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    You are at:Home»Beth Michaels»The Royal Hot Dog Summit of 1939
    Beth Michaels

    The Royal Hot Dog Summit of 1939

    Beth MichaelsBy Beth MichaelsJune 11, 2014Updated:April 6, 2020146 Comments4 Mins Read
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    A Brief History

    On June 11, 1939, a picnic at which hot dogs were served helped re-establish the political closeness between the United States and Great Britain and introduced the traditionally American food to an international public.

    Digging Deeper

    With the threat of war and invasion looming, the British monarch, George VI of “The King’s Speech” fame and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, later known as the Queen Mother, or affectionately as Queen Mum, embarked on a tour to visit their dominion of Canada, the first time a reigning British monarch had visited the North American continent.

    Upon hearing of the intended trip, American President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, extended an invitation to the royal couple to stop by at his private residence in Hyde Park, New York. His goal was to soften relations between the two countries which had often been tense since the Revolutionary War when the American colonies had declared independence from Great Britain. With Europe on the brink of war, FDR, not one to continue the American policy of isolationism, realized he needed to forge alliances with the leading European democracies. And so, wishing to dispel anti-British sentiment, he decided to entertain the King at a casual American-style picnic to ensure that the King would win the sympathy of the American people.

    At the picnic hot dogs were served. The royal couple was a little bit perplexed, with the Queen whispering to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, “How do you eat this?” The question is somewhat funny if you consider that she came from the country that invented the sandwich after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, had asked for a way to be able eat his meat at the card table without silverware. This, by the way, has been deemed Britain’s biggest contribution to gastronomy. The Queen, however, ended up deciding to eat her hot dog with a fork and knife (she probably didn’t want to soil her gloves), but the King ate his by hand and even had seconds!

    The next day, the picnic made the front page of the New York Times, with the headline reading, “KING TRIES HOTDOG AND ASKS FOR MORE”. The simplicity of the event endeared the King and Queen to the American public who now saw them as regular people capable of casual dining rather than as evil colonial rulers. And sure enough, when Great Britain and its Dominions declared war on Germany in September of 1939, Roosevelt was able to convince Congress, and the American people, to support the British both diplomatically and financially, while maintaining American neutrality.

    So, just how typically American are hot dogs? Well, just like George VI, hot dogs have their origins in Germany. They are derived from Frankfurters, also known as Wiener Wuerstchen, and were brought over to the United States by German immigrants. Initially eaten with mustard, potato salad or in soups in the Old World, in the New World, they become popular as vendor food and were placed in buns to allow for easier and less messy eating. Legend has it that one such vendor initially named them Dachshund Sandwiches after the long, German dogs they resemble, but that that name was too hard too pronounce, so it was shortened to Hot Dog.

    At any rate, a variant of the hot dog should have been familiar to George VI, as he was ethnically German. His last name was originally Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but his father, George V, changed it to Windsor during World War I to distance the family from their German roots. His wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, on the other hand, was descended from Scottish nobility, so she gets a pass.

    At any rate, the picnic and the importance of the hot dog as a turning point in Anglo-American relations are so great that the film, “Hyde Park on Hudson,” starring Bill Murray as FDR, was made on the topic and released in 2013, almost 75 years after the actual event. Let no one ever underestimate and trivialize the hot dog as common stadium food ever again! It is one of the most diplomatically significant foods in culinary history, and nowadays hot dogs can be found just about anywhere.

    Question for students (and subscribers): What is your favorite brand of hot-dog?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Kraig, Bruce.  Hot Dog: A Global History (Edible).  Reaktion Books, 2009.

    Smith, Elwood and Adrienne Sylver.  Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog.  Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2010.

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    Beth Michaels
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    Beth Michaels attended a private college in Northeast Ohio from which she earned a Bachelor’s degree in German with a minor in French. From there she moved to Germany where she attended the University of Heidelberg for two years. Additional schooling earned her certifications as a foreign language correspondent and state-certified translator. In her professional career, Beth worked for a leading German manufacturer of ophthalmological medical instruments and devices as a quality representative, regulatory affairs manager, and internal auditor.

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    <span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2575 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=2575">146 Comments

    1. Lindsey F on June 11, 2014 10:56 am

      This was a very interesting article! I like how President Roosevelt wanted to soften relations between America and Great Britain through the use of a casual American-style picnic. I can only imagine the reactions of the King and Queen to the foreign idea of finger-food. The simple picnic showed the royals in a different light to the American people, decreasing anti-British sentiment. This article will make me think a little more the next time I get a hot dog at the ballpark.

