He is known to many as the “Hot Dog Guy,” but Dave Rapp, owner of Big Rapp Daddy’s Restaurant, 817 W. Lincoln Highway, doesn’t seem to mind. Since March, Rapp has been on the NIU campus, from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, selling Chicago-style hot dogs from his cart.

The Star stopped by his cart to learn a little more about the man under the Vienna Beef umbrella.

Northern Star: How long have you been serving hot dogs with your cart?
Dave Rapp: Bought the restaurant on Dec. 5 last year and the cart came with it. Once I got it running again, I came out here in March. And get it while the students were in session during the spring session. Waited for summer school to start up, and I came back out again. And then came back again in the fall.

NS: Why did you decide to sell hot dogs at NIU?
DR: My restaurant is about 300 yards [away] so it is very convenient and it’s a lot of fun out here. I enjoy it out here. The kids are fun. Students, I talk to a lot of them. Lot of them have questions for me. They’ll sit down next to me and they’ll sit here and talk about the Cubs and the Bears and the Packers and all that stuff. Even some Sox fans once and a while.

NS: You sell Chicago hot dogs, but what exactly is a Chicago dog?
DR: A Chicago dog is when you take a poppy seed bun and you take an all-beef hot dog, which I use Vienna Beef, which is the best. Then you put mustard on it, is the first thing you do. Then you put relish on it, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers and a pickle. And then you top it with celery salt. That is the official Chicago hot dog.
I’m sure people have variations of it. And some people actually get mad that I have ketchup out here ‘cuz it’s traditionally not something you put on a Chicago dog. But there are a lot of people on this campus that like the ketchup so I have it.

NS: What makes hot dogs better than any other kind of food?
DR: I don’t know what makes them better, but when you’re using a quality one like this, the Vienna Beef hot dog, it’s just really good the way they make the flavorings in it, makes it really good and it’s quick and easy. People seem to respond to it nicely. I’ve had polish sausages out here, I’ve had brats out here and they just don’t seem to sell, so I just went back to doing hot dogs.

NS: What is the most rewarding part of this job?
DR: Well you know being outside is nice, instead of being at the restaurant all day. I get to be outside here and again intermingling with people, the staff at NIU is really good; they buy a lot of hot dogs from me and all the students. It’s a nice atmosphere out here.

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