After nearly 50 years, Tempe hot dog staple expands with new Valley spot

After more than four decades of serving charcoal-grilled hot dogs, scratch-made onion rings and milkshakes in Tempe, Ted’s Hot Dogs is branching out with a new location in Chandler. 

Scheduled to open in early May, the new Ted’s will be located in the Crossroads Towne Center at Germann and Gilbert roads. 

“Ted’s is family-focused and Chandler is the growing neighborhood for young families,” says Evan Ortolani, the fourth-generation president and owner of Ted’s Hot Dogs. 

This family-owned establishment has made a name for itself and found its way into the hearts as well as bellies of Valley hot dog fans by embracing cooking over an open fire fueled by real hardwood lump charcoal. It’s a method used since the original Ted’s opened in 1927 in Buffalo, New York.

In Chandler, patrons can expect the same casual family feel they’ve grown to love in Tempe with a roomy dining area and front line positioned so they can see their orders cooked on the grill. 

However, there will be a few distinguishing amenities. A drive-thru will feature a large window to allow customers to see the grill from their cars. There will also be a separate ice cream pick-up window, a covered patio with misters and a park area featuring picnic benches. 

These features are designed to create a setting that replicates one of the original locations situated under the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, Ortolani says. 

There will also be a few menu items exclusive to Chandler, like steak and breakfast sandwiches. If they prove popular, there’s a possibility these items could be offered in Tempe or other future locations, Ortolani teases. 

“We’re going to have a bit more fun with our menu,” Ortolani says. “Our grills are cast-iron with heat at 900 degrees, so there’s a lot of fun proteins we can do there.” 

Before joining the family business, Ortolani worked for advertising agencies in New York City, making commercials for big brands and creating Super Bowl spots. When he took over his family’s iconic hot dog business and sought a city for the chain’s next restaurant, it didn’t take long to find one that checked the boxes for the direction he wanted the company to go.

“We felt Chandler is perfect for Ted’s,” Ortolani says.

The company is named after its founder and Ortolani’s great-grandfather, Theodore Spiro Liaros, who immigrated from Greece in 1913. He had no money and could not speak English, but started selling hot dogs out of a tiny tool shed in Buffalo. 

Liaros’s hard work, passion and energy fueled his small hot dog business, and soon, everyone knew him as “Ted.” 

Over the next 99 years, the menu grew with the addition of hamburgers, chicken and sausages, all cooked over the signature charcoal that made the restaurant famous. 

Lured by the sun and a more comfortable climate, Liaros’ son Spiro moved from Buffalo to Phoenix and opened the first out-of-state Ted’s Hot Dogs in Tempe nearly 50 years ago. He later passed the business on to his daughter, Thecly, Ortolani’s mother. When she retired, she handed the reins to her son.

Today, Ted’s has nine locations across western New York, in addition to the one in Tempe. After the Chandler restaurant is solidly up and running, Ortolani hopes to expand to other parts of the Valley. 

“We’re excited to grow and give the world more classic Americana food that is Ted’s Hot Dogs,” says Ortolani, who made the Valley his permanent home a year ago. “I love living here and I’m excited to focus on keeping our family business running and true to what my great-grandfather envisioned.”