Zack's Hotdogs
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1928 in Burlington, North Carolina, United States |
| Founder | Zack Touloupas |
| Headquarters | Burlington , United States |
| Products | Hot dogs, hamburgers, chili dogs, cheese dogs, bread-and-meat patty sandwiches, proprietary hot sauce |
Zack's Hot Dogs is a well-established eatery located in Burlington, North Carolina, originally founded in 1928 by Zack Touloupas under the name Alamance Hot Wienie Lunch. The restaurant began with a blue plate special menu but gradually shifted its focus to hot dogs and hamburgers, now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While it once operated every day of the week, Zack's currently remains closed on Sundays.
History
Burlington is recognized for its dining establishments founded by Greek immigrants, including notable venues such as Gus's Drive In—opened by Zack Touloupas' nephew Gus Kakavas—alongside Stavros Grill, Western Charcoal Steakhouse, Mimi's Pizza, and Café Nicola.
Zack Touloupas emigrated from Karpenisi, Greece in 1919 and initially settled in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1928, he acquired Alamance Hot Wienie Lunch in Burlington, which featured minimal seating comprising eight bar stools and four school desks. The original offerings included traditional meat-and-two-vegetable dishes like beef stew and pork chops in addition to hot dogs and hamburgers. Zack’s guiding principle was, "If it tastes good to me, it tastes good to someone else."
Following World War II, Zack’s son John Touloupas joined the enterprise and spearheaded a major renovation in 1960 that increased seating capacity to forty-four. During this period, the establishment became widely known as Zack's Hotdogs. In 1971, Pat Jordan, a writer for Sports Illustrated, described Zack's as Burlington’s "most famous restaurant" in his book Black Coach.
In 1977, John commissioned a new structure on the same block designed by local architect Vernon Lewis. This eighty-seat facility opened that December under the name Zack's Hotdogs. The menu was further enhanced in 1978 with the addition of french fries and ketchup. John’s son, Zack Touloupas II, started working at the restaurant during his youth and joined full-time after completing his studies at UNC in 1981.
Currently, Zack's continues to offer hot dogs, hamburgers, chili dogs, cheese dogs (featuring a block of cheese inside a bun), combination options (wienie with cheese), and their signature item—a bread-and-meat patty sandwich. Toppings include onions, slaw, and a homemade chili recipe originally developed by Zack himself. The restaurant is also known for its distinctive proprietary hot sauce that remains popular among patrons.