does Nathan’s humble frankfurter stand. Soon Nathan’s Famous takes over the whole block, and Nathan gathers around him a dedicated core of workers (many who stay for decades) who help launch the hot dog as an American food staple.
Even as the business soars, Nathan remains fiercely loyal to what matters his customers, workers, and family. There’s Ida, the wife he fell in love with because no one could peel an onion faster; Sammy, the counterman who could serve an astonishing sixty franks per minute; and then there are the heirs to the empire, Murray and Sol, whose differing visions for the future lead to clashes with their eternally demanding father. Success brings difficulties, and as the two sons vie over control of the family business, a universal story of success and ambition plays out, mirroring the corporatization of the American food industry.
Written by Nathan’s own grandson, and at once a portrait of a man, a family, and the changing face of a nation through a century of promise and progress, Famous Nathan is a dog's tale that snaps and satisfies with every page.
Before the gut-busting eating contests and franchise stores across the country, there was a single man, Nathan Handwerker. An Eastern European Jewish immigrant who left the small provincial world he knew for a fresh start in America, Nathan arrived at Ellis Island speaking not a word of English, unable to read or write, and with twenty-five dollars hidden in his shoes. He had a simple work hard and carve out a piece of the American dream. But history had bigger plans for Nathan.
Beginning in 1916, with just five feet of counter space on Coney Island’s Surf Avenue, Nathan sells his frankfurters for five cents. As New York booms, bringing trains and patrons to the seashore, so too does Nathan’s humble frankfurter stand. Soon Nathan’s Famous takes over the whole block, and Nathan gathers around him a dedicated core of workers (many who stay for decades) who help launch the hot dog as an American food staple.
Even as the business soars, Nathan remains fiercely loyal to what matters his customers, workers, and family. There’s Ida, the wife he fell in love with because no one could peel an onion faster; Sammy, the counterman who could serve an astonishing sixty franks per minute; and then there are the heirs to the empire, Murray and Sol, whose differing visions for the future lead to clashes with their eternally demanding father. Success brings difficulties, and as the two sons vie over control of the family business, a universal story of success and ambition plays out, mirroring the corporatization of the American food industry.
Written by Nathan’s own grandson, and at once a portrait of a man, a family, and the changing face of a nation through a century of promise and progress, Famous Nathan is a dog's tale that snaps and satisfies with every page.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2016
17 people are currently reading
542 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 26, 2016
Beware books written by family. On one hand, the book is a fun history of Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. On the other hand, it is a family history written by a family member. Some areas, such as the feuding between Nathan's two oldest sons, are gone over in over-abundant detail, while his sole daughter is covered in one paragraph. The end of the book also seemed rushed and covered the downfall of Nathan's in a few pages. It's still around in the grocery store (yes I did check yesterday), but not in the form it was in it's heyday. Still, an entertaining read on the rise of an American icon, just not one properly researched.
November 21, 2020
2.5. I generally love biographies, but I have to admit I was bored to tears with this. I only finished because it was loaned to me by someone I often share book recs with. I’m not sad to see the end of it.
August 1, 2016
Interesting, but plotless. I learned a lot about Nathan and his business, and there was interesting Coney Island history, but it wasn't exactly a compelling read.
March 23, 2021
Nathan's Famous is still a cornerstone from the early years of Coney Island with their nickel hot dogs, fries, and drinks. Looking into the history of such an icon can be a trip not only into the social workings of the time but a view of individual determination and accomplishment
The author tells the tale of his grandfather, Nathan Handwerker who worked as a child hawker of pastries and potatoes and eventually fled to America to escape the obvious upcoming wars. Finding a niche for himself and the woman he fell in love with. Building up the business of Nathan's from a few feet of counterspace in one building with expansion after expansion with nickel hot dogs with onions on toasted buns, slowly adding more menu items like fries, hamburgers and once prohibition was repealed, beer.
Nathan was a hard worker who wanted things done the way he specified. Employees were to be quick, honest and able to work long hours and days on end especially during the summer season. Just like Nathan did.
It's a grand story of achievement but once he managed to get to the top, it was even harder to stay there. Especially with rationing during the war so he arranged to have his hot dogs made a bit smaller - a half inch off the 7" frankfurter. But they remained a nickel in price. Sound familiar? Keeping the same price for a reduced product?
