Bitter Pops Celebrates 9th Anniversary with a Historic Chicago Classic!

Start: Thursday, April 3, 2025 7:00AM
End: Thursday, April 24, 2025 11:00PM

The Hot Dog: The Chicago Francheezie The Region: Chicago, Illinois The Story Behind the Francheezie While the Chicago-style hot dog is world-famous, the Francheezie is often referred to as “the other Chicago dog.” Its exact origin is debated, but one popular theory traces its roots back to Peter Pan, a now-closed hamburger chain from the 1960s. Traditionally, their Francheezie featured a king-sized frankfurter stuffed with cheese, wrapped in crispy bacon, and served open-faced on a toasted bun with sliced tomato, fries, and coleslaw—for just 75 cents! Some food historians also connect the Francheezie to the “Danger Dog,” a bacon-wrapped and deep-fried hot dog that originated with street vendors in Mexico. This evolved into the Sonoran Dog, which our hot dog enthusiasts may remember from our December menu at Bitter Pops. The BP Spin: A Collaboration with Hop Butcher for the World For our 9th Anniversary, we’re teaming up with our friends at Hop Butcher for the World and Vienna Beef to bring you the ultimate Francheezie experience—food, drink, and even some exclusive merch! The Hot Dog: We start with a Vienna Beef all-beef hot dog, tightly wrapped in bacon and onions. The bacon and onion-wrapped dog is then fried to perfection in the deep fryer. It’s then nestled into a toasted Turano hot dog bun and smothered with our signature Francheezie beer cheese and topped with traditional Chicago sport peppers. The Beer: Inspired by our culinary tribute, Hop Butcher has brewed the Francheezie West Coast Pilsner, a crisp, refreshing companion to this legendary dog. The Merch: Celebrate in style with a limited-edition Francheezie T-shirt, the perfect keepsake to commemorate 9 amazing years of Bitter Pops! Join us this April to enjoy this historic Chicago delicacy, paired with a locally crafted brew, as we raise a glass to nine wonderful years and many more to come! Cheers to Chicago, the Francheezie, and Bitter Pops’ 9th Anniversary!