Which company operates the original Coney Island hot dog stand?

The company that operates the original Coney Island hot dog stand is Nathan’s Famous. The stand remains at its original site at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Brooklyn.

Nathan’s began in 1916 when Nathan Handwerker and his wife, Ida, opened a small Coney Island hot dog stand. They invested their life savings of $300, and the original price of a hot dog was five cents. Ida developed the recipe used by the business, while her grandmother created the secret spice blend.

Nathan’s became known for serving all-beef hot dogs at a low price. Because the products were not made with pork or horse meat but did not have rabbinic supervision, Handwerker used the expression “kosher style,” not “kosher.” That distinction is a common source of confusion.

The original location has also hosted Nathan’s famous eating contest for decades. Hurricane Sandy forced the stand to close in October 2012, but it reopened in May 2013. It continues to operate alongside the company’s wider restaurant and retail business.