Our History
Pop’s began on March 24, 1980, when the first location opened its doors at 7153 W. 127th Street in Palos Heights, Illinois.
What started as one small beef and hot dog stand quickly became a labor of love. In the early days, Frank, his mom Betty, and one employee ran the store seven days a week, from open to close. Family stepped in wherever they could — Frank Sr. helped slice beef and cut sausage on Saturday mornings, while Frank’s sister Sandy became known for making some of the best fries around.
Opening day was anything but smooth. The building, formerly Kirby’s Dog House, still had a hood over the grill that wasn’t quite ready for the number of burgers being cooked that day. As friends and customers showed up to support the new business, smoke filled the restaurant so heavily that Frank could barely see the people standing in front of him.
It may not have been a perfect first day, but it was the beginning of something special.
Frank did not open Pop’s with a big expansion plan or a map of future locations. He simply believed in serving quality food, treating customers well, and working hard every day. That commitment became the foundation of Pop’s — and it is still what guides us today.
More than four decades later, Pop’s has grown from one neighborhood restaurant into a local favorite with locations across the South Suburbs and Northwest Indiana. While we have grown over the years, our roots remain the same: fresh food, friendly service, strong communities, and the same hardworking spirit that started it all in 1980.
From one small stand to the Pop’s family we know today, our history has always been built on good food and great people.
Our Food
At Pop’s, quality has always been at the center of what we do.
Long before the doors open and the lunch rush begins, our teams are already hard at work preparing the food our customers have come to know and love. Each morning starts early with fresh-sliced beef, slow-cooked for hours to create the flavor, tenderness, and tradition Pop’s has been known for since 1980.
Our Italian beef is more than a menu item — it’s the foundation of who we are. Every location prepares hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pounds of beef each week, along with gallons of our homemade hot giardiniera. It’s a process that takes time, care, and consistency, but we believe great food is worth doing right.
That same commitment goes into the rest of our menu. Our 100% beef hot dogs are made from a unique blend created specifically for Pop’s after months of trial and error. Our grilled chicken is marinated, tenderized, and charbroiled to make sure every sandwich is flavorful, tender, and made with care.
From slicing beef before sunrise to prepping fresh toppings for the day ahead, our morning routine is built around one goal: being ready to serve good food, the right way.
At Pop’s, we don’t believe in cutting corners. We believe in fresh preparation, quality ingredients, hard work, and serving the kind of food people come back for.
