Joey Fatone talks Fat One’s unique menu, theme park culture and returning to Universal Orlando

Orlando, Fla. — Before Joey Fatone became a member of *NSYNC, he performed as Wolfie in “Beetlejuice’s Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue” at Universal Studios Florida. Decades later, he is returning to Universal Orlando in a new role: restaurateur.

Fat One’s Hot Dogs & Italian Ice officially opens Sept. 19 at Universal CityWalk, bringing a menu shaped by 10 years of business lessons, Universal’s culinary team and Fatone’s own willingness to try combinations beyond his usual ketchup-topped hot dog.

In an interview with Attractions Magazine, Fatone and business partner Joe Mulvihill discussed the full-circle homecoming, what theme parks have taught them about serving an international audience and why building a lasting restaurant sometimes requires saying no to new ideas.

Joey Fatone comes full circle at Universal Orlando

Fat One’s arrival at Universal CityWalk is a fitting moment in Joey Fatone’s career. Before joining *NSYNC, he performed as Wolfie in “Beetlejuice’s Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue” at Universal Studios Florida. Now, he is returning with a permanent restaurant intended to become part of the destination.

During an interview with Attractions Magazine, Fatone and business partner Joe Mulvihill spoke with a mixture of excitement and disbelief about seeing the finished restaurant.

Fat One’s was designed to last at CityWalk

Fatone did not want to enter CityWalk, overhaul the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame space and rely solely on his celebrity. He wanted Fat One’s to have its own identity and enough staying power to become a destination within Universal Orlando.

The location also brings him back to a company he remembers fondly. Fatone said he still knows people at Universal from his years working there, including Mike Aiello, now senior director of entertainment and creative development at Universal Destinations & Experiences. He described Universal as a company that takes care of its people.

For Mulvihill, the completed restaurant affirmed that they had found the right home for the concept. He described the experience of working with Universal as welcoming and said the partnership felt right once the plans became a physical space.

Ten years taught them to stay focused

Fat One’s began in Orlando a decade before its CityWalk debut, and Mulvihill said the intervening years taught the team not to chase every suggestion or expansion idea.

They plan to maintain a focused menu, prioritize quality and ensure that each flavor profile works. A smaller selection also keeps customers from becoming overwhelmed while allowing the restaurant to execute its core products consistently.

“Stay the path. Don’t jump at all the ideas and noise. Just stay focused.”
— Joe Mulvihill

That discipline does not rule out occasional changes. Fatone and Mulvihill said individual offerings or Italian ice flavors could rotate, including potential seasonal selections. The central concept, however, will remain focused on hot dogs, Italian ice and a manageable number of choices.

Theme park experience shaped the restaurant

Fatone and Mulvihill both described themselves as theme park junkies. Their time visiting parks has taught them to watch how service systems work and how destinations accommodate visitors from around the world.

Fatone’s children have also grown into theme park foodies. He described family visits to Epic Universe and other parks as opportunities to eat, drink and enjoy the destination together, reflecting how food has become part of the theme park experience.

The Universal-themed hot dog Joey Fatone would create if given the chance

When Attractions Magazine asked Fatone to create a hot dog inspired by a Universal Orlando ride, he expanded the premise beyond a single attraction.

He proposed four theoretical hot dogs inspired by the Bride of Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein’s monster and the Wolf Man. Mulvihill paused, his mind seemingly processing the creative idea he just heard, and stated he could not top the answer.

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Fatone’s response demonstrated how naturally his entertainment background intersects with the restaurant business. Those Universal Monsters hot dogs exist only in Fatone’s imagination. But if Mulvihill ever decides to stray from the path, Fatone already has four frighteningly flavorful ideas waiting in the wings.