Ryan Muccular and her husband, Kevin Muccular, opened That’s My Dog in 2016 after opening a hot dog food cart in California, where the couple is from, in 2013.
Ryan, who has a master’s degree in culinary arts, said that at first, selling hot dogs did not sound like what she went to school for.
“Funny thing about me, I don’t like meat; I don’t like beef. I’m not a fan of hot dogs. They have a really bad stigma behind them,” Ryan said. “I said, ‘If we are going to do it, we’re going to take the stigma away from hot dogs and educate people on how [hot dogs] can be really good and just as good for your body as any other type of food.’”
That’s My Dog sells 100% beef hot dogs with natural casing, and no pork products or mixed meats. The dogs, buns and toppings are all made in-house. It also provides keto, vegan and vegetarian products.
“I wanted to let people know that even though you’re consuming a hot dog, this is something that’s good for your body,” Ryan said.
The Mucculars use family recipes for their dishes. The chili is Ryan’s recipe; the banana pudding is Kevin’s mother’s recipe; and the restaurant’s barbecue sauce and smoking technique came from Kevin’s grandfather.
That’s My Dog also has an item honoring Kevin’s grandfather, Samson Reed. Called the Big Sam hot dog, it features a smoked sausage topped with brisket, macaroni and cheese, chopped onions and barbecue sauce.
“Big Sam was known for putting some meat on the grill,” Ryan said. “It’s big, because he was a big guy, and he would do whatever he could to get you full.”
The couple moved to Katy in 2016 to open their business after a customer at their California location suggested expanding. The couple’s family now runs the original food cart in California. At first, the Mucculars did not plan on moving to Katy. The idea came when Kevin was watching college football one night and heard about the Katy Tigers, he said.
“He did a little research on them and heard about how they were the best, and when he came to Houston, he said, ‘This feels great; this feels like a place that my wife and I could probably relocate to,’” Ryan said.
After doing her own research on the area, Ryan agreed. The family is now zoned to Katy High School and their children are Katy ISD students.
Through its TMD Cares program, That’s My Dog donates 10% of its sales and all of the staff tips back to the community. The Mucculars also have a blessing wheel in the back of their restaurant that anyone expressing a need can spin, and they give money to single mothers in need.
“We’ve had the community as a whole, especially in Katy, [wrap] their arms around us,” Ryan said. “People need people. I think that COVID[-19], above all, taught us that you need people.”
That's My Dog
22635 Morton Ranch Road, Katy
830-274-7538
www.tmd30.com
Hours: Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.,
Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