      Reply
    2. Kyle C on June 11, 2014 11:54 am

      I found this article extremely interesting. It never really tried to understand the history of the hot dog. Now that I have I will be able to share how hot dogs, a food that is consumed every day, was such a big part of history. I also though it was funny to see how the Queen did not know how to eat the hot dog and decided to eat it with a fork and a knife, where the king devoured his hot dog by hand in seconds.

      Reply
    3. Paul H on June 11, 2014 11:19 pm

      This article presented some very interesting points and details behind America and Great Britain’s relationship. I disagree with the article a bit when it refers to the seemingly strained relationship between the two powers before the start of WWII. The two nations fought as allies in WWI, so I do not believe the relationship was as strained as the article makes it appear. That being said, the queen eating the hot dog with silverware was a bit comical to me, and left me wondering what the current British monarch, Elizabeth II, would eat a hot dog with silverware today! Hoping someone has something to add, either agreeing or disagreeing, with my opinion regarding the state of America and Britain’s relationship before the outbreak of WWII.

      Reply
      • Beth Michaels on June 11, 2014 11:35 pm

        Thanks for your comment Paul! You are welcome to disagree with the article. I, myself, am no expert on this time in history, but I do have the following quote from someone who is: ‘At that time, U.S. foreign policy was isolationist. Relations with our cousins across the pond were cold and distant at best. “There was still much anti-British sentiment and anger at dragging us into World War I,” says Dr. David B. Woolner, associate professor of history at Marist College and a senior fellow and resident historian at the Roosevelt Institute.’ I hope this helps!

        Reply
    4. Zach Z. on June 12, 2014 1:26 pm

      I found this article to be very interesting and also knowledgeable. I also was unaware of the history of the hot dog. After reading this article I found it entertaining and interesting to know that our relationship was strengthened with another country through a hot dog meal.

      Reply
    5. Kirk Simmons on June 12, 2014 4:38 pm

      Well what do you know, someone other than my mom eats hot dogs with a fork and knife. I always thought that was strange but now I can tell her Queen Elizabeth did it too. It is very interesting to learn the background as to really where all our foods come from and are founded. Hot dogs have become one of the higest sold street and vendor foods in the world and might I say, quite tasty. So now next time I have a frank ill be able to share a story along with it.

      Reply
    6. MO on June 13, 2014 8:31 pm

      I found this article interesting, however, I agree with Paul about the relationship between Great Britain and the United States prior to World War II. I do not think the article accurately portrays the relationship between the two countries, who were allies in the first world war as Paul had pointed out. I think it is an interesting article and I had never really thought about the history of hot dogs in the U.S. I always thought they became popular simultaneously with baseball during the gilded age/progressive era.

      Reply
      • Beth Michaels on June 15, 2014 4:33 am

        Dear Mo, Thank you for your comment. I had already responded to Paul’s with a quote from an expert regarding US/UK relations pre-WW2. And here is a short excerpt from Wikipedia (I know, not always the best source): “Prior to their collaboration during World War II Anglo-American relations had been somewhat frosty.” One must not forget that during the entire 19th century, the US and UK did not see eye to eye, e.g. the War of 1812, where the Brits went so far as to set fire to the White House; the Civil War in which the Brits (or at least the Gov’t) basically (politically) supported the South, etc. Yes, relations began to improve at the start of WW1, but by the beginning of WW2 they were still not yet where they are now. In fact the term “Special Relationship” which describes the close relations between the US and the UK was only first coined in 1946 (by Winston Churchill).

        Reply
    7. Jack Chastain on June 13, 2014 8:33 pm

      This is a funny and very interesting article. From just a “civilian” standpoint, it showed that the British monarchs were more than just cold, uptight figures who drank tea with their pinkey’s up. The action of eating a plain old hot dog was comincal. It gave them character and a certain likeableness which would have resonated strongly with the American people. Most importantly, on an international level, it helped to reaffirm the allied bond and friendship between the two nations during WWII.

      Reply
    8. Karis R. on June 13, 2014 9:06 pm

      I thought this article was interesting because I never thought about the origins of a hot dog. They are typically thought to be American with thoughts of cookouts and grillings at Memorial Day and other picnic events. Lots of American eat hot dogs, and they are served at a lot of different food vendors. I would never have thought that hot dogs would have come from Germany, although it would make sense given the fact that they are similar to Frankfurters as the article mentioned. While I personally do not eat hot dogs, I know a lot of people who love them so thanks to Germany for their introduction of the hot dog!

