Furloughed IRS lawyer running new gig as D.C. hot dog vendor : NPR
Isaac Stein stands in front of “Shysters Dogs,” Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Ava Pukatch/NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Ava Pukatch/NPR
Nearly a month after the government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are still furloughed.
Isaac Stein is one of them. Normally, an IRS attorney drafts tax regulations. But on a sunny Sunday afternoon, in a corner of his Washington, D.C., neighborhood, he wears a suit and tie and works at his hot dog stand, “Shysters Dogs.” Its motto: “the only honest scam in Washington.”
“I have a great time making hot dogs,” Stein said.
A hot dog and drink costs $10 or $17, with a bag of chips added if you buy two dogs.
The stand is the realization of a childhood dream for Stein. While his classmates enjoyed playing basketball, he said, he had more fun manning the concession stand. This summer, he decided to open his own hot dog business.
“I got all the permits done at the end of September and then I was put on leave on October 8,” Stein said.
So with his newfound free time, the side project he started before the shutdown turned into a seven-day-a-week gig. It’s a simple menu: a “proper hot dog” or a “hot dog with the wrong toppings.”
“I’m trying to get people to make what I think is a decent hot dog, which is mustard and sauerkraut,” Stein said. “If anyone wants something else, that’s totally fine. No judgment. But I reserve the right to impose an additional dollar as a penalty.”
The rest of the menu is just as cheeky, including RC Cola (which Stein considers the best cola), MoonPies, dog treats and branded stickers. It offers a 5-cent discount to customers who “briefly recite the historical significance of MoonPies and/or RC Cola.” Also available on the menu: “OFF MY BACK SHIRT”.
The menu board features what Stein considers a “proper hot dog” and a “hot dog with the wrong toppings,” as well as MoonPies and dog treats.
Ava Pukatch/NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Ava Pukatch/NPR
“If someone coughs up a large amount of money, I will literally strip half naked, take the shirt off my back, call it a day and walk home,” Stein said.
No one has accepted this offer yet.
Stein said he sells about 50 hot dogs a day. He looks forward to returning to his job at the IRS as soon as possible.
“But I certainly won’t give up,” Stein said. “I think this will be a weekend project, for life.”
He hopes it can make the community laugh – even if he has to charge you a 10% tax for ordering a dog with the “wrong toppings”.
