Home Depot gets rid of hotdog vendors inside stores across state

FOX 2 - "You love the smell of them coming out," said Daniel Williams. "I am a little bit hungry, I love to get a hot dog."

Williams, like so many, found the aroma of cooking hot dogs wafting through the air of Home Depot stores comforting - something to count on.

Hot dogs no more at Home Depot

Home Depot has pulled the plug on hot dog vendors at all Michigan stores.

"This is one of the few Home Depots that grill hot dogs not boil and they are really good," said one customer.

But customers learned on Monday they will have to buy their hotdogs elsewhere. The home improvement chain decided not to bring back their hot dog vendors.

"I'm sad about it but she is glad because I eat too many of them," quipped shopper Joe Brown, nodding to his wife.

"It was a shocker we were pretty stumped by it when we heard it," said William Pachota.

No one was more surprised than Pachota, the owner of Hot Diggitty Dog based in Livonia. In March of 2020, Covid put their hot dog Home Depot vending sales on hold.

He says just as they were getting ready to fire up the stands again at the Northville, Plymouth, and Commerce Township locations, he received a letter from Home Depot saying they will be closing all of the hotdog stands at every store in Michigan - for good.

Pachota spent the last week packing up and moving out, but he'll always have the memories of his loyal patrons.

"When you are working there and you see people coming in with smiles on their face, and everybody so happy to come there and just give you respect you appreciate when you are there," he said.

His customers are hoping Hot Diggity Dogs will open its own restaurant or at the very least, move into another big box store.

"Maybe we'll keep our fingers crossed, we're always open," he said.

A Home Depot spokesperson told FOX 2 that they want to focus on the customer and their home improvement needs, and they wish all the vendors the best.