Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill

Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill is a genuinely singular Kernersville, NC dining destination — a family-owned, women-run diner operating at 406 North Main Street since March 25, 1985. Founded by Ellis Doss and now in its 40th+ year of continuous family ownership, Doss’ is genuinely one of the most distinctive classic diner experiences anywhere in the greater Piedmont Triad region.

The menu is anchored by the secret to the hot dogs — toasted buns — paired with old-fashioned red hot dogs, homemade chili, and the classic “all the way” preparation. Doss’ is also one of the few places in the region that still sells footlong hot dogs, plus a full grill menu of cheeseburgers, Chicken Philly, BBQ sandwiches, chuck wagon sandwiches, and crispy fries. For dessert, 32 hand-scooped ice cream flavors — plus sherbet and milkshakes — extend the diner experience into a proper old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

Be sure to check out the pictures below to get a feel for Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill before you go — or to relive the visit after.

Ellis Doss’s 1985 Founding and Family Multi-Generational Ownership

Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill opened on March 25, 1985, as founder Ellis Doss’ own place, with his family helping him build it. Ellis’s parents, his aunt, his sister, his cousin, and his girlfriend, Tonya (soon to be his wife), all pitched in to establish the diner. His father continued to work at Doss’ until his death in 1998 — a genuine multi-generational family commitment that runs to the present day.

Today, Ellis’s daughter Kaylyn helps manage Doss’ — extending the family ownership into a second generation. That kind of multi-generational family-owned continuity is genuinely rare in the modern restaurant industry, and Doss’ officially describes itself on its Facebook page as “Family Owned for 41 years, Women ran.”

The Doss’ identity has stayed consistent across those four decades. The toasted buns, the old-fashioned red hot dogs, the classic burger-and-fries pairings, the 32 hand-scooped ice cream flavors — all delivered in a whimsically decorated diner space that Ellis Doss and his family have maintained as a genuine Kernersville institution rather than modernizing away from its 1985 identity.

The Menu — Toasted Bun Hot Dogs, Chili, and 32 Ice Cream Flavors

The hot dogs are the signature Doss’ item. Ellis Doss famously credits the toasted buns as “the secret to the hot dogs” — a small but genuinely meaningful preparation detail that separates Doss’ from typical hot dog counters. Doss’ serves classic old-fashioned red hot dogs, plus it is one of the few places in the greater Piedmont Triad that still sells footlong hot dogs — traditionally topped “all the way” with chili, onions, and mustard or mayo. The house chili has become a customer favorite in its own right, standing out for both the hot dogs and as a side.

Beyond the hot dogs, the grill menu covers substantial classic American diner territory: cheeseburgers, the Chicken Philly sandwich, BBQ sandwiches, bologna sandwiches, chuck wagon sandwiches, and the spicy chicken sandwich. The crispy fries — praised in countless reviews for being fluffy inside and crispy on the outside — round out the savory menu.

For dessert, Doss’ operates as a proper old-fashioned ice cream parlor. 32 hand-scooped ice cream flavors rotate on the menu, including classics like strawberry and cookie dough, plus specialty flavors like s’mores, seasonal offerings, and orange sherbet. Milkshakes are also a customer favorite, made with the same hand-scooped ice cream. The double-scoop portion is legendary for its generosity — reviewers regularly note that it’s a substantial commitment, even for serious ice cream lovers.

The “Where the Clowns Are” Location and Interior

Doss’ distinctive interior features the restaurant’s signature identity — one of its official slogans is “Where the Clowns Are” — with framed clown posters displayed throughout the space and clowns suspended from the ceiling. That genuinely quirky clown-themed decor gives Doss’ a whimsical, family-friendly personality that sets it apart from typical diner aesthetics and creates a memorable dining experience for children and nostalgia-driven adult visitors alike.

