Wienerschnitzel

John Galardi, a commissary manager for a small chain of Mexican restaurants called El Taco in Long Beach, California, decided to launch his own fast food chain based on hot dogs. One of the owners of the chain, Glen Bell, invested in Galardi’s chain and helped develop the idea. Martha Bell, Glen’s wife, supplied a name: Der Wienerschnitzel. The name comes from the traditional Austrian veal cutlet, Wienerschnitzel, which has nothing to do with hot dogs, but Galardi liked the sound of the name. (“Der” was removed from the name in 1977.)