'The ultimate place for hot dogs': M&M Red Hots returns to Elmira with much fanfare

Beloved Elmira hot-doggery M&M Red Hots reopened last week amid much fanfare after being closed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new owner, Katie Seymour, will run the restaurant with her fiancé, Ryan Gallagher. The couple took the reins from Katie’s father, Andy Seymour, who took it over from his mother, Wilda DeHaas, in 2017.

The American-style diner specializing in hotdogs with a coveted – and well-kept secret – meatsauce has a storied history. It was first opened in 1919 by Andrew Patros, who ran it with his sons, Thomas and Peter. Peter then ran it with his wife, Stella Patros, for decades until one of their longtime employees, Wilda DeHaas, bought control.

“This business has been a part of my family for at least 40 years back when my grandmother bought it from Pete and Stella Patros,” Katie said.

“Reopening the restaurant means always having a place for family.”

This is the first time in four years the restaurant has opened its doors to customers. According to a Facebook post from March 2020, then-owner Andy Seymour said M&M couldn’t accommodate pandemic restrictions to keep people at least six feet apart.

However, as those restrictions receded, Andy’s health deteriorated, and in 2022 he announced M&M’s would be closed indefinitely.

It wasn’t until last month that Katie and Ryan announced on Facebook the restaurant would be reopening under their new ownership. The announcement was met with great anticipation from patrons.

“I’m so glad they’re coming back,” said Horseheads resident Amy Chapman Evans. “You walk in there and everybody’s so friendly and everyone’s laughing and talking.”

She’s been going to M&M since she was a little girl, when her father would take her and her siblings. When she started dating her husband, they would go every week.

“When my husband got home from work and I told him M&M was reopening, he just had the biggest smile on his face,” she recalled. “M&M is the ultimate place for hotdogs, and when they closed, we were devastated.”

Now, she’s excited to go back and order her usual, the classic meatsauce dog with mustard and onions – light on the onions.

A lot of longtime regulars are excited to return.

“I have very fond memories of going there, it was a large part of the community and especially for my family,” said Chip Coffey, who grew up in Elmira and has been going to M&M since 1964.

“It was heartbreaking when they closed, and I think people are really happy now that it’s reopening,” he said.

The new owners look forward to reconnecting the Elmira community through their food.

“Being able to see the community come together is one of my favorite aspects of our restaurant,” Katie said.

She said they don’t plan to make any changes to the food or menu, and have only updated some equipment in the front corner. The only new development is their plan to open a food truck in the next year or so.

Corey Cooke, second district representative for the Elmira city council, said he frequented M&M’s a lot before it closed, and its reopening is demonstrative of Elmira’s post-pandemic renaissance.

“I believe this is a great sign of the rebirth of an Elmira classic eatery,” he said.“Welcome back.”M&M Red Hots, located at 212 Baldwin St., is open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. They accept cash only, and at this time are not selling to-go containers of their famous meatsauce.