Which U.S. President served hot dogs to King George VI in 1939?

Franklin D. Roosevelt served hot dogs to King George VI during a 1939 picnic. The event took place on June 11 at Top Cottage, Roosevelt’s retreat on his Hyde Park, New York, estate, during the king and Queen Elizabeth’s historic visit to the United States.

The informal meal was designed to introduce the royal couple to familiar American food. Alongside hot dogs, the menu included baked beans, smoked turkey, strawberry shortcake, and beer. The choice attracted considerable press attention because it contrasted sharply with the formality normally associated with royal entertaining.

The picnic was also politically significant. King George VI’s visit was the first by a reigning British monarch to the United States, and the two leaders discussed the increasingly dangerous situation in Europe months before Britain entered World War II. The hot-dog story is often simplified as a state dinner, but it was specifically a casual picnic at the Roosevelts’ country retreat.