      Reply
    9. Matt T on June 14, 2014 12:24 pm

      This was defintely one very interesting article. I never knew how big of an impact the hot dog had on relations between America and Great Britain. Also I never knew that the relations were as bad as they were during this time period. I will defintely think of this article wheneevr I eat a hot dog.

      Reply
      • Beth Michaels on June 14, 2014 3:25 pm

        Dear Matt, Thank you for reading my article! Relations between the US and the UK were not bad per say during this time, but for deeper explanation, please refer to my responses to Paul and MO.

        Reply
    10. Lucy Lin on August 11, 2014 1:13 pm

      Interesting article! I was surprised to read about how eating hot dogs brought the U.S. and Great Britain’s relationship a little closer. Not to mention where the name for the popular food came from.

      Reply
      • Beth Michaels on August 11, 2014 2:19 pm

        Yes, hot dogs really were named for dogs 😉

        Reply
    11. Aaron C. on September 18, 2014 2:32 pm

      It is so strange how this simple food item became a popular food among Americans. It’s also very interesting that the hot dog was used to bring us closer to Great Britain.

      Reply
    12. Ariel Deck on November 17, 2014 1:10 pm

      I believe it was very clever for FDR to serve such casual food. I think it’s a good idea to relate with someone and be agreeable in a more comfortable atmosphere rather than a full on strict business atmosphere.

      Reply
    13. Alex Guthrie on April 2, 2015 8:43 pm

      FDR had some interesting tactics but this is strange, yet somewhat genius?

      Reply
    14. Rhonda Donda on April 6, 2015 11:28 am

      Honestly didn’t know the actual birth place of the hot dog. We as a family love hot dogs especially in the summer over the fire. Interesting that the Queen ate hers with silverware.

      Reply
    15. Natalie Sholtis on April 6, 2015 12:38 pm

      I love hot dogs, especially when they come off the grill. I think it’s cute that the queen ate hers with silverware. 🙂

      Reply
    16. Alexis Boyle on April 6, 2015 1:59 pm

      How corny that a simple snack that we have a BBQs and family events could of altered our history so much if it had not gone well.

      Reply
    17. NS on April 6, 2015 7:40 pm

      Who knew hot dogs served such an important diplomatic purpose? I find it fascinating that something as nominal as a hot dog picnic could change the perception of the American people, it was a pretty brilliant plan by FDR!

      Reply
    18. Mike Rinicella on April 7, 2015 2:14 pm

      This article was very interesting to read because whenever I see or eat hot dog, I can now think of something very historical with this delicious food.

      Reply
    19. Jb on April 7, 2015 4:24 pm

      I cannot picture the Queen of England eating a hot dog.

      Reply
    20. Heather H on April 7, 2015 4:49 pm

      I just learned more about hotdogs than I ever thought I would

      Reply
    21. Tom Kubrak on April 7, 2015 7:33 pm

      Wow! I did not realize how important hot dog picnics were. I just thought that hot dogs were just a convenient good and delicious food to eat off the grill. Instead it is used for political picnics instead.

      Reply
    22. A.T on April 7, 2015 10:55 pm

      Never knew the hot dog had political power. Neat!

      Reply
    23. DAVID WARDLE on April 8, 2015 8:25 am

      I never knew that hot dogs played an important role in our political history. — DAVID WARDLE

      Reply
    24. BS on April 9, 2015 11:36 am

      never knew hotdogs played that important of a role. Especially to the Queen of England.

      Reply
    25. Samantha Easterling on April 10, 2015 9:59 am

      Interest how important hot dogs were

      Reply
    26. Tevin Knerr on April 10, 2015 4:20 pm

      Had no idea what an important rule hot dogs played !

      Reply
    27. Matt Chojnacki on April 15, 2015 9:39 am

      I am so happy that hot dogs are a part of our culture because I love hot dogs

      Reply
    28. Ben Nevers on April 22, 2015 4:29 pm

      One would expect something much more exquisite to be served at a meeting like this- or at least steak. Funny to see hot dogs could make such a difference..maybe

      Reply
    29. w.y. on May 1, 2015 9:58 am

      Can’t believe hot dogs were a binding factor between us all haha

      Reply
    30. Anthony Jasany on May 5, 2015 10:04 pm

      As I am reading this they are giving away hot dogs for free in my dorm. Weird timing

      Reply
    31. Jake Woolf on May 6, 2015 2:52 pm

      “Let no one ever underestimate and trivialize the hot dog as common stadium food ever again!”
      I shall work to this end, for Hot Dogs are the poor man’s steak.