One interesting thing was that Nathan only deposited the paper money regularly and save the coins for the end of the season. And since he was selling thousands of hot dogs daily, that's alot of coinage that needed to be cleaned and rolled before going to the bank. It made sense since the shop went through just as much coinage in making change as they took in. Nathan's sons first jobs were sitting under some stairs and rolling coins for hours.
But eventually, the sons - Murray and Sol - wanted to spread their own wings and with the various attempts to expand - either as franchises or multiple small shops verses large sit-down restaurants - Nathan and wife, Ida, let them slowly gain control of the business. Unfortunately, big ideas also cost big money and although Nathan's Famous was well-known in the New York City area, it was also associated with Coney Island and grabbing a hot dog amidst the entertainment.
Today, Nathan's Famous is no longer owned by the family although several still own stock in the privately held company. Most people know it from the Independence Day annual hot dog eating contests, one of the world's biggest events in competitive eating. But Nathan's hot dogs - which can be gotten either at one of the small franchise kiosk or at the grocery store - are number 5 on the list of the best-selling hot dogs in the United States. This mostly illiterate immigrant from Poland did achieve the so-called American dream.
2021-060
The author tells the tale of his grandfather, Nathan Handwerker who worked as a child hawker of pastries and potatoes and eventually fled to America to escape the obvious upcoming wars. Finding a niche for himself and the woman he fell in love with. Building up the business of Nathan's from a few feet of counterspace in one building with expansion after expansion with nickel hot dogs with onions on toasted buns, slowly adding more menu items like fries, hamburgers and once prohibition was repealed, beer.
Nathan was a hard worker who wanted things done the way he specified. Employees were to be quick, honest and able to work long hours and days on end especially during the summer season. Just like Nathan did.
It's a grand story of achievement but once he managed to get to the top, it was even harder to stay there. Especially with rationing during the war so he arranged to have his hot dogs made a bit smaller - a half inch off the 7" frankfurter. But they remained a nickel in price. Sound familiar? Keeping the same price for a reduced product?
One interesting thing was that Nathan only deposited the paper money regularly and save the coins for the end of the season. And since he was selling thousands of hot dogs daily, that's alot of coinage that needed to be cleaned and rolled before going to the bank. It made sense since the shop went through just as much coinage in making change as they took in. Nathan's sons first jobs were sitting under some stairs and rolling coins for hours.
But eventually, the sons - Murray and Sol - wanted to spread their own wings and with the various attempts to expand - either as franchises or multiple small shops verses large sit-down restaurants - Nathan and wife, Ida, let them slowly gain control of the business. Unfortunately, big ideas also cost big money and although Nathan's Famous was well-known in the New York City area, it was also associated with Coney Island and grabbing a hot dog amidst the entertainment.
Today, Nathan's Famous is no longer owned by the family although several still own stock in the privately held company. Most people know it from the Independence Day annual hot dog eating contests, one of the world's biggest events in competitive eating. But Nathan's hot dogs - which can be gotten either at one of the small franchise kiosk or at the grocery store - are number 5 on the list of the best-selling hot dogs in the United States. This mostly illiterate immigrant from Poland did achieve the so-called American dream.
2021-060
October 18, 2017
Excellent writing from the original Nathan's grandson. It brought back many memories of a few trips all the way across Brooklyn to double park in front of Nathan's while my Dad and Uncle went up to the windows to get hot dogs and fries. The book doesn't mention that there were separate windows for every item. Nor does it mention one of my favorites - the knishes.
December 15, 2018
I'm a bit obsessed with Coney Island, and enjoyed reading about the neighborhood from this somewhat oblique perspective. The grandson of the founder of Nathan's writes the story, which gives you a sense of access and authenticity without feeling too much like you are reading something hyper biased. Despite Nathan's success, in many ways I found his story quite sad, but no spoilers today!
August 3, 2020
"The story of my family involved something great, a tale of America itself."
