Pronto Pups are long. The story of how they started here is even longer.
Pronto Pup owner Sharon Andreini (middle) runs the family-owned business with her children Danny Andreini Jr. (left) and Lisa Warren (right) pictured at the Delta Fair on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Most Memphians have eaten a Pronto Pup before, but what some Memphians might not know is that the festival food has been a Bluff City favorite for 77 years.
The tale of the local Pronto Pup begins in 1947 at the Mid-South Fair.
A barber and beauty shop owner named Bemis Atkins had heard of a hot dog treat he thought would be a hit in the South.
The hot-dog-on-a-stick was dipped in a batter and fried until golden brown. Bemis called his version a “Pronto Pup,” and the rest is history.
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Pronto Pups Danny Andreini Delta Fair and Music Festival Cooper-Young Festival Mid-South Fair Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Jennifer Chandler
Jennifer Chandler has been a restaurateur, a cookbook author, a food stylist, a writer and a TV and radio personality.
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