      Reply
    32. Martha Bill on August 3, 2015 5:08 pm

      This was so interesting! I think it serves a good reminder that simple ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Politically, I think it was a very clever move for FDR. He gained more trust from Britain while allowing the American citizens to see the royals as “normal” human beings. It would be interesting to see what would have happened if FDR held a more “sophisticated” event compared to the picnic.

      Reply
    33. Amanda McCay on August 8, 2015 1:50 pm

      It’s not a picnic without a hotdog. I think it’s great that President Roosevelt extend the invitation to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to ease the tension on the relationship between U.S. and Great Britain. This also makes me wonder if U.S. involvement in World War II would have been different if President Roosevelt didn’t have this picnic.

      Reply
    34. Ann on August 14, 2015 5:28 pm

      i had no idea that food that i think this pretty gross has such a history! i find it kinda cute how unfamiliar but open the king a queen were to the new food! its also interesting how the simplest of things can bring people together.

      Reply
    35. ryan C on March 7, 2016 2:14 pm

      That is awesome that hotdogs reunited Great Britian and The United States

      Reply
    36. MB on March 22, 2016 9:39 am

      I can’t believe that such food had such a big impact on history.

      Reply
    37. Danielle on March 30, 2016 3:35 pm

      It’s strange that our countries made amends over a hot dog picnic.

      Reply
    38. Amber Moore on March 30, 2016 6:35 pm

      Well, I’m super hungry now thanks to this article! But it is really nice to see that Britain and America could become friendly again over something so simply. I think it speaks to old friendships that fell apart. They can indeed be mended again, through the smallest of things.

      Reply
    39. Sarah G on April 4, 2016 10:33 pm

      Hot dogs being two countries together, who knew.

      Reply
    40. Meghan R on April 5, 2016 3:21 pm

      I find it interesting that hot dogs were the food of choice for this occasion.

      Reply
    41. Sw on April 5, 2016 10:28 pm

      I find it really strange that this was the first time a member of the royal family visited Canada. For the time was is common for someone to technically be in charge of somewhere they had never been?

      Reply
    42. Emmaline K on April 11, 2016 9:18 am

      Eat a hot dog! Interesting tactic to help soften relations between countries to say the least. In present day, I don’t believe one would look upon a visit from royalty and decide to serve such casual cuisine, but, looking at past, perhaps they should.

      Reply
    43. kk on April 19, 2016 6:57 pm

      They went all out for this little lunch. Really hot dogs come on now I think they could of done a little bit better than that. I think hot dogs are so nasty. They could of at least got steak or something. Way ot go cheap though. But the history behind the dog is interesting.

      Reply
    44. KC on April 20, 2016 12:23 pm

      This article was interesting. I never thought about the history of hot dogs because I do not eat them.

      Reply
    45. Diana N on April 24, 2016 9:19 pm

      Why did FDR choose the hot dog as the choice of food?

      Reply
    46. Raquel F on April 26, 2016 9:56 am

      I think it is funny that the front page of the New York Times was “King tries hot dog and asks for more”

      Reply
    47. Brett Nagy on April 26, 2016 11:32 pm

      Aren’t there any other foods besides hot dogs that are American? What about the good ole’ apple pie!

      Reply
    48. BV on May 1, 2016 6:46 pm

      This article is very intriguing especially since its about hot dogs now i know more about hot dogs then i knew before and i think it was really interesting tried to soften relations between america and england.

      Reply
    49. Austin Miko on May 3, 2016 12:35 pm

      I enjoyed the video of the dachshund in a hotdog costume, it was very enjoyable.

      Reply
    50. Kamarin R on May 6, 2016 9:55 am

      Who knew hot dogs could be so good at bringing people together

      Reply
    51. Andy frick on May 8, 2016 3:01 pm

      Who would have guessed the importance of the hot dog? You have to love FDR for his approach!

      Reply
    52. JW on May 9, 2016 1:29 am

      I’ll never look at hot dogs the same way ever again after reading this.

      Reply
    53. Dakota A rinier on May 10, 2016 6:26 am

      Hot Dogs are such a classic lol

      Reply
    54. CJ on May 10, 2016 11:12 pm

      I was unaware that the hot dog had such a big part in history. Its also funny because no one eats hot dogs with a knife and fork

      Reply
    55. DW on May 11, 2016 4:04 am

      It is funny trying to picture a Queen or King eating a hot dog.

      Reply
    56. Matt Smail on May 11, 2016 8:57 am

      Hot Dogs as FDRs food? why? americas food?

      Reply
    57. Isaac Talley on May 11, 2016 12:46 pm

      The look on their faces must of been priceless when they brought hot-dogs to think royalty eat ballpark foods is funny to me .

