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mokenamessenger.com dining out
the Mokena Messenger | January 25, 2018 | 27
The Dish
Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage credits community involvement for success
Jacquelyn Schlabach
Assistant Editor
Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage
credits its success to being
involved in the communities
it serves.
For almost 38 years, Pop’s
has continued to grow not
only in locations and menu
items but also in building
connections with its customers.
Pop’s has 15 locations
across the suburbs, and each
one is involved in its communities
and sponsors various
events. Kacie Dancy, VP of
operations and owner Frank
Radochonski’s daughter
works at the original Pop’s
location in Palos Heights and
said the restaurant supports
the local baseball and softball
teams, sponsors reading
programs at the local schools
and library, and gives out
coupons for free hot dogs on
Halloween to children.
Other Pop’s locations,
including the one in Tinley
Park, has fundraiser
nights for local sports teams,
churches and schools, and
even gives schools coupons
for free hot dogs to their
teachers for Teacher Appreciation
Week, according to
franchisee Burke Matyas.
“I’ve always believed in
supporting the small guy,”
Matyas said. “We’re a small
mom and pop shop, so [it’s
important] to give back to the
community, knowing they
support me.”
Not only do customers
keep coming back because of
the support they receive from
Pop’s but also, of course,
for the staples of the restaurant.
The famous Italian beef
($5.29) is sliced, cooked and
served fresh daily. The beef
is served on 6-inch French
bread, and customers can add
Pop’s homemade giardiniera
or sweet peppers.
“Everything that goes on
[the Italian beef] I think my
dad has tried really hard to
pair our giardiniera and our
sweet peppers to match the
flavors,” Dancy said. “A lot
of the same seasonings are
used between the peppers
and the beef, so they compliment
each other really well.”
Dancy also said the hot
dog ($2.99) is another crowd
favorite. The hot dog is Pop’s
brand, and customers cannot
get it the same anywhere
else. The Chicago-style dog
comes with tomato, relish,
mustard, pickle, sport peppers
and celery salt, and it
is served on a seedless bun.
Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage features its homemade
giardiniera atop one of the beef sandwiches that helped
make it famous. Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media
It is the only menu item that
comes wrapped in Pop’s famous
french fries.
When Pop’s was first
founded by her father and
grandmother almost 38 years
ago, the only items on the
menu were hamburgers, hot
dogs and beef sandwiches.
Over the years, chicken has
been incorporated into the
menu, like the grilled chicken
breast on a pita ($4.79),
which is one of Dancy’s favorites.
There also are six
different salads from which
to choose, as well as an Italian
sausage ($4.25) that
can come with red sauce,
sweet peppers and/or au jus.
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Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage
• 7153 W. 127th St. in
Palos Heights
• 14279 S. Wolf Road in
Orland Park
• 9400 W. 159th St. in
Orland Park
• 7301 W. 183rd St. in
Tinley Park
• 16600 W. 159th St. in
Lockport
• 11336 Lincoln
Highway in Mokena
For more information ...
Web: www.popsbeef.com
Around the time of St. Patrick’s
Day, the corned beef
on rye ($5.19) or Reuben on
rye ($5.75) become available
at various franchisees, but the
Palos Heights location serves
them year-round.
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708.342.0900
www.schaafwindow.com | 18445 Thompson Ct. Tinley Park, IL 60477 | Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm