(Hotel restaurants are not eligible in this category)
Hot Dogs
Hot Dog on a Stick
HOT DOG ON A STICK
Multiple locations
Don't lie:
It's the hats, right? You love the hats. Even if the uniform -- the ultimate in mall food-stand attire -- is what gets you there, those freshly dipped, deep-fried corn dogs are what keep you coming back to four out of five area malls. Nathan's had enough mustard to finish in second place.
Our Pick:
COSTCO WHOLESALE
222 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. 1080 W. Sunset Road
No offense to these fancy New York doggeries, but if lunch is going to set us back five or six bucks, we try to do better than hot dogs. When payday is so far away that our wallets declare it's weenie time, we head to our favorite wholesaler, where $1.61 fetches both a dog and a drink. The Sunset Road location even sells hot dogs outdoors, which means you don't have to join the club.