      Reply
    58. Loren deck on May 12, 2016 2:21 pm

      Pretty funny to make such a big deal over food but i guess it makes them relatable

      Reply
    59. pw on October 6, 2016 12:29 pm

      This is funny that it made the newspaper. It must of been a big deal back then.

      Reply
    60. AM on October 6, 2016 12:50 pm

      It’s strange that hot dogs were the chosen food.

      Reply
    61. MM on October 26, 2016 10:47 pm

      I never realized how big of an impact hot dogs had on history. It’s comical to think that the Queen was unsure of how to eat the hot dog or how to go about it. I guess that’s just a part of our country’s past that makes America so great!

      Reply
    62. MT on November 12, 2016 12:29 pm

      Hot dogs are amazing. I am glad that the U.S. has hot dogs

      Reply
    63. Nicholas Hillyer on November 16, 2016 4:52 pm

      Who knew hot dogs could be so influential in bringing two divided nations back together while the looming threat of war was upon both sides.

      Reply
    64. Diana Minich on November 19, 2016 8:55 pm

      This article was interesting and humorous. I had not heard this story before. Enjoyed learning a little about America and Great Britain’s fresh beginnings.

      Reply
    65. Lori Caudill on November 20, 2016 3:19 pm

      Hot dogs are a picnic staple, but a very odd choice to serve royalty.

      Reply
    66. Kala Strong on November 20, 2016 5:23 pm

      I really liked this article. It is amazing to see that something as simple as a hot dog lunch could help bring two countries back together.

      Reply
    67. Taylor Young on November 21, 2016 11:53 am

      I actually found this article quite humorous. What a site to see the Queen not know how to eat hotdog so she ate it with a knife and fork. It is amazing to see the cultural food differences between American in which hot dogs are ate religiously by many to Great Britain, where not many know what one even is.

      Reply
    68. Lydia Ott on November 22, 2016 12:43 pm

      I think it is interesting how FDR served the royal couple hot dogs, because today they would be served a feast that would be catered with the best food. Hot dogs now are not a very highly regarded food and I could not see a President serving them to a King and Queen. It was a good tactic to gain alliance with Great Britain.

      Reply
    69. Lessie Parish on November 22, 2016 2:49 pm

      I found this article interesting because I did not know the history of hot dogs. I did not know that there used to be another name for it. I think President’s Roosevelt’s idea of having the king and queen over for a picnic was a neat idea because it was breaking tradition of a formal dinner.

      Reply
    70. Jordin Vidmar on November 22, 2016 7:44 pm

      It’s kinda crazy how such a simple thing, such as a hot dog, and bring people together.

      Reply
    71. Elizabeth Bon on November 24, 2016 1:03 pm

      This was very interesting, I will look at hot dogs differently now! It is rather ironic that they originally came from German immigrants but later the great American food, celebrated at ball parks across the U.S. We then fought against Germany in WWll.

      Reply
    72. Brandon Wagner on November 25, 2016 2:45 pm

      I think this article may be the answer to the question that people have been asking forever, “is the hotdog a sandwich?” Since the Queen who came from the country where the sandwich was invented did not know how to eat a hotdog, I would say it is not a sandwich.

      Reply
    73. Rose Jepson on November 25, 2016 4:22 pm

      Who would have thought that a hot dog would be known to help mend relations with Britain and the U.S. This article was a bit humorous, especially when Queen Elizabeth had to ask how to eat a hot dog. I wonder if the King and Queen went back to Britain and wished for more hot dogs. The King seemed to like them!

      Reply
    74. Ben McClay on November 25, 2016 5:21 pm

      I think that it is pretty funny that hot dogs helped reestablish the relations between the United States and Great Britain. I had two hot dogs today for lunch and they did not help reestablish relations with anybody in my family.

      Reply
    75. Audrey Manahan on November 25, 2016 8:40 pm

      I found it interesting to hear about the main course of this meeting being a hot dog. Obviously this was not the most important part of this meeting but it gives the stress, and weight of a heavy subject some lightness.

      Reply
    76. Jennifer Maurer on November 25, 2016 9:25 pm

      So interesting to see how the “All-American” hot dog tradition got its roots!

      Reply
    77. Dakota Zimmerman on November 25, 2016 11:04 pm

      For hot dogs being our first national food to serve to national allies is amazing. We never really had a national past of food that doesn’t derive from other countries

      Reply
    78. Alyssa Hanes on November 26, 2016 2:58 pm

      I actually find hot dogs quite disgusting, but seeing how they can bring our entire country together and provide so much happiness and unity is simply incredible! Who would have known that the hot dog had so much history behind it!

