Yocco's Hot Dogs
Encyclopedia
Yocco's Hot Dogs is a regionally-famous hot dog
and cheesesteak establishment with six restaurants, each located in the Lehigh Valley
region of Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. Yocco's was founded in 1922 by Theodore Iacocca, uncle of Lee Iacocca
. Its corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania
.
location at 625 Liberty Street. Its original name was the Liberty Grill. Beginning in the 1970s, five additional Yocco's restaurants were opened. The first, known as Yocco's West, was opened at 2128 Hamilton Street. The Second, known as "South", was opened in Emmaus, at Pennsylvania Route 29
and Buckeye Road. The third location was opened in Fogelsville
, on Route 100
. In 2002, a location was opened further west along Hamilton Street at Route 222 in Trexlertown. The most recent location is on Catasauqua Road in Allentown, near Lehigh Valley International Airport
in the Valley Plaza shopping center. Yocco's is known for many of their famous fast food favorites, such as hot dogs, cheese steak sandwiches, French fries, and perogies.
Yocco's is currently run by Gary Iacocca, the third generation owner. The fourth generation is now active as well. The company's corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus.
The name Yocco's was derived from the name "Iacocca," after the family who owns the establishment. However, because the Pennsylvania Dutch
could not pronounce Iacocca (an Italian
name) and said Yocco instead, the name was changed to reflect their pronunciation.
," a nationally syndicated comic strip.
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
and cheesesteak establishment with six restaurants, each located in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Yocco's was founded in 1922 by Theodore Iacocca, uncle of Lee Iacocca
Lee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
. Its corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Emmaus is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located five miles southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Emmaus was 11,313 at the 2000 census...
.
History and locations
Yocco's was originally established in 1922 at its current center city AllentownAllentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
location at 625 Liberty Street. Its original name was the Liberty Grill. Beginning in the 1970s, five additional Yocco's restaurants were opened. The first, known as Yocco's West, was opened at 2128 Hamilton Street. The Second, known as "South", was opened in Emmaus, at Pennsylvania Route 29
Pennsylvania Route 29
Pennsylvania Route 29 is a 118 mile long north–south state highway that runs through most of eastern Pennsylvania. The route currently exists in two segments, a southern segment and a northern segment. The southernmost terminus of the designation is at U.S. Route 30 in Malvern...
and Buckeye Road. The third location was opened in Fogelsville
Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
Fogelsville is a village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, in Upper Macungie Township, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state....
, on Route 100
Pennsylvania Route 100
Pennsylvania Route 100 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 309 in Pleasant Corners, Pennsylvania....
. In 2002, a location was opened further west along Hamilton Street at Route 222 in Trexlertown. The most recent location is on Catasauqua Road in Allentown, near Lehigh Valley International Airport
Lehigh Valley International Airport
Lehigh Valley International Airport , formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport, is a public airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania....
in the Valley Plaza shopping center. Yocco's is known for many of their famous fast food favorites, such as hot dogs, cheese steak sandwiches, French fries, and perogies.
Yocco's is currently run by Gary Iacocca, the third generation owner. The fourth generation is now active as well. The company's corporate headquarters is located in Emmaus.
The name Yocco's was derived from the name "Iacocca," after the family who owns the establishment. However, because the Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
could not pronounce Iacocca (an Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
name) and said Yocco instead, the name was changed to reflect their pronunciation.
Zippy the Pinhead
Yocco's has made several appearances in "Zippy the PinheadZippy the Pinhead
Zippy is an American comic strip created by Bill Griffith. The character of Zippy the Pinhead initially appeared in underground publications during the 1970s...
," a nationally syndicated comic strip.