A hot dog statue, adorned with tennis shoes and holding a Ukrainian flag in its left hand and an American flag in its right, stands outside the flagship store of the Ukrainian gas station chain Socar. The statue promotes “Nathan’s Famous” hot dogs, mirroring the branding seen at the chain's original location in Brooklyn’s Coney Island.
On a recent Wednesday, Ivan Pozniak, a 35-year-old airline pilot, visited the store to try his first Nathan’s hot dog, describing it as “delicious.” He noted the unexpected but positive addition of sweet pickle relish to his usual toppings of mustard, ketchup, and Tabasco.
Hot dogs are a common snack in Ukraine, but the market has primarily featured a variant known as the “French” dog, encased in a tubular panini. The introduction of Nathan’s Famous hot dogs reflects Ukraine's increasing alignment with Western culture over the past few decades. Currently, there are 27 Nathan’s outlets located within Socar gas stations in Ukraine, maintaining operations despite the ongoing war, although business has not fully recovered.
Oleksiy Dronov, a key figure in establishing Nathan’s in Ukraine, worked closely with Socar to introduce a special type of all-beef hot dog to comply with dietary requirements from their corporate headquarters in Azerbaijan. After unsuccessful initial attempts to contact Nathan's, Dronov eventually connected with Oliver Powers, the vice president of franchise operations, leading to a franchise agreement.
The launch of Nathan’s first outlet occurred during the pandemic, followed closely by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Despite the challenges, Dronov and Powers maintained communication throughout the conflict, with Dronov volunteering to deliver food during the war's early days.
As the war continued, Nathan’s resumed hot dog sales, adapting to local conditions by temporarily switching to locally available sausages. Dronov has since become involved in teaching tactical medicine to fellow Ukrainians, reflecting a shift in focus from the business to the war effort.
While Nathan's initially planned to host a hot-dog eating contest for the Fourth of July, large gatherings have been discouraged by the government. In 2023, an online contest attracted only 30 participants, with the winner consuming five hot dogs in three minutes. During this period, the hot dog statue was created, with flags representing both Ukraine and the United States.
At the flagship store, most employees are women, as many men are serving in the military. Ukrainian soldiers are often seen dining in uniform, highlighting the dual nature of the establishment as both a business and a community space in challenging times.
Zana Kobelska, a frequent visitor to the flagship store, expressed her emotional connection to the United States, despite political tensions. She reflected on her desire to remove the American flag from the statue's display, indicating a complex relationship with the symbols of partnership and identity amid the ongoing conflict.