      Reply
    79. Jingshan Jiang on November 26, 2016 4:27 pm

      This article is interesting. I have never heard before that hot dog as a kind of food played an important role in international relations.

      Reply
    80. Shuling He on November 26, 2016 4:35 pm

      It is interesting to see how people recorded thing in period, never imagine that hot dog was so important in that period.

      Reply
    81. Shannon Read on November 26, 2016 5:42 pm

      I had never heard of this prior to reading the article. It is interesting how it was able to re-establish political standings with international groups.

      Reply
    82. Breanna Beckley on November 26, 2016 7:33 pm

      I thought this was an interesting article. I had never heard about this until I read this article.

      Reply
    83. Daina Thomas on November 26, 2016 11:01 pm

      I personally don’t like hotdogs, but it’s cool to know it was our first national food and it brought people together.

      Reply
    84. AA on November 28, 2016 11:06 pm

      I feel as if I told this story every time I ate a hot dog, someone would punch me. Interesting article!

      Reply
    85. Natalie antonio on November 29, 2016 10:23 am

      This article had some really interesting points, outlining the details behind America and England’s relationship. I did not like how the article refers to the two having a strained relationship before the start of WW II. These two great nations fought together as allies in the war.

      Reply
    86. Maxwell McCullough on November 30, 2016 9:54 am

      Amazing how even then hotdogs had the capability to bring people together! Murica!

      Reply
    87. Michaela Ping on November 30, 2016 3:34 pm

      I think it’s so funny to think of the queen eating a hot dog with a fork and knife. What different cultures!

      Reply
    88. Kayla Fox on November 30, 2016 10:16 pm

      Eating a hot dog is so natural to American’s so I can only imagine what it would have been like to witness the queen, someone so proper and elegant, eating a hot dog. I would expect nothing less than for her to use a fork and knife!

      Reply
    89. Montel Lollis on December 1, 2016 12:19 pm

      Thats very uhm interesting i guess, eating hot dogs with forks is out of our time , haha and the word picnic has a history to the meaning behind it to.

      Reply
    90. Courtney G on December 4, 2016 3:15 pm

      I think this was a nice yet simple way to help the relationship between the two countries and their people.

      Reply
    91. Suzie M. Shaffer on December 4, 2016 8:43 pm

      I feel as if there is no food that originated from America besides maybe fast food, and we probably didn’t even invent that. Haha. I also find it interesting how we got the idea of silverware.

      Reply
    92. Matthew Weller on December 6, 2016 10:20 pm

      Well, the hotdog probably the most American food there is.

      Reply
    93. Kristin Fellure on December 6, 2016 10:41 pm

      It would definitely be a sight to see the queen eat a hot dog. I could not imagine the queen eating without silverware ever.

      Reply
    94. LF on December 7, 2016 12:20 pm

      Its funny how different things are here then in great Britain.

      Reply
    95. ES on December 7, 2016 5:39 pm

      I think its very interesting that hot dogs have always been around

      Reply
    96. Keagan Frey on December 8, 2016 10:27 pm

      Hot dogs have been bringing people together at events since the 1930’s apparently.

      Reply
    97. Travis Tarnowski on December 9, 2016 8:20 pm

      You usually just eat a hot dog at a picnic or at a stadium game of some type. I had no clue that it was a big significant food at one point!

      Reply
    98. Hunter Music on December 10, 2016 3:06 am

      I think it is extremely interesting that such a simple gesture opened the public’s eye and convinced Americans that the royals were simple humans as well.

      Reply
    99. Alexis Dykes on December 11, 2016 1:14 am

      I think that this article does a nice job of setting the example that “higher-ups in leadership roles are merely humans too.” Very interesting piece!

      Reply
    100. Jared A. Hutt on February 4, 2017 5:55 pm

      It is funny to read about how a simple get-together changed public sentiment so much.

      Reply
    101. Jared Good on February 5, 2017 11:39 am

      I couldn’t believe the queen has never had a hot dog. I thought it was funny hat she wanted more of the hotdogs. Just like kids can’t get enough of hotdogs.

      Reply
    102. Jared Good on February 5, 2017 5:46 pm

      How weird it was for her to not have eaten a hotdog. That is a true American meal at a picnic or even ballparks.

      Reply
    103. Chelsey Stillings on February 5, 2017 7:33 pm

      I never thought Id be reading the history of a hot dog.

