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Jack In The Box

Image: Studbee

And speaking of outer space… Before Mark Hamill became Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, he once worked the drive-thru at Jack in the Box. He was quickly fired, though. Customers complained after he spoke to them using a clown-like voice.

Decades later, in 2022, Hamill reunited with the brand in a comeback ad promoting two revived fan favorites: Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.

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Taco Bell

Image: PJ Gal-Szabo

The company has pulled off some interesting marketing pranks over the years, but none as unforgettable as its 1996 April Fool’s joke announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell.

A full-page ad ran in major newspapers announcing the purchase of the historic bell to help reduce the national debt. The "Taco Liberty Bell" joke did not land well. It caused thousands of complaints; people contacted Taco Bell and the National Park Service demanding answers. Later that day, the company confirmed the story was a hoax, and the stunt went down as one of the most memorable marketing pranks of all time.

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Domino’s Pizza

Image: Erick Galván

Back in the ’80s, when Domino’s expanded into Japan, the company ran into a problem: there was no Japanese word for "pepperoni." And, since it was the best-selling topping in the US, they could not risk leaving that pizza out of the menu! So, the brand had to coin a Japanese word for pepperoni. They went for ペパロニ (pronounced "peparoni").

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Pizza Hut

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Pizza Hut has always been known for some memorable marketing stunts. When Back to the Future Part II hit theaters in 1989, the chain handed out "futuristic" sunglasses with every pie. In 1995, they recruited Donald Trump and Ivana Trump to introduce their first stuffed-crust pizza.

And who could forget the time, in 2001, when they delivered the first pizza ever sent into space, straight to the International Space Station (ISS)?

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Starbucks

Image: Gema Saputera

Starbucks is such an iconic franchise that its presence can signal rising real-estate values. Studies show that neighborhoods with a new Starbucks often experience property-price increases above the usual rate.

Another interesting tidbit about the brand: inside its stores, employees are required to avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or other strong fragrances to prevent interfering with the aroma and taste of the coffee.

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Coca-Cola

Image: Samuel Bryngelsson

From 1886 until 1959 (over seventy years!), a 6.5-oz glass or bottle of Coca-Cola cost exactly 5 cents. The company had strategic reasons for keeping the price so low and stable.

At the time, it was easier to get customers to insert a single nickel into vending machines rather than require multiple coins. The 5-cent price helped make Coca-Cola a simple, affordable choice.

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McDonald’s

Image: Brett Jordan

The Golden Arches giant has had a long, sometimes on-, sometimes off-, relationship with Disney. McDonald’s began doing Happy Meal tie-ins with Disney characters in 1987 to promote Disney films.

For about ten years, the partnership was exclusive, but it fell off because Disney wanted to work with other food brands, and McDonald’s with other movie studios! Today, they still share a non-exclusive alliance.

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Wendy’s

Image: Brian J. Tromp

Wendy’s square hamburger patties weren’t an accident; the idea reportedly came from a chain called Kewpee Hamburgers, a Kalamazoo favorite known for its square-shaped burgers. Founder Dave Thomas has said that as a child, he often ate at a Kewpee, and that those square patties inspired the look and feel of Wendy’s burgers.

Thomas had always loved those because corners poking out of the bun created the impression of a larger burger and made the meat easier to see.

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KFC

Image: Aleks Dorohovich

KFC’s legendary "11 herbs & spices" recipe is kept under tight lock and key; the company splits the production of the spice mix between different suppliers so that no single person outside knows the full formula.

However, there was a time when Colonel Sanders offered that recipe at a very affordable price: he would license the recipe to restaurant owners for just 4 to 5 cents per chicken piece sold, giving them the right to cook and sell his secret-recipe chicken themselves.

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Betty Crocker

Image: Lalada .

Betty Crocker was never a real person. Did you know? She was invented in 1921 by the Washburn-Crosby Company as a friendly, approachable name to respond to consumer letters.

Even though she was fictional, by 1945, Fortune magazine named "Betty Crocker" the second most famous woman in America, second only to Eleanor Roosevelt.

