Murray Handwerker

Murray Handwerker (July 25, 1921 – May 14, 2011) was an American businessman who expanded Nathan's Famous, a fast food restaurant specializing in hot dogs, from a family-owned hot dog stand to a nationally franchised chain.^[1] The original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand was opened in Coney Island, Brooklyn, by Handwerker's father, Nathan Handwerker, in 1916.^[2]

Murray Handwerker was born on July 25, 1921, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, Nathan and Ida Handwerker, in New York City.^[1] He often visited and worked at his father's hot dog stand as a child.^[1][2] Handwerker served in the United States Army during World War II.^[1] In 1947, he received a bachelor's degree in French from New York University.^[1]

Handwerker initially took over and renovated the Roadside Rest, a roadside restaurant in Oceanside, New York, during the 1950s. However, he soon returned to his family's hot dog business.^[3]

Handwerker expanded Nathan's Famous in the decades following World War II. In 1968, Murray Handwerker became the president of the Nathan's Famous chain.^[1] The company reached ten franchises, with 43 restaurants directly owned by the company, by 1977.^[1] Additionally, Handwerker wrote a cookbook, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Cookbook, which was published in 1968.^[4] He sold the company to a group of investors in 1987.^[1]

Murray Handwerker died of complications from dementia on May 14, 2011, at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at age 89.^[1] He was survived by his sons, Steven, Kenneth and William.^[2] His wife, Dorothy, died in 2009.^[2]