Weiner King- Mansfield Ohio

One day, I decided I wanted to try something different from the usual restaurant experience. I didn’t want fast food, nor did I want the typical sit down restaurant. As I thought about the many places I’ve recently seen, one stuck out in my mind, Weiner King. Despite being the name a couple 9 year olds might call each other in fun out of the ears of adults, the place definitely looked different. I had never actually gone to a hot dog restaurant before, so I decided to check it out. This began my visit at one of the most unusual places I had been to, to date.

When I pulled into the parking lot, the absence of cars was noticeable. It was 2 in the afternoon, I’ll give them credit for that. It didn’t look like much of a place, not even a drive-thru. I walked in, and as most of your local diners do, an older gentleman was sitting in a corner booth reading the newspaper and talking with the guy working the counter and another customer. It was a rather unusual set up, in fact, it reminded me of a cafeteria at a hospital I once visited. They only accept cash, so if you want to check the place out, remember to bring a $10 bill with you. You’ll be able to afford a meal with that. Looking over the menu, it looked like it had been up there for about 10 years. I began wondering if this would be a reflection of the food, and I inquired about the size of the hot dog. “Normal” was the response, as opposed to the foot long and the “king” hot dog. I noticed there was a lack of combo meals up there, so I created my own. I ordered a cheese hot dog, and a chili hot dog, decided to try the best of two worlds. They don’t normally put ketchup on their hot dogs, so if you want it, you have to ask. I also ordered an onion ring and a drink. If you want a refill, that’s a 25 cent refill. Hey, they gotta make their money somehow.

My food came up rather quick, and when I saw the size of the hot dog, I thought, I paid $1.79 for THIS? The hot dog was small! I gave them credit, at least it fit the bun. The cheese dog was ok, it was basically nacho cheese sauce on the hot dog, reminded me of a cheese dog you could get at Speedway for about 80 cents cheaper. The chili dog I was skeptical. I’m not a fan of chili, so I saved it for last. I’m not sure if it was canned chili or homemade chili, but it was delicious. The chili had a sweet flavor to it, and it brought back memories of a little Drive Inn that I discovered in Michigan called “Corky’s” that served Chili dogs. I immediately got homesick for Michigan and those memories. The guy working the counter was rather friendly, he had patience, and made the experience rather pleasant. He referred to the old guy as “The Godfather”, which got a few chuckles out of everyone.

In the end, I was pleasantly surprised. I left with a full belly and I got what I was after, a unique and different experience from the usual. If you haven’t tried this place, be sure to check it out and order a chili dog. It’s well worth the $1.80, even if it is a little small. It’s a dining experience you won’t get at any other local restaurants.

Till next time, peace out and good luck!


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