      Reply
    104. Kay McCargish on February 6, 2017 10:36 am

      Must have been interesting for people at the time to view the Queen as someone who would eat a hot dog. I am sure it humanized her for the world.

      Reply
    105. Cara Zang on February 6, 2017 2:13 pm

      This was a great example of how two different cultures come together and have differences. Here we don’t think twice about picking up a hot dog and eating it, but in Great Britain they don’t do that.

      Reply
    106. Dan Sumpter on February 6, 2017 8:28 pm

      This makes perfect sense. Hot Dogs are an American past time at we share during large events. If they could be used to bring countries closer, we should ship some to North Korea.

      Reply
    107. Dan Fidoe on February 9, 2017 11:19 am

      Im impressed the King ate with his hands. For such royalty I would expect them to maintain their class.

      Reply
    108. Juan Rodriguez on February 9, 2017 9:16 pm

      Great article because I never heard of the incident and the fact President Roosevelt came up of with the idea about having a picnic, to make the British King & Queen more appealing to Americans was ingenious.

      Reply
    109. Jason Orellano on February 10, 2017 3:09 pm

      Who would have thought a simple meal such as hot dogs would have been such a hit for the Royal family. Whats a picnic without hot dogs though?

      Reply
    110. Kacey Kovac on February 10, 2017 9:49 pm

      I love that the Queen ended up eating her hot dog with a fork! I think that showing the British people a piece of American culture was a smart move when trying to get on better terms with the British people. It has been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and this is a perfect example of that fact!

      Reply
    111. Shaun Emerick on February 11, 2017 1:39 am

      Picnics have always been a great social event to bring people closer together. I think the hot dog played a roll in bringing the U.S. closer to Great Britain due to its almost goofy unique nature. It helped lighten the mood brining humor and relaxation when it was much needed for us to secure Britain as an ally. Thanks to this event our friendship with Britain helped make us great partners in WWII.

      Reply
    112. Jeffrey Keenan on February 11, 2017 8:43 am

      I’m going to have to watch “Hyde Park on Hudson”, as it sounds like an interesting movie. I had no idea that the hotdog came about with such significance. I can see it now, people eating hot dogs with a fork and a knife for the first time.

      Reply
    113. Michelle Ross on February 11, 2017 11:50 am

      It is so interesting to read about the history of the hot dog. Who knew that royalty were some of the first people to eat hot dogs. Thankfully they did, because I can’t have a picnic without hot dogs there. They are my favorite summer time food.

      Reply
    114. John Milton on February 11, 2017 5:30 pm

      This article was pretty neat for the history of the hotdog and the relationship between America and Great Britain.

      Reply
    115. Jeremiah Linden on February 12, 2017 6:32 pm

      This was a smart political move of Franklin Roosevelt’s behalf. He made royalty look like common people. The American public was able to relate to English royalty. I also thought it was interesting that this picnic was at his home instead of the White House.

      Reply
    116. Shannon Smith on February 12, 2017 7:26 pm

      This is a great example of how food can bring people together and make connections. Something as simple as a hotdog can break the tension and set an example of countries reconnecting.

      Reply
    117. Mackenzie H on February 17, 2017 9:24 pm

      I love hot dogs!! It is one of the most diplomatically significant foods in culinary history.

      Reply
    118. Michael Tovissi on April 3, 2017 12:22 pm

      I never heard this story before. It’s amazing how a certain food can bring countries together and have relations with one another. I suppose hot dogs are the reason America and Great Britain became stronger Allies before World War 2.

      Reply
    119. Payton Brown on April 4, 2017 12:01 pm

      It is so funny that a hotdog was what it took to show the American people that the King and Queen were just normal people too.

      Reply
    120. James Cole on April 4, 2017 9:48 pm

      The two most interesting things in this article were that on June 11, 1939, a picnic at which hot dogs were served helped re-establish the political closeness between the United States and Great Britain and introduced the traditionally American food to an international public. Also, that they are derived from Frankfurters, also known as Wiener Wuerstchen, and were brought over to the United States by German immigrants. Initially eaten with mustard, potato salad or in soups in the Old World, in the New World, they become popular as vendor food and were placed in buns to allow for easier and less messy eating. Hot dogs are one of favorite foods to eat!

      Reply
    121. Misty Prosser on April 7, 2017 11:06 pm

      This was a neat article it is funny that the Queen had no idea how to eat the hot dog, but then again I bet she would not eat anything with her hands.

      Reply
    122. Angela Kessinger on April 9, 2017 10:00 am

      This article just goes to show you that something so simple can bring about good things. Who would have thought that a picnic where hot dogs were served would create such a memorable event in history.

