Charles Dowell, the owner of the Snappy Lunch restaurant in Mount Airy, known for its pork chop sandwiches and its connection to "The Andy Griffith Show," died Tuesday morning. He was 84.

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. – The man behind the “World Famous Pork Chop Sandwich” and owner of the iconic Snappy Lunch, a restaurant mentioned on the Andy Griffith Show, died Tuesday morning in Dobson.

Charles Dowell, the longtime owner of a Mount Airy restaurant known for its "World Famous Pork Chop Sandwich," has died. He was 84.

Explore Mount Airy, NC, ... Snappy Lunch awaits! This classic diner claims to be the birthplace of the legendary pork chop sandwich that fueled Sheriff Taylor’s days.

It's the diner in Mount Airy made famous in the Andy Griffith Show. Snappy Lunch is as popular as ever, and so is its world-famous pork chop sandwich!

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — Snappy Lunch in Mount Airy opened in 1923 inside a former post office building. For decades, the diner has served up a quick-lunch for mill workers and students at nearby schools.

As part of WXII Celebrates Mount Airy, Lanie Pope gets a part-time job at Snappy Lunch. We'll have one pork chop sandwich, please! | More Mount Airy photos ...