How does a poor Jewish immigrant rise to become a household name with a Coney Island landmark? This is the true story of Nathan Handwerker, who arrived at Ellis Island with just $25 and not a word of English but an incredible work ethic and vision. In 1916 he began with just 5 feet of counter space and a frankfurter recipe; with no formal business training but an innate sense of customers and products, he built a business, Nathan's Famous, that spanned a block and made national news. Nathan was not an easy man - "I don't have heart attacks...I give heart attacks" - but he was an ambitious man and a family man.
It is also the story of Coney Island, which transformed at the turn of the 20th century from a seaside resort to a working man's amusement park. This story reflects the history of New York City and its citizens with background on the changes in transportation, the growth of a middle class, and unionization.
The first half of the book, the story of Nathan's rise, is immensely engaging and worth 5 stars The second half, in which family squabbles over the direction for the business, loses traction and focus. But the book is well worth reading for that first half.
How does a poor Jewish immigrant rise to become a household name with a Coney Island landmark? This is the true story of Nathan Handwerker, who arrived at Ellis Island with just $25 and not a word of English but an incredible work ethic and vision. In 1916 he began with just 5 feet of counter space and a frankfurter recipe; with no formal business training but an innate sense of customers and products, he built a business, Nathan's Famous, that spanned a block and made national news. Nathan was not an easy man - "I don't have heart attacks...I give heart attacks" - but he was an ambitious man and a family man.
It is also the story of Coney Island, which transformed at the turn of the 20th century from a seaside resort to a working man's amusement park. This story reflects the history of New York City and its citizens with background on the changes in transportation, the growth of a middle class, and unionization.
The first half of the book, the story of Nathan's rise, is immensely engaging and worth 5 stars The second half, in which family squabbles over the direction for the business, loses traction and focus. But the book is well worth reading for that first half.
July 4, 2019
Picked up this book on a whim. After all, it's July 4th weekend, and Nathan's
is
its epicenter, so why not learn more about this quintessential American institution.
This is a story of an immigrant who came to America, worked his butt off, & became a success. And in true immigrant-to-America form, Nathan's kids didn't have the same life-and-death desire as their father, because life was not a struggle for them. Sure, they go into the business, but it's just not the same as building something from nothing. It's also a story to remind us that immigrants are constantly adding to the fabric of this country..... In the immortal words of Lin-Manuel Miranda: "Immigrants. They get the job done!"
This is a story of an immigrant who came to America, worked his butt off, & became a success. And in true immigrant-to-America form, Nathan's kids didn't have the same life-and-death desire as their father, because life was not a struggle for them. Sure, they go into the business, but it's just not the same as building something from nothing. It's also a story to remind us that immigrants are constantly adding to the fabric of this country..... In the immortal words of Lin-Manuel Miranda: "Immigrants. They get the job done!"
January 29, 2020
True tale of rags to riches career of the titular Nathan!
It was a truly a pleasure reading this book, which is energizing at the least. The life and career of the hotdog kingpin Nathan Handwerker is written by his grandson Lloyd (talking of which, what is a biography written by a relative of the subject? Nepobiography, on the lines of autobiography?) , but it doesn't come across as a work of hagiography.
The book narrates, along with the story of the extremely hardworking Nathan, the evolution of hotdog itself. Hotdog's evolution started in Coney Island (yes, the once amusement park hub) in what used to be called "grab-joints" which has a better ring to it than "fast-food" IMHO. Before Ray Croc epitomized the concepts of "quality first", affordability etc through his McDonald's, Nathan started and stood for all of that, and even more. From being Great Depression resistant to its Hotdog eating contests pulling higher ratings than MLBs on ESPN, from Jackie Kennedy like celebrities grabbing their hotdogs to having cops literally on their payroll, Nathan's wasn't just a hotdog place after a few years of its establishment in 1916 - it was a phenomenon.
And like most other rags to riches stories, the one that of Nathan is also full of qualities that are the usual suspects - intense hard-work (the kind of which makes Jack Ma's 996 very lazy), authoritative decision making skills, utmost focus on quality of the product (which showed very early in his life when Nathan always went to the best butcher, not any, to get meat for selling elsewhere), dedication to work and customers, moving a place far away from where he grew up (Poland to New York City), amongst others.
The book also has some interesting trivia about NY and restaurant business in general. For example, Coney Island became the most postcarded venue in the world in 1906, when two hundred thousand postcards were mailed from there on a single day; 70% of all restaurants fail, a ratio that has held constant over the years!
