A Chicago restaurant announced its closing in October and has since attracted long lines of eager customers wanting to try the hot dog buns before the store closed for good.
Hot Doug, named after the business owner Doug Sohn, specializes in custom dogs and sausages and includes duck fat french fries served during weekends only in the menu. Sohn announced in May that he'll close the store for good in October 3.
"There really is no overwhelming reason other than it's time to go do something else. The plan is not to own a restaurant anymore," Sohn said to DNAinfo Chicago when he first announced the news.
The restaurant owner posted the announcement on the website, saying he's closing the restaurant to go on a permanent vacation. The restaurant owner is known for serving hot dogs himself, with orders amounting to 700-800 hot dogs everyday. The hot dog spot is so popular that some fans tattooed the Hot Doug's logo to get free hot dogs for a lifetime.
Ever since the announcement, people have been lining up for hours just to savor the last days of the famous restaurant. As the last few days go down to the single digits, the lines of customers are reaching a quarter mile. Some customers are first timers who want to know what the hype is all about.
About 200 ppl lined up waiting for hot dogs at Chicago's legendary Hot Doug's, closing in a few weeks. WHY?! pic.twitter.com/5POGgp1PGL
— Lance LeVine (@chocolatierLL) September 15, 2014
In response to the growing number of customers lining up daily, Sohn posted on the website, "Hot Doug's may have to stop customers from entering the line before 4:00pm." This is too avoid complaints from residents in the neighborhood.
Many fans are questioning why Sohn is closing down Chicago's favorite hot dog spot, but there's no turning back for the restaurant owner.
"I opened the restaurant on a gut feeling, and I'm kind of closing it that way," said Sohn.