The 406 North Main Street location places Doss’ just outside downtown Kernersville. Although Doss’ technically shares “North Main Street” with Blue Rock Pizza and Tap (210 N Main), the two locations are separated by railroad tracks that make walking between them impractical — visitors will need to drive between Doss’ and the downtown historic corridor, including Körner’s Folly and the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden.

The dining atmosphere is family-friendly throughout — high chairs, a kids’ menu, and ample seating make Doss’ a genuine destination for families with children, while the clown decor and nostalgic vibe give the space an appeal that spans multiple generations of Kernersville locals and visitors.

Good to Know

• Location: 406 North Main Street, Kernersville, NC 27284 — just outside downtown Kernersville; while Doss’ shares North Main Street with Blue Rock Pizza and Tap (210 N Main), the two are separated by railroad tracks and not within walking distance of each other or the downtown historic corridor
• Founded: March 25, 1985, by Ellis Doss
• Ownership: Family-owned for 40+ years and women-run; now in second-generation family management with Ellis’s daughter Kaylyn helping to run the operation
• Also known as: Doss’ Grill
• Signature identity: “Where the Clowns Are” — the restaurant’s signature slogan, with framed clown posters displayed throughout and clowns suspended from the ceiling
• Signature hot dogs: Toasted buns (the “secret” per founder Ellis Doss), old-fashioned red hot dogs, and footlong hot dogs — one of the few places in the region that still sells footlongs; traditionally served “all the way” with chili, onions, and mustard or mayo
• Grill menu highlights: Cheeseburgers, Chicken Philly, BBQ sandwiches, bologna sandwiches, chuck wagon sandwiches, spicy chicken sandwich, crispy fries (famously fluffy inside, crispy outside)
• Ice cream and desserts: 32 hand-scooped ice cream flavors, including strawberry, cookie dough, s’mores, orange sherbet, and seasonal offerings; milkshakes; sherbet; the double scoop portion is famously generous
• Family-friendly amenities: High chairs, kids’ menu, ample seating
• Atmosphere: Whimsical clown-themed decor, classic diner and ice cream parlor blended, clean and family-oriented
• Hours: Check the Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill Facebook page for current specific hours
• Best for: Classic diner enthusiasts, hot dog lovers (especially footlong fans), ice cream fans, families with children (the clown decor and kids’ menu appeal), multi-generational family dining, and visitors exploring the greater Kernersville area
• Pair with: The full Kernersville F&B cluster; Doss’ works as a natural short-drive stop from the downtown Kernersville attractions cluster including Körner’s Folly, the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden, the Kernersville Auto Museum, Triad Park (including the Carolina Field of Honor veterans memorial), and the natural landscape of Cascades Preserve

A Kernersville Highlight

Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream & Grill is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer authenticity of a genuine family-owned diner across 40+ years of continuous operation. Between the March 25, 1985, founding date, the women-run identity, the multi-generational family management (Ellis Doss’ daughter Kaylyn now helps run the operation), and the fact that Ellis’s father worked at the diner until his death in 1998, Doss’ represents a genuinely rare American family restaurant continuity story.

The “Where the Clowns Are” identity rounds out the appeal. Between the whimsical clown-themed decor throughout the space, the signature toasted-bun hot dogs (with founder Ellis Doss famously crediting the toasted buns as “the secret”), the footlong hot dog rarity, the 32 hand-scooped ice cream flavors, and the family-friendly atmosphere that spans multiple generations of Kernersville locals, Doss’ has become one of the most consistently distinctive dining destinations anywhere in the greater Winston-Salem / Piedmont Triad region.

The 406 North Main Street location places Doss’ just outside the downtown Kernersville corridor. Although the same street as Blue Rock Pizza and Tap, the railroad tracks between them mean visitors will need to drive between Doss’ and downtown Kernersville attractions like Körner’s Folly and the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden. That said, Doss’ remains a genuine anchor of Kernersville’s F&B landscape — worth the short drive from any other stop in town.

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