Overall, the book was a very inspiring read, and the biggest lesson I take away from it is that there is no substitute for hard-work!
It was a truly a pleasure reading this book, which is energizing at the least. The life and career of the hotdog kingpin Nathan Handwerker is written by his grandson Lloyd (talking of which, what is a biography written by a relative of the subject? Nepobiography, on the lines of autobiography?) , but it doesn't come across as a work of hagiography.
The book narrates, along with the story of the extremely hardworking Nathan, the evolution of hotdog itself. Hotdog's evolution started in Coney Island (yes, the once amusement park hub) in what used to be called "grab-joints" which has a better ring to it than "fast-food" IMHO. Before Ray Croc epitomized the concepts of "quality first", affordability etc through his McDonald's, Nathan started and stood for all of that, and even more. From being Great Depression resistant to its Hotdog eating contests pulling higher ratings than MLBs on ESPN, from Jackie Kennedy like celebrities grabbing their hotdogs to having cops literally on their payroll, Nathan's wasn't just a hotdog place after a few years of its establishment in 1916 - it was a phenomenon.
And like most other rags to riches stories, the one that of Nathan is also full of qualities that are the usual suspects - intense hard-work (the kind of which makes Jack Ma's 996 very lazy), authoritative decision making skills, utmost focus on quality of the product (which showed very early in his life when Nathan always went to the best butcher, not any, to get meat for selling elsewhere), dedication to work and customers, moving a place far away from where he grew up (Poland to New York City), amongst others.
The book also has some interesting trivia about NY and restaurant business in general. For example, Coney Island became the most postcarded venue in the world in 1906, when two hundred thousand postcards were mailed from there on a single day; 70% of all restaurants fail, a ratio that has held constant over the years!
Overall, the book was a very inspiring read, and the biggest lesson I take away from it is that there is no substitute for hard-work!
November 30, 2016
Maybe just for people familiar with Nathan's Famous It sounded intriguing: the story Nathan's Famous hot dogs. I've never had one, never been to Coney Island, but I am familiar enough to understand that there's a story behind it. This is the story, partially told by one of his grandsons with a co-writer.
It starts off interestingly enough, telling us the story of Nathan's journey as an immigrant, landing in the United States and how he got started. Then it becomes really tedious: the logistics of starting up one's own eatery (although I found it interesting to understand the reasoning why Nathan went into food: it was partially so he'd always have a source of food, which wasn't always true in his youth). It just wasn't particularly much of a page-turner.
I think this is one of those stories that really relies on the reader being a fan or being much more familiar with it than I. Some of the topics include the famous stories/legends surrounding Nathan's Famous which was not particularly of interest to me. That said, I appreciate it and do find it interesting if I know the context (the product).
Might be fun for a fan or someone more familiar or someone who really loves hot dogs. Wasn't for me.
It starts off interestingly enough, telling us the story of Nathan's journey as an immigrant, landing in the United States and how he got started. Then it becomes really tedious: the logistics of starting up one's own eatery (although I found it interesting to understand the reasoning why Nathan went into food: it was partially so he'd always have a source of food, which wasn't always true in his youth). It just wasn't particularly much of a page-turner.
I think this is one of those stories that really relies on the reader being a fan or being much more familiar with it than I. Some of the topics include the famous stories/legends surrounding Nathan's Famous which was not particularly of interest to me. That said, I appreciate it and do find it interesting if I know the context (the product).
Might be fun for a fan or someone more familiar or someone who really loves hot dogs. Wasn't for me.
August 1, 2025
You know that meme where a journalist posted a story about an 89 year old man who is still working at Walmart to ensure his wife doesn't have to go to a care home so he can afford her medical care at home and underneath it says "this isn't a feel good story. This is an American nightmare" That's how I felt about this book. The author tries to tell a story about his grandfather as a rags to riches story about someone who starts with nothing and dies famous (though not rich? he claims not rich but he has a funny definition of rich then). So. Anyway, the problem is this guy works 7 days a week 12-15 hours a day, and has no life other than working. He's the kind of boss we all hate - a micromanaging dickhead - which the grandson tries to spin as a good thing but if you think about it for 30 seconds you realize you would actually hate. The book was interesting enough, but actually kind of a train wreck. And an American nightmare.