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M&M

Image: Pixabay

There’s a long-standing debate about America’s favorite chocolate nuggets: Do different colors of M&M’s actually taste different? While many fans swear their favorite color has a distinct flavor, the brand consistently states that the only difference between colors is their dye; all other ingredients remain the same.

That said, some people claim that mini M&M’s taste sweeter than the regular ones. Some analyses suggest that mini M&M’s have a higher candy-shell-to-chocolate ratio, which could make them taste sweeter.

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Heinz

Image: JEFERSON GOMES

Though ketchup is by far Heinz's flagship product, that was not the first one Henry J. Heinz sold. You probably could never guess what it was that he personally started selling back in 1869!

Horseradish! The first thing he ever sold, out of his house, under his name, was horseradish and other pickled goods like vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. This early business laid the groundwork for the now-famous condiments empire.

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Decoration Day

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was first observed on May 30, 1868, as a way to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. However, the idea behind it actually came from the South. Mary Ann Williams , whose husband died during the conflict, wrote a letter to a newspaper urging women to set aside a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.

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The end of May

Decoration Day was instituted by the Army’s commander-in-chief, General John A. Logan , and was quickly adopted by most states. There are several theories about why the date was chosen: some say Logan purposely picked a day that was not the anniversary of any Civil War battle, while others believe he chose it because it’s the time of year when most flowers bloom.

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National Cemeteries

During the American Civil War, the U.S. Congress passed an act to create military burial places for Union soldiers. By the end of that year, 12 national cemeteries had been established. Today, the National Cemetery System maintains 164 military burial sites, the most well-known being Arlington National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Cemetery .

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Renaming

The term Memorial Day was first recorded in the 1880s and grew increasingly popular after World War II. However, the holiday wasn’t officially renamed until 1968, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved its observance from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

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A moment for remembrance

The establishment of Memorial Day weekend has been seen by some as a benefit to the travel, sports, and entertainment industries. Veterans’ organizations have urged that the holiday be returned to its original date, arguing that the three-day weekend undermines its intended meaning. In response, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act , which encourages people to pause at 3:00 p.m. for a moment of silent reflection and remembrance.

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Poppies

Several English-speaking countries adopted the poppy flower as a symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers after World War I. This tradition was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields , written by Canadian military doctor John McCrae , which describes poppies growing among soldiers’ graves. In the United States, the poppy was originally associated with Veterans Day but is now primarily worn during Memorial Day weekend.

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The flag

The national flag flies at half-staff during periods of mourning. While special instances of mourning can be proclaimed by government authorities, remembrance holidays follow a set protocol. On Memorial Day, the U.S. flag is briskly raised to the top of the staff, then solemnly lowered to half-staff, where it remains until noon. At that time, it is raised again to full staff to honor the nation’s living heroes and those still serving.

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The Unknown Soldier

One of the focal points of Memorial Day is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery . This symbolic monument was established in 1921 and originally held the remains of an unidentified soldier who died in World War I. Later, unidentified soldiers from World War II and the Korean War were also interred at the site. A permanent military guard stands watch year-round, honoring the sacrifice of all unidentified service members.

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Memorial Wreaths

Wreaths are a common sight on Memorial Day—but where does the tradition come from? In 1992, Morrill Worcester, owner of a wreath company in Maine, found himself with a surplus of holiday wreaths. Wanting to put them to good use, he donated them to Arlington National Cemetery as a tribute to the fallen—a gesture that soon became an annual tradition. After a photo of the wreath-covered graves went viral in 2005, the nonprofit organization Wreaths Across America was established to help volunteers place wreaths on veterans’ graves across the country.

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The start of the summer

Even though it is a day of remembrance, Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial start of summer . The holiday often coincides with the end of the school year, and the warmer weather encourages families to gather for barbecues and cookouts, attend parades, and visit the graves and memorials of fallen soldiers.

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Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, New York

Image: Umanoide

While its world fame derives from a hot dog eating contest where the flavor of each individual dog is hardly appreciated by the participants, Nathan’s Famous does make excellent frankfurters with a vast array of flavors to choose from.

Set up in 1916 by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker, it's now one of the most popular and famous places on the New York City food map for its mind-blowing hot dogs.

