With Independence Day tomorrow, is there anything that says, “Fourth of July backyard barbecue” more than hot dogs on the grill? And in Toledo, OH, nobody knows hot dogs better than Tony Packo’s.
A Little Hungarian Hot Dog History
With a $100 loan from his relatives, Tony Packo and his wife, Rose, started a small sandwich and ice cream shop in 1932. The specialty sandwich of the eponymous shop was a “sausage and sauce” sandwich. The featured Hungarian sausage was called a “Kolbasz” that, when cut in half, was about the same size as a regular hot dog. Served on rye bread with a spicy chili sauce, it only cost a nickel.
The sandwich was a success from the get-go. Soon, everybody in town had heard about this tasty new hot dog and wanted to try it for themselves. Three years later, their little restaurant had become so successful they bought their own building on the corner of Front and Consaul Streets in Toledo’s Upper East Side. The restaurant is still there, along with four other locations.
What’s All the Hot Dog Bun Hubbub?
Today, Tony Packo’s is not only famous for its “sausage and sauce” sandwich, but thanks to Burt Reynolds, it’s also famous for its buns. Back in 1972, Burt was performing at the Toledo Auditorium in a production of N. Richard Nash’s play, The Rainmaker. Tony’s daughter, Nancy, told Burt he ought to stop by Tony Packo’s and try some of her father’s famous Hungarian food. So, one night, Burt pulled up to Tony Packo’s in his little red Corvette. Somebody asked Reynolds for his autograph. Grabbing the closest thing he could find, the star picked up a hot dog bun and signed it.
Ever since that night, everybody who is anybody — presidents, actors, musicians, sports stars, astronauts, and more — has signed a hot dog bun, which today are actually vinyl and Styrofoam facsimiles of the real thing. There are over 3,000 celebrity-signed buns proudly displayed on the walls of all five Packo’s locations. Many of the real buns have, unfortunately, crumbled to pieces over time; however, one of the original signatures on a real bun that’s still hanging in there is from Former President Jimmy Carter. You can still see it at the original Tony Packo’s on the corner of Front and Consaul Streets.
Sausage and M*A*S*H
A lot of credit for Tony Packo’s success — aside from the amazing food — also has to go to a character in the TV show M*A*S*H — Corporal Max Klinger of the 4077th. You see, both the fictional character and Jamie Farr, the actor who played him, were Toledo natives. Klinger mentioned Tony Packo’s no less than six times during the series’ 11-year run. The first time was in 1976 when he said, “If you are ever in Toledo, OH, on the Hungarian side of town, Tony Packo’s has got the greatest Hungarian hot dogs.” With those words, Tony Packo’s became famous all over America. It was even mentioned in the final episode of the series, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen,” one of the most watched TV shows in the history of television. Today, you can see the signed buns of the cast of M*A*S*H, and other mementos from the series, hanging on the walls of the original Tony Packo’s.
If that isn’t enough to draw attention, how about this: Tony Packo’s food is out of this world — literally! In 1997, Toledo native and NASA Mission Specialist Donald Thomas requested that Tony Packo’s chili sauce be included in the crew’s space rations aboard the space shuttle.
That being said, it’s good road trip food for the Earth-bound, too, and should be part of your next Ohio road trip itinerary. So, if your summer road trip includes traveling through Ohio, be sure to set aside some time to stop at Tony Packo’s.
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Whether your next road trip is by car or by rail, it’s not really a road trip without taking Stuckey’s along. From our world famous Stuckey’s Pecan Log Rolls to our mouthwatering Hunkey Dorey, Stuckey’s has all the road trips snacks you’ll need to get you where you’re going.
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Stuckey’s – We’re Making Road Trips Fun Again!