Green’s Lunch has been open in Charlotte for nearly 100 years. What’s its secret?
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Editor’s note: This story was originally published on July 11, 2022
Green’s Lunch in uptown Charlotte has been in business for 96 years. With a track record spanning nearly a century, one can only ask, “What’s the secret?” For current owner Joanna Sikitois, the answer is easy — a secret chili recipe and a menu based around hot dogs that have now become a weekly tradition for many local families.
The Charlotte institution, as Sikiotis deems it, was opened in 1926 by Mr. Robert Green in the same spot that it is today. The building then was only a small shack that relied on a propane tank to heat up the restaurant’s staple item — boiled hot dogs on steamed buns.
“During that time, customers could get a hot dog, chips, and a bottle of coke for a nickel,” Sikiotis told CharlotteFive. “The restaurant has always focused around hot dogs. And now, if you ask anyone where they can get a good hot dog in uptown, they will likely direct you to Green’s. We really have great dogs.”
Green’s Lunch over the years
Mr. Green ran the restaurant until 1941, when his daughter-in-law, Mary Green, began to run things. Twenty years later, she would fully take over the business after winning the restaurant in a divorce settlement from Mr. Green’s son.
Mary was considered Charlotte hot dog royalty. She would appear in the annual Thanksgiving Day parade as the “Hot Dog Queen,” a title she wore proudly.
“Mary was the one to introduce our secret chili recipe. I can’t tell you how many people over the years have tried to buy the recipe, but we will always keep it under wraps. It’s just so good!”
Still running the business out of the small shack, the restaurant often faced structural issues such as flooding or plaster falling off of the walls. Sikiotis says the ceiling was no higher than 5 feet, 7 inches, and many customers often had to duck down just to come in to place an order. There were only five stools along the counter for sitting, so people stood while eating or just took it to go.
“The sidewalk actually sat up a few inches higher than the building, so when it rained the interior would flood. But it would drain through two holes that were in the rear of the shack.”
In 1975, Mary Green sold the business to Philip Katopodis — Sikiotis’ father. His dream was to own a piece of land in uptown Charlotte, and this was the perfect location.
As the business continued to grow, Katopodis tore down the old shack and built the current building in 1980 to accommodate more guests. The original brick from the shack still remains around the doorways.
“My father also decided to add his own touch to the menu, so he introduced coleslaw,” Sikiotis said. “When I bought the business from him in 1989, I added French fries. Up until then, we only sold chips with the hot dogs.”
Now, the menu has expanded to include items like burgers, chili cheese fries— a favorite for Sikiotis— BLTs, chicken salad and even a few breakfast dishes. But, the star will always be the hot dogs, dressed any way you want from plain to all the way (chili, ketchup, mustard, slaw and onions).
A family tradition, generations later
Like many longstanding businesses, Green’s has become a tradition for Charlotte-area families. Sikiotis says she’s seen generations of families continue to come weekly, just to get their hot dog fix.
“There’s one family where the now mom started coming as a young girl with her parents every Saturday. She now has children of her own and brings them in weekly for hot dogs, too.”
The restaurant has welcomed everyone from Cam Newton and singer Anthony Hamilton, to area beauty queens and the Rev. Billy Graham. Even after surviving through some hard times, including segregation, The Great Depression and now the COVID-19 pandemic, Green’s Lunch continues to open its doors with open arms to everyone.
“My father always told me about a customer, Mr. Brown, who would come into the restaurant to pick up hot dogs for his mother. He was a Black man, and at one point, due to the laws, he could only enter the old shack through a certain door then take his food to go. Well, my father got to know Mr. Brown over the years, and when he rebuilt the restaurant he decided to have one main door for all to come in — especially Mr. Brown.”
Green’s Lunch
Location: 309 W. 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
