A drive-in down memory lane: Dog n Suds in Peoria

Dean Muellerleile, Journal Star
·4 min read

Ask Dean is a Journal Star column focusing on all things Peoria: its history, mysteries, quirks and culture. Send your questions to dmuellerleile@pjstar.com.

Question: I heard about your column and was wondering if you want to tackle what happened to the Dog n Suds on Sheridan Road. It would have been on the northwest corner of Sheridan and Lake. My dad was an owner and I worked the parking lot handing out trinkets. This would have been in the late '50s or early '60s. He eventually tore it down and built an office complex for doctors. — Jeff Varda

Answer: Dog n Suds is an Illinois-born fast-food drive-in franchise known for its hot dogs and root beer — the self-described "world's creamiest." The first location was in Champaign, in 1953. By the 1970s, there were over 650, in 38 states. Today, about a dozen remain. The nearest are in the Chicago area and Lafayette, Indiana.

Mascots and marketing

The signage for Dog n Suds drive-ins featured the canine cook Rover.
The signage for Dog n Suds drive-ins featured the canine cook Rover.

The company's mascot was Rover, a cartoonish dog in a chef's hat hoisting a hot dog and mug of suds. Rover was featured in the signage for the drive-ins. The company's franchise training center in Champaign was called "Rover College."

Dog n Suds aggressively marketed franchise opportunities and promoted the brand. Baseball legend Bob Feller toured several Midwest states in 1964 on behalf of Dog n Suds. The Hall of Famer's stops included an appearance at the Canton location.

Branded merchandise included keepsake mugs and other memorabilia.

According to the book "All About the Burger: A History of America's Favorite Sandwich," Dog n Suds franchisees paid only a one-time fee and no royalty percentage to the corporation. The first franchise location was in Rantoul.

In the Peoria area, there were multiple Dog n Suds locations.

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From the Journal Star archives

The new franchise grew quickly.

By 1954, there was a location at 904 S. Main St. in East Peoria. "Reed & Bell Dog-N-Suds" placed a display ad in the Journal Star touting root beer and franchise opportunities. In 1956, the same location ran a help-wanted ad seeking "20 curb waitresses" — carhops — at Dog n Suds drive-ins in the Peoria and East Peoria area.

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The Polk's Peoria City Directory for 1956 included a Dog n Suds at 201 Junction in East Peoria. A Journal Star display ad that year listed three locations: at South Main in East Peoria, at 4311 Sheridan Road and on Galena Road.

A 1956 Dog n Suds ad in the Journal Star features Rover, the company's mascot.
A 1956 Dog n Suds ad in the Journal Star features Rover, the company's mascot.

In 1958, a help-wanted ad listed "Wiebler Bros. Dog 'N. Suds" at 4311 N. Sheridan.

The next year, another Dog n Suds, at 3614 N. University, was advertising for "CURBIES 16 or older, 35c to 40c per hour salary." Later in 1959, The Beverly theater offered a "free root beer ticket from Runyon's Dog-N-Suds, University at War Memorial Dr." with admission to a kids show.

Numerous Journal Star stories reference the Dog n Suds on Court Street in Pekin, without giving dates.

In the 1960s, the Peoria-area presence of Dog n Suds began to wane.

A 1962 Journal Star story recounted a burglary at three doctors' offices at the former Dog n Suds at 4311 N. Sheridan Road, confirming reader Jeff's account.

In 1966, Grim's Drive-In replaced the Galena Road Dog n Suds. Other locations simply stopped advertising in the Journal Star. In 1976, a classified ad offered the Tremont Dog n Suds for sale.

Dog n Suds also faded nationally. "All About the Burger" cites ownership changes, cost-cutting measures and a change in the root beer recipe, "which did not sit well with longtime fans." Many locations rebranded or closed.

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Looking back

Jeff Varda recalls dispensing plastic trinkets — "like you might put on a bracelet" — to customers at the Sheridan Road location. "I was 5 or 6 years old. ... I think I wore a clown outfit," he said. The Peoria native now works for National Louis University and resides in McHenry. "I actually live close to two operating Dog n Suds — one in Richmond and one in Round Lake. Ours was way better!"

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Dog n Suds today

A carhop delivers an order at a Dog n Suds in Lafayette, Ind., in 2015.
A carhop delivers an order at a Dog n Suds in Lafayette, Ind., in 2015.

Despite its decline, Dog n Suds is fondly remembered. Puppy love, as it were, still abides online. Pictures and memories can be found at Dog 'n Suds Drive-Ins - A Collection of History & Memories and other sites.

Whether it's a person, place or product, send your "Whatever happened to ...?" and "Wasn't there a ...?" questions, comments and suggestions to dmuellerleile@pjstar.com. Please put ASK DEAN in the subject line.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria IL once was home to multiple Dog n Suds drive-in locations