DIXFIELD — Doug’s Dogs, a familiar roadside eatery, has attracted a loyal following of hot dog aficionados for the past 15 years.

“You wouldn’t believe the number of hot dogs this little stand sells,” said Jon Holmes, 66, as he manned Doug’s diminutive, mobile hot dog stand on Route 2 in the downtown.

“We are popular not only with the locals,” Holmes of Dixfield said, “but we are a favorite stop for many out-of-staters who are on their way up to their summer camps.”

Doug Swann, 75, of Dixfield, the owner of the stand, has owned and run a number of hot dog stands in the area, Holmes said. “He had a hot dog stand in Farmington for years, as well as one at Dummer’s Beach in Weld, but this one has proven to be the most successful.”

The secret to Doug’s Dogs’ success and longevity, Holmes said, is using Kirschener red hot dogs, homemade chili, exceptional sauerkraut, cheese and, most notably, “the special onion sauce that Mrs. Swann makes.”

“People can’t get enough of that onion sauce,” Holmes said. “We have done very well in the past selling jars of it.”

The ingredients of the special sauce are a closely guarded secret, known only to the Swanns, Holmes said.

A curiosity for many out-of-state people is the color of the hot dogs: bright red. “We call them lobster dogs for their color,” Holmes said, “and they are very popular. I don’t think you have bright red hot dogs anywhere else but inland Maine.”

Besides hot dogs, Doug’s offers hot and sweet sausages, W.A. Beans, made in Bangor, and toppings, including chili, cheese and five types of mustard.

“Every year our reputation grows,” Holmes said. “We got a couple of folks last summer who said they drove all the way from Aroostook County to try our hot dogs.”

“We have a couple of traditions that our customers love,” Holmes said, “including a money-back guarantee of dining satisfaction and a free hot dog for any customer who brings a dog to the stand.”

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