September 13, 2017
I found this book delightful and informative. It is the story of Nathan Handwerker the founder of Famous Nathan, his restaurant, but it is also the story of Coney Island, and it is also the story of the Handwerker family, and it is also a guide for building a business. All of these stories are interrelated and dependent upon each other—It is a symbiotic relationship. It was truly a nostalgic journey through the culture, history and social life of the first half of the twentieth century. A story wonderfully told!
Read
August 20, 2019Famous Nathan was about so many things! It touched on his grindingly poor childhood in Galicia, his move to NYC, finding work in food service, almost inadvertently starting a hotdog stand, building a business, Coney Island over many years and more.
Really well-written. I enjoyed all of it, even if it was a little sad at the end. Life doesn't always go as planned.
Really well-written. I enjoyed all of it, even if it was a little sad at the end. Life doesn't always go as planned.
December 1, 2019
As a father, I am empathetic to Nathan's plight of wanting a better life for your offspring than your own upbringing, while wanting your kids to work and be industrious as you are. I admired Nathan's persistence, commitment and dedication, which he understood needed to be continual, not sporadic. Alas, the hours toiled at work came at a sacrifice.
July 15, 2020
Unexpected gem bread read.
I expected a typical dry business biography. I was captivated by Nathan's biography woven through the business biography. An incredible story of immigrant assimilation and success. If you relish not dogs, read this preferably with a few on your plate while you read.
I expected a typical dry business biography. I was captivated by Nathan's biography woven through the business biography. An incredible story of immigrant assimilation and success. If you relish not dogs, read this preferably with a few on your plate while you read.
January 20, 2021
Nathan's Famous in Coney Island. A lot of memories of going their while I was growing up. This beautiful memoir by Lloyd Handwerker, grandson of the founder of this iconic piece of New York history, has written a compelling and moving portrait of the business, the family and the man behind it all. The struggles, the triumphs and the food! A wonderful book I highly recommend.
February 3, 2021
The old saying is true--the book is better than the movie! I've seen both the documentary and now finished reading the book, and the book paints a much broader and better picture of not only the life of Nathan Handwerker but the changes that Nathan's Famous hot dog stand, Coney Island, and even America underwent throughout the 20th century.
May 8, 2022
My husband grew up on Long Island. I'm an Ohio gal. All I knew of Nathan were the packaged hot dogs and there is SO much more to the story. His story endeared me to the Coney Island of the past as well as his "immigrant makes good" life.
This was a read aloud by the aforementioned husband who did a great job on various accents!
This was a read aloud by the aforementioned husband who did a great job on various accents!
July 7, 2023
If you’re a fan of Nathan‘s hotdogs, you’ll probably love this book. Tells a great story of the founder. Spends most of the time covering the first 30 years of the business, which clearly is the most interesting time in its history. Worth a read, especially if you’re a hot dog eater (ok, I am not, but still read it).
July 21, 2018
Hot dogs anyone? A heartwarming story of an immigrant and the American dream. This book shows hard work and a dream pay off in the end. I guarantee it will leave you motivated to follow your dreams and wanting a hot dog by the end!
I won this book for free on the Good reads giveaways.
I won this book for free on the Good reads giveaways.
December 3, 2018
This is an interesting story told by Nathan's grandson. Nathan came to America with nothing more than $25 in his pocket. He worked hard to find a way to support himself. The story of the beginnings of the famous hot dog on Coney Island will keep you wanting to learn more and more.
October 30, 2023
A great story of one man's desire to build an American business. Nathan had what it took to get off the boat and create a fortune- a nickel at a time. Now a licensing company he took it to the limit. Peaked At $40m and died with $3m net worth in Florida. Go Nathan,
August 25, 2017
I picked up this book on a whim, thinking it would be a cool food-centric book about a famous brand. It was SO much more and ultimately about families. Loved it!
January 18, 2021
This is the best hotdog propaganda that I have ever read.
Read
July 13, 2021Fast Food Empire
This is the biography of the founder of Nathan's Famous and shows how an immigrant comes to America and builds a fast food empire based around hot dogs.