      Reply
    123. Ashley Betsa on April 9, 2017 5:40 pm

      Interesting fact to know that Britian and the United States relationship was not as close and I had believed it to be in 1939. I assumed by this period of time we would have built a stronger relation. Also, funny to think the King who was German himself had not ate a hot dog!

      Reply
    124. Patrick Barker on April 10, 2017 1:37 pm

      This story is awesome. It is so cool how an American symbol, a hot dog, brought together two nations. Obviously, there was more to it, but I was unaware of this meeting. Very cool.

      Reply
    125. Tiffany on April 10, 2017 10:42 pm

      Amazing how something so simple as a hot dog can make such a huge difference. I am guessing the invite offered to the British couple also made a huge difference as well.

      Reply
    126. Jaisun on April 11, 2017 9:56 am

      As someone who loves hot dogs and history, I never knew both were intertwined with each other. It’s interesting that FDR thought that the way to thaw the frosty relationship between the U.S. and Great Britain was to invite the royal couple to New York for a picnic lunch.Hot dogs are often trivialized as being just stadium food. Who knew the significance they have in American history?

      Reply
    127. Autum Grandstaff on April 11, 2017 8:57 pm

      Interesting history to the Hot Dog. Something I have never heard about!

      Reply
    128. Megan on April 14, 2017 8:30 pm

      I never knew that this picnic ever happened. Let alone someone not knowing how to eat a hotdog! Very interesting!

      Reply
    129. Rose Sexton on April 14, 2017 10:05 pm

      i am a big fan of hot dogs. As nutrition goes, they are probably one of the worst things you can eat. But for taste memory and nostalgia, they earn my highest grade.

      Reply
    130. Jessica Kessinger on April 16, 2017 10:57 am

      This article was interesting to me because as a kid hot dogs were were my favorite food and i still enjoy them today. Nonetheless, I did not know how much history was them.

      Reply
    131. Jacob DeSmit on April 18, 2017 12:59 pm

      Given the depressing nature of the past few articles I have read on History and Headlines about this era, it was great to read something a bit more positive! It is interesting to read about how the hot dog came to be recognized as an American dish despite being invented in Germany. Given Germany’s role in the war at the time, one might think that FDR would steer clear of serving anything with origins from a country that was part of the Axis powers, but it’s hard to think of an entree that is any more “Americana” that might have been chosen otherwise.

      Reply
    132. Amanda Miller on April 19, 2017 4:44 pm

      I did not know that Franklin D. Roosevelt invited the King and Queen to his house for a picnic. I think it’s funny that the Queen whispered to the First Lady and asked her how to eat the hot dog.

      Reply
    133. Adrian Lewers on April 20, 2017 4:56 pm

      So I must say, I love hotdogs! I have to have one every time we go to ball games. I never realized there was a picnic with the queen and king of England to share the hotdog.

      Reply
    134. Michelle on April 21, 2017 1:09 pm

      My three year old won’t eat a hot dog on a bun, he prefers a fork and a (butter knife) knife. I think its weird!

      Reply
    135. Nakia Bridges on April 23, 2017 1:53 am

      That’s awesome!!!! I never knew anything about this picnic. I find it funny that the Queen asked how to eat it. Interesting article altogether

      Reply
    136. McKenna Kapper on April 25, 2017 1:42 pm

      I found this article interesting, this is not something I had heard of before.

      Reply
    137. Robin Crandel on April 26, 2017 6:19 am

      Dachshund sandwiches sound pretty vile, not stating that “hot dog” sounds any better. Interesting history, but gross food.

      Reply
    138. MIA on April 28, 2017 8:50 am

      I will always love a burnt, grilled hotdog. That’s my favorite!

      Reply
    139. Justin Hodson on April 30, 2017 1:41 pm

      Very interesting. I did not know the hot dog was originally named after the dachshund.

      Reply
    140. Yang Shao on April 30, 2017 5:23 pm

      I never heard of that hot dog name was called dachshund. I know hot dog are famous food at America nowadays.

      Reply
    141. WenYu Zhang on April 30, 2017 7:02 pm

      American and England had the amazing relationship in the history, this article made me have new learning about their relationship. may i say it’s really interesting, hot dog could get wonderful and powerful relationship.

      Reply
    142. KIMBERLY KESTNER on April 30, 2017 10:54 pm

      I would have never known the large history with hotdogs without reading this article. We make them a few different ways in our house and coincidentally they help keep the peace when the little’s don’t know what they want to eat.

      Reply

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