Starting a business is a milestone for entrepreneurs. And hopefully for them, there are many more milestones along the way.
UpDog Hot Dogs started out as a mobile hot dog cart in 2020. Four years later, the business celebrated a milestone with the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Blandon.
The location in the Maidencreek Towne Center along Fleetwood-Blandon Road was most recently Mad J’s BBQ. That restaurant closed in early 2023, leaving the space vacant.
After some work inside including a fresh coat of paint (although the Fleetwood Tigers logo on the wall remains), UpDogs celebrated its grand opening in August 2024.
I visited for a quick lunch in mid-September, a few weeks after the restaurant opened.
The menu is focused – just hot dogs, fries and mini donuts – but there are eight specialty dogs to choose from plus a dozen toppings to customize. You can also order a regular sized hot dog or a quarter-pound “Big Dog.”
I went with a Big Memphis BBQ dog and a side of fries.
The dog was topped with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, BBQ sauce and green onions. First, a quarter-pound dog doesn’t sound like much, but it’s huge. And it was delicious. The hot dog was perfect and the bacon and BBQ sauce added a little sweet and salty flavor. The bacon and onions also added a delightful crunch.
The fries were really good, too – perfectly crispy fast-food style fries with a little bit of seasoning beyond the standard salt and pepper.
And it was a quick meal – perfect in-and-out for a no-fuss lunch on a workday – at a reasonable price for around $10 for the hot dog and fries.
Overall, I was really impressed. I didn’t know northeastern Berks County needed two hot dog joints (the other being Potts’ Top Dog in Topton just 15 minutes up the road), but I’m glad UpDog is here.
BCE Rating
Food: Good
Ambiance: Good
Service: Excellent
Price: $
UpDog Hot Dogs
850 Golden Drive
Blandon, PA 19510