This is the biography of the founder of Nathan's Famous and shows how an immigrant comes to America and builds a fast food empire based around hot dogs.
July 9, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was requested or given.
Nathan’s Famous was the number one hog dog stand in the world for several decades, and synonymous with the Coney Island experience. It was the creation of Nathan (originally Nachum) Handwerker, an immigrant who worked his way up from grinding poverty to being a successful businessman. This book is primarily his story, told by his grandson.
According to the book, Nathan was born in a Jewish shtetl in Galicia (now part of Poland) in 1892. At the time, the region was occupied by Austria, and was proverbial for its inhabitants’ poverty. His father Jacob was a shoemaker who was usually unemployed and his mother sold vegetables as a sideline whenever the chance came up. Nathan grew up constantly hungry and early on decided he wanted to be in the restaurant business. Over time, his hard work and good business sense got him enough money to buy passage to America in 1912.
To make it in business, you need a strong work ethic, canny business sense…and a walloping dose of good luck. Nathan had all three, and by 1916 had learned enough English and accumulated enough savings to open his own “grab joint” selling frankfurters and lemonade from a tiny storefront on Coney Island. His initial partner backed out when initial sales weren’t good, but Nathan found a good price point and soon became able to stay open all year, expanding the store and his menu bit by bit.
After a year or so, the initially nameless joint became “Nathan’s”, and then “Nathan’s Famous” as business boomed. Nathan used a business philosophy of fast service, a limited menu and consistent high quality to grow his enterprise. (This was later independently discovered by the McDonalds brothers, though the highness of quality is debatable.)
A big believer in family, Nathan brought over almost all of his clan from Europe as well as marrying and having children of his own. He didn’t let nepotism stand in the way of good business practice, though, once firing his older brother the same day he hired him for failure to follow procedure. He was a very hands-on manager, and ran a tight ship; his contentious personality meant that he often fought with his top workers, but it also bred loyalty. He integrated his staff very early on and was generous with benefits, but was firmly against unions.
Nathan’s Famous was huge, and the book describes its interactions with American history. But by the time Nathan’s sons Sol and Murray moved into management positions under him, times were changing. The brothers had clashing ideas about where the store and its brand should be going, and did not work together well. Coney Island was losing its place as a tourist attraction, helped along by a city planner who wanted to gentrify the area. (Unfortunately, his plans had the opposite effect, crashing the local economy and increasing crime.) And chain fast food places became the standard.
The original Nathan’s Famous has never closed, but is no longer in family hands, and in the modern day, it’s more famous as a hot dog brand than as a destination.
Most of the material about Nathan’s early life is derived from a single interview done with him by another of his grandsons, so should be taken with a grain of salt. The book also talks about some Nathan’s Famous legends and whether they are based on truth or the result of a public relations campaign.
There’s quite a bit of time spent on the logistics and mechanics of running a grab joint in the early part of the Twentieth Century, which will be useful to people who have always wondered about that sort of thing. There’s also family drama, as well as details about some of the long-time employees.
To be honest, the book never really grabbed me, but I think it will be of great interest to hot dog aficionados and those who are nostalgic for the Nathan’s Famous of yore. Each chapter has a black and white photo heading. Also, there are end notes (functional but lackluster) and a bibliography for further reading.
Nathan’s Famous was the number one hog dog stand in the world for several decades, and synonymous with the Coney Island experience. It was the creation of Nathan (originally Nachum) Handwerker, an immigrant who worked his way up from grinding poverty to being a successful businessman. This book is primarily his story, told by his grandson.
According to the book, Nathan was born in a Jewish shtetl in Galicia (now part of Poland) in 1892. At the time, the region was occupied by Austria, and was proverbial for its inhabitants’ poverty. His father Jacob was a shoemaker who was usually unemployed and his mother sold vegetables as a sideline whenever the chance came up. Nathan grew up constantly hungry and early on decided he wanted to be in the restaurant business. Over time, his hard work and good business sense got him enough money to buy passage to America in 1912.