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Puka Dog, Hawaii

Image: LikeMeat

Pork is a central part of the Hawaiian culture and it should be no surprise that pork hot dogs are a popular treat in that lovely part of the country. Puka Dog’s Hawaiian-style hot dogs are named after the unique bun that's baked with a hole running through the middle .

The available hot dogs can be either Polish or veggie, and the local garlic lemon sauce can be mild, spicy, hot, or lava (yes, that is on the menu). Relish and condiments are seemingly infinite.

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Portillo's, Illinois

Image: Samuel Ramos

A city well known for its all-beef hot dogs served in poppy seed buns Chicago has plenty of hot dog vendors. But, among them, Portillo’s is the place to go to get the real deal.

Its classic Jumbo Hot Dog with mustard, relish, chopped onions, sliced ripe tomato, sport peppers, and pickles in a delicious steamed bun is a city landmark in itself. Chicago natives are known to call this combo of toppings 'dragging the dog through the garden'.

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Dat Dog, Louisiana

Image: Mateusz Feliksik

If you ever felt the craving for an alligator or crawfish hot dog , and you happen to be in Louisiana, this is the place for you. Dat Dog has nine house-special dogs on the menu, including everything from classic Chicago-style dogs to the aforementioned alligator and crawfish dogs.

The vegan and vegetarian options are also very popular, like the Vegan Banger, complete with a vegan-friendly bratwurst, sauerkraut, dill relish, onions, tomatoes and mustard.

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Short Leash Hotdogs & Rollover Doughnuts, Arizona

Image: Andy Wang

Hot can be gourmet food and Short Leash Hotdogs & Rollover Doughnuts certainly knows that. There’s a long menu, from a ll-beef and bratwurst to veggie and spicy link, unconventionally served in naan bread with a range of toppings .

One of the house’s strongest contenders, the Oliver hot dog, is a mix of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. The Poutine Dog is smothered with French fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

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Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs, Nevada

Image: Chris Curry

The odd name of Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs makes sense once you understand that it is a word play on the traditional Korean beef dish, bulgogi , with lots of the menu items inspired by Korean and Vietnamese flavors.

The Banh Mi, a local favorite, is bacon, banh mi slaw, a herb blend, and sriracha aioli. The Angry Kimchi comes with spicy pork bulgogi, Asian slaw, jalapeños and fiery aioli.

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Red Top, Kentucky

Image: Meg Jenson

These hot dogs might be served from a food truck but the food is gourmet style for sure. Its wild game and all-beef sausages including wild boar, wagyu, and bison include extravagant toppings to match.

Visitors can try the Nirvana – a combo of roasted garlic cream cheese, jalapeños, fried onions, and jalapeño jam – or the Black & Blue, with blue cheese spread, grilled onions, smoked bacon, and local blackberry jam.

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International House of Hot Dogs, Alaska

Image: Freunde des Snacks e.V.

The first of two Alaskan entries, the International House of Hot Dogs is loved by Anchorage locals thanks to its easily customizable options and wide range of dogs and toppings. However, the undisputed specialty is the reindeer Polish sausage, dressed with sautéed onions and the joint's secret chipotle sauce .

If reindeer is not of your liking, you can also choose between beef, buffalo, chicken, or veggie dogs.

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Talkeetna Roadhouse, Alaska

Image: Andersen Jensen

As exotic as these treats might seem elsewhere, reindeer dogs are a normal thing in Anchorage, Alaska, as seen in the previous post, and this one, where the Polish-style dogs are the house’s specialty.

The menu even features names like Rudy-in-a-Parka and Chili-Rudy, as a nod to Santa Claus’ ride. But visitors can rest assured that the meats used don’t belong to the famous reindeer.

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The Hot Dog Box, Chicago

Image: Zeki Okur

The Windy City makes a second entry at the last stop of our list with The Hot Dog Box, a father-daughter-managed joint venture. While classic Chicago-style hot dogs are on the menu, what makes this place a Chicago original is the craftier original creations that prove there's still room for creativity in the hot dog department.

The Bronzeville Bourbon Hot Dog is a menu star, comprised of a decadent steak dog covered with bourbon barbecue sauce, a fresh cabbage and carrot medley, and hickory-smoked bacon , all served in a pretzel bun.