We took a journey to track down the restaurant that is believed to be frequented by Dolly Parton herself
There’s a spot on the Parkway in Sevierville that is built almost entirely in anticipation. You’ve come through downtown and past the China Town restaurant, which has been serving the exotic cuisine of the Far East since Moses was a boy.
There’s some shopping and restaurants on the right and a hodgepodge of residential neighborhoods, a campground and a little of this and that. But if you are like me – your focus is rarely on what’s in this section of the Parkway. You’re approaching the world’s busiest Walmart, the best outlet shopping in the region and a nearly endless opportunity for fun – an oasis of mini-golf, acrobatic pirates, competing lumberjacks and more.
And so, it’s easy to miss the restaurant with the best claim to fame in town. It’s believed to be Dolly Parton’s favorite.
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About the gas station and restaurant
Frank Allen got his start in the grocery business at the age of 13 making deliveries on his bicycle before going to work in his father’s store. In 1953, Frank and his wife Ernestine opened their market and eight years later added the grill. They started selling hot dogs and hamburgers that would eventually make them famous.
The market moved a couple of times over the years and was eventually handed down to Frank and Ernestine’s daughter. Frank passed away in 2010 at the age of 90. But the legacy of his market lives on in the back of Marathon Gas Station located in what may well be the least commercially developed piece of the Parkway between downtown Sevierville and the Pigeon Forge City limits near the spur.
The menu has changed over the years but remains something that would have been at least recognizable to its patrons – including, we assume, a young Dolly Parton – back in 1961. The most popular order probably remains the cheeseburger. Over the years, the market has consistently won awards for it. It’s a good diner-style burger. The menu also has a variety of sandwiches, hot dogs and sides like onion rings and crinkle-cut fries. As a Kenjo Market – a regional group of gas station markets – you can also get the infamous Super Grandaddy two-foot sub for under $9.
The specialty hot dogs are two for $5. They include varieties like the Slaw Dog, the Inferno Dog, the Nacho Dog and the Barbecue Dog.
Why we think it’s Dolly’s favorite, what she orders
Why do we think it’s Dolly’s favorite? She told us as much. Well, not us. She told Southern Living Magazine in 2010 about her affection for the Frank Allen Market and their Slaw Dog.
“Everyone is always looking for a ‘joint’ to eat at that only locals know. Frank Allen’s is a local Sevier County experience I love,” she said in the interview. “My favorite is their Slaw Dog, but you’ll have to eat your way through the menu and find your own very favorite treat. Just be sure to tell them Dolly sent you.”
For the record, I have never told them that Dolly sent me because that feels weird. However, there are a couple of small 8×10 photos of Dolly up on the wall above the griddle. But otherwise, you’d never know Dolly gave them a shoutout. Meanwhile, if Dolly had said this about any other local restaurant, there would be billboards all up and down the strip with that quote.
What is a slaw dog?
It’s a hot dog with coleslaw and usually has mustard and onions. At Frank Allen, it’s a chili dog with these things on top. Personally, I prefer my slaw dog sans chili, but if you get one here “all the way” be prepared for the chili.
Over the years, I’ve had a few Northerners raise an eyebrow at the idea of coleslaw on a hot dog – but it’s essentially just Southern sauerkraut. It turns out that things made with cabbage go well with hot dogs.
How is the slaw dog? Honestly, it’s about as good as expected at the $2.50 price point. The dog is not artisanal. It’s not low-cooked over hickory chips by someone who spent a decade studying at sausage culinary academies in Bavaria. It’s a hot dog. Nothing more or less.
I suspect that with its connections to the Sevier County of Dolly’s youth, there’s quite a bit of nostalgia wrapped up in her slaw dog appreciation. Dolly could – at this point in life – afford to hire the best chefs and dine every night in the finest restaurants in the world. I suspect the appeal of a gas station hot dog is that connection to who she was before she became famous.
That being said, it is a pretty good slaw dog.
Is there a chance I’ll see Dolly?
I would say there’s always a chance, but I doubt it. As I mentioned above, there are two small pictures of Dolly on display but they’re headshot-type pictures. They are not something taken within the restaurant. Now, maybe they’re autographed – that section was roped off due to post-hurricane storm damage. However, there doesn’t appear to be much evidence that Dolly has been in the restaurant recently.
Could she visit incognito? I think it’s possible. I don’t think many of us would recognize her without her wig and make-up. After all, Mick Jagger has taken to roaming cities where the Rolling Stones are performing with nothing more than a ballcap as a disguise. Could Dolly do the same? I think she could as long as she doesn’t speak. Dolly’s voice is too recognizable.
The best way to see Dolly is at Dollywood on season passholder’s day at the park or when they’re making some big, pre-planned announcement or filming.
Location and hours
Frank Allen’s Market and Grill is located at 930 Parkway in Sevierville. If you’re heading for Pigeon Forge, there’s no turn lane right at the gas station. You’ll either have to go past and do a U-turn or turn just before and then use a little one-lane access road to get to the back of the parking lot.
The Market is open from 6 am to 5:30 pm throughout the week and 6 am to 4 pm on Sundays, but remember that hours are subject to change.
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