To make it in business, you need a strong work ethic, canny business sense…and a walloping dose of good luck. Nathan had all three, and by 1916 had learned enough English and accumulated enough savings to open his own “grab joint” selling frankfurters and lemonade from a tiny storefront on Coney Island. His initial partner backed out when initial sales weren’t good, but Nathan found a good price point and soon became able to stay open all year, expanding the store and his menu bit by bit.
After a year or so, the initially nameless joint became “Nathan’s”, and then “Nathan’s Famous” as business boomed. Nathan used a business philosophy of fast service, a limited menu and consistent high quality to grow his enterprise. (This was later independently discovered by the McDonalds brothers, though the highness of quality is debatable.)
A big believer in family, Nathan brought over almost all of his clan from Europe as well as marrying and having children of his own. He didn’t let nepotism stand in the way of good business practice, though, once firing his older brother the same day he hired him for failure to follow procedure. He was a very hands-on manager, and ran a tight ship; his contentious personality meant that he often fought with his top workers, but it also bred loyalty. He integrated his staff very early on and was generous with benefits, but was firmly against unions.
Nathan’s Famous was huge, and the book describes its interactions with American history. But by the time Nathan’s sons Sol and Murray moved into management positions under him, times were changing. The brothers had clashing ideas about where the store and its brand should be going, and did not work together well. Coney Island was losing its place as a tourist attraction, helped along by a city planner who wanted to gentrify the area. (Unfortunately, his plans had the opposite effect, crashing the local economy and increasing crime.) And chain fast food places became the standard.
The original Nathan’s Famous has never closed, but is no longer in family hands, and in the modern day, it’s more famous as a hot dog brand than as a destination.
Most of the material about Nathan’s early life is derived from a single interview done with him by another of his grandsons, so should be taken with a grain of salt. The book also talks about some Nathan’s Famous legends and whether they are based on truth or the result of a public relations campaign.
There’s quite a bit of time spent on the logistics and mechanics of running a grab joint in the early part of the Twentieth Century, which will be useful to people who have always wondered about that sort of thing. There’s also family drama, as well as details about some of the long-time employees.
To be honest, the book never really grabbed me, but I think it will be of great interest to hot dog aficionados and those who are nostalgic for the Nathan’s Famous of yore. Each chapter has a black and white photo heading. Also, there are end notes (functional but lackluster) and a bibliography for further reading.
March 11, 2017
An inspiring immigrant's tale of a fortune built five cents at at time. No one worked harder than Nathan.
October 2, 2016
A behind the scenes look at Famous Nathan's the iconic Coney Island hot dog stand, founded 100 years ago by a Russian Jewish Immigrant, Nathan Handwerker. Told by his grandson, not a bad business book either.
February 15, 2017
18. Famous Nathan’s by Lloyd Handwerker
The best thing about this biography of an iconic product is the setting: Coney Island. From the roaring twenties to the greedy eighties, Nathan’s hot dogs typified the instant gratification of Coney Island. Nathan Handwerker, the founder, was driven and would work seven days a week until his old age. The role of Robert Moses, who destroyed so much of New York, deserved a larger discussion. My father always promised to take me to Nathan’s for hot dogs when I was a kid, but died before he could. My New York husband took me on my first adult New York visit. I was immediately hooked on the clams and oysters. The book does detail the feuds between the sons which, as an only child, I found very sad. Apparently, there is a book by a different grandchild with a different point of view. A fun and sad read for fans of New York, history, and family enterprises.
The best thing about this biography of an iconic product is the setting: Coney Island. From the roaring twenties to the greedy eighties, Nathan’s hot dogs typified the instant gratification of Coney Island. Nathan Handwerker, the founder, was driven and would work seven days a week until his old age. The role of Robert Moses, who destroyed so much of New York, deserved a larger discussion. My father always promised to take me to Nathan’s for hot dogs when I was a kid, but died before he could. My New York husband took me on my first adult New York visit. I was immediately hooked on the clams and oysters. The book does detail the feuds between the sons which, as an only child, I found very sad. Apparently, there is a book by a different grandchild with a different point of view. A fun and sad read for fans of New York, history, and family enterprises.
November 25, 2017
Fast, good read on the history of this wonderful place, the man who propelled it, and the family that grew rich from its traffic. Another insight too into Robert Moses' influence and massive developments. A great complement to Handwerker's documentary. Its all so much more than a hot dog.
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