Kaepernick-inspired menu item pulled
A hot dog named in honor of Colin Kaepernick at a restaurant in his hometown of Turlock, Calif., no longer is available.
The hot dog called CK7 — Kaepernick’s initials followed by his jersey number — has been pulled off the menu at Main Street Footers after the San Francisco 49ers quarterback refused to stand for the national anthem Friday before the game against the Green Bay Packers.
The hot dog, which was topped with chili, coleslaw, jalapenos and “Kaep Sauce,” was a hot item for $6.05 when Kaepernick helped lead the 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl, but it had become a “political football,” restaurant co-owner Glenn Newsum said.
“It was easier just to take the thing off the menu than go through the constant barrage,” Newsum told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. “We’re just trying to run a decent business without taking sides, and it was easier to take the thing off because of the fact that it was creating so much turmoil.”
Also, posters of Kaepernick that were part of the hot dog promotion were taken down.
“There’s comments on both sides,” Newsum said. “We’ve had people call us and some say it’s a great thing, we’re glad you did that, and other people want to know what in the heck we’re doing. Rather than get into a skirmish, it was our idea just to take it off (the menu).”
The hot dog was named in Kaepernick’s honor as part of a contest in 2011 after the 49ers picked him in the second round of the draft.