Hot Dog on a Stick • 1946

Dave Barham opened a bright red beach stand called Party Puffs in 1946, serving ice cream and lemonade until he perfected the corn dog using his mother's cornbread recipe. The Santa Monica original near Muscle Beach became an American icon, spawning a chain recognized for hand-stomped lemonade and staff in candy-striped uniforms. The made-to-order corn dogs still draw crowds to the oceanfront boardwalk where it all began.