An Atlanta-based hot dog chain will be Banks Food Hall’s first vendor this year.
The Original Hot Dog Factory, which recently opened its first Columbus location at 5600 Milgen Road, will be Banks’ first vendor of 2021, the food hall announced Friday afternoon.
Banks Food Hall, 1002 Bay Avenue, is sandwiched between 11th and Bay Southern Table restaurant and Whitewater Express on a stretch of Bay Avenue facing the Chattahoochee River.
Franchise owner Dennis McKinley sent the Columbus location info about Banks Food Hall and told the group to look into it, Original Hot Dog Factory representative Carla Gardner said in a Facebook Live video posted by the food hall. After researching the food hall, Carla and her husband, Derick Gardner, had dinner at Banks.
While Derick and his wife were dining, a passerby walked past them with his two daughters.
“What do you want to eat?” the man asked one of his children, according to Derick’s account.
“Hot dogs,” she replied.
“They don’t have hot dogs,” the father answered.
“And that was just confirmation, for both of us, that Banks is for us,” Derick said.
The chain’s menu features an extensive selection of hot dogs that represent locations or cuisines. In total, there are 27 varieties on the menu.
The Jamaican Jerk Chicken Dog, which consists of a jerk-seasoned chicken hot dog topped with grilled pineapples, chopped onions and sweet island sauce, is a crowd favorite, Buchanan said. The Chicago Dog is a beef hot dog topped with tomatoes, pickle, sport peppers, relish, onions, mustard and celery salt.
The Original Hot Dog Factory started in Atlanta in 2010 and has grown over the years. The chain has locations nationwide, including shops in Atlanta, Pennsylvania, Texas and New York.
The chain received national attention thanks to appearances on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” McKinley’s tumultuous relationship with reality TV star Porsha Williams was chronicled on the Bravo series. The two are no longer together, the latter told Bravo in December.
The chain announced expansion plans in June with 15 new restaurants, including five restaurants in Atlanta, four in Philadelphia and others in Birmingham, Houston and other cities.
Banks Food Hall follows in the footsteps of Atlanta’s Ponce City Market with a variety of food and drink vendors housed in one warehouse-style building, complete with indoor and outdoor socially-distanced dining. The hall has space for up to 10 vendors.
The food hall is housed in a former warehouse that stored cotton until it was ready to be loaded onto steamboats for transport down the river. Exposed brick, steel beams and lofty ceilings hint at its industrial days.
Customers can follow the Columbus location on Facebook and the national chain on Instagram. Banks Food Hall can be found on Instagram and Facebook.
Ledger-Enquirer sports reporter Joshua Mixon has covered everything from the SEC Championship to girls flag football. He covers Auburn and Chattahoochee Valley prep sports, and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. He previously covered Georgia athletics for the Telegraph. You can follow him on Twitter @JoshDMixon.
