Hey! Hot Dog Stays Open As Carhop Amid Coronavirus

JOLIET, IL — As most people around Joliet know, Hey! Hot Dog has been around this city for a long, long time. Since 1959 when it operated on the east-side on Cass Street. But now, because of concerns associated with the spread of the new coronavirus, Hey! Hot Dog faces a challenge, a serious challenge to its business at 601 Ruby St.

"I've owned it for 28 years. This is the first real situation we've ever had," owner B.J. Uedelhofen told Joliet Patch's Editor during Tuesday's noon hour.

One of the joys of visiting Hey! Hot Dog is coming inside, grabbing a stool at the counter and ordering a hot dog or a Polish sausage and washing it down with a frosty mug of root beer.

On Tuesday, Hey! Hot Dog found a way to reinvent itself during these challenging times for sit-down restaurants, particularly small family-owned restaurants without a drive-thru window.

How has Hey! Hot Dog reinvented itself?

"We'll come out to your car," Uedelhofen told Joliet Patch's Editor .

Signs in front of the building alert visitors that Joliet's 61-year-old hot dog business is now remaining open as a carhop.

When Patch visited Tuesday, there was a good crowd of customers already in the parking lot.

Nearby, a half dozen people were eating their meals on one of the outside picnic benches on the property.

Hey! Hot Dog has been at its Ruby Street location since 1978.

To help support one of Joliet's iconic businesses, I ordered two hot dogs - mustard only - and a small root beer.

My order came to $7.20. I had a $20 bill.

Remember: Hey! Hot Dog is old school. It does not take credit cards.

You need to have cash.

As a temporary carhop, Hey! Hot Dog is staying open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. It's always been closed on Sundays.

"The customers are liking it," Uedelhofen remarked.

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