Yocco's Hot Dogs

Yocco's
Private
Industry Restaurant
Founded Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States (1922 (1922))
Founder Theodore Iacocca
Headquarters Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States
Number of locations
 6 stores (2016)
Area served
 Allentown, Pennsylvania
Products Hot Dogs, Cheesesteaks, other
Number of employees
 20-49
Website http://www.yoccos.com

Yocco's Hot Dogs is a regionally famous hot dog and cheesesteak establishment with six restaurants, each located in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. Yocco's was founded in 1922 by Theodore Iacocca, uncle of Lee Iacocca. Its corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.

History and locations

Yocco's in Fogelsville.

Yocco's was originally established in 1922 at its former center city Allentown location at 625 Liberty Street. Its original name was the Liberty Grill. From the 1970s to the 2000s, five new Yocco's restaurants were opened. The first was opened at 2128 Hamilton Street in Allentown, followed by locations in Emmaus, Fogelsville, Trexlertown, and Hanover Township. The Liberty Street location closed in May 2016[1] and a location at the South Mall in Salisbury Township opened in the fall of 2016.[2]

Yocco's is currently run by Gary Iacocca, the third generation owner. The company's corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus.

The name Yocco's was derived from the name "Iacocca," after the family who owns the establishment. However, because the Pennsylvania Dutch could not pronounce Iacocca (an Italian name) and said Yocco instead, the name was changed to reflect their pronunciation.[3]

Zippy the Pinhead

Yocco's in Trexlertown.

Yocco's has made several appearances in Zippy, a nationally syndicated comic strip featuring the character Zippy the Pinhead.[3]

The Solid Verbal

Beginning during the 2015 NCAA football season, Yocco's gained exposure on the popular college football podcast The Solid Verbal. Allentown resident Ty Hildenbrandt, one of the show's hosts, pays homage to Yocco's during weekly preview shows by selecting (at least) one team each week as the "Yocco's Home Dog of the Week". To be selected as a Home Dog, a team must be an underdog playing at their home stadium, where Hildenbrandt thinks that they can win despite the odds being in favor of their opponents.[4] This designation does not indicate any sponsorship of The Solid Verbal by Yocco's. Rather, it is a humorous tribute based on Hildenbrandt's affinity for the restaurant and the linguistic connection between "underdog" and "hot dog".

See also

References

  1. ↑ WFMZ-TV. "Landmark Yocco's location closing in Allentown". 69 News. WFMZ. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  2. ↑ Falsone, Nick. "Yocco's to open 6th hot dog shop in Lehigh Valley, report says". Lehigh Valley Live. The Express-Times. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  3. 1 2 Sheehan, Daniel Patrick. "Simple fare has made Yocco's a top dog". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
  4. ↑ "The Solid Verbal on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  • Iacocca, Lee. Where Have All the Leaders Gone?.

Coordinates: 40°32′19″N 75°29′01″W / 40.538669°N 75.48356°W / 40.538669; -75.48356

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