Best Vienna All Beef Hot Dogs
UPTOWN — The competition is fierce and the hot dogs are tasty.
The top five contestants vying for superlative domestic dog in the beginning-ever Vienna Beefiness Hot Dog Stand Claiming gathered at Byron'south, 1017 West. Irving Park Rd, on Monday afternoon to mark the halfway signal in their 8-week hotdog-eating marathon.
The Chicagoans shared coincidental chit chat and polite congratulations — simply not any strategies or tips — while enjoying hot dogs from the beloved North Side stand up. The elite group of hot domestic dog enthusiasts have risen to the elevation of the Vienna Beefiness leaderboard over 3,000 contestants. They are battling to see who tin can "check in " to the most contained Vienna Beef hot dog stands beyond Chicago, greater Illinois and several neighboring states. In that location are 367 in all.
Credit: Mack Liederman/Block Club Chicago Vienna Beef concocted the competition to boost interest in mom-and-pop hot domestic dog stands that take struggled during the pandemic. The winner will get iv VIP tickets to in-demand city events once a calendar month for a year, a shiny trophy (potentially hot canis familiaris-shaped) and a $1,000 Vienna Beef gift menu.
RELATED: How Many Hot Domestic dog Stands Tin You Visit In 60 Days? Vienna Beef Launches Ultimate Wiener Challenge
Stephanie Esposito'due south "competitive streak" has driven her to first identify in a competition she agrees is objectively ridiculous. In the starting time four weeks, Esposito visited 278 hot dog stands — 81 more than her second identify challenger.
"My deepest strategy is close and hugger-mugger. I cannot share information technology on record or with any of them, because they're my contest," Esposito said. "I take an unabridged spreadsheet."
The Chicago Park District employee from the Midway area keeps a color-coded spreadsheet with the names, locations and hours of all 367 hot dog stands she must visit. She's mapped out trips to Wisconsin and Indiana and driven 12-60 minutes days to pigsty-in-the-wall hot canis familiaris stands dotted across the map of rural Illinois.
Many, many Chicago-style hotdogs later on (on a poppy seed bun, no mustard) — information technology's been worth it.
"This is simply another competitive-level for me. It's a little mind-consuming, and you lot get, similar, overwhelmed," Esposito said. "But — once more I'm very determined and overly competitive."
Contestant Amanda Sepanik started the competition in the top position, until Esposito "came out of nowhere." Esposito hitting thirty stands on ane day and forty more the next while Sepanik could only watch — her sister was in town.
"My sister came to boondocks for a wedding, and she knocked me off the whole thing for a week," Sepanik said. "Nosotros had planned that she was going to come up in anyhow, just happened to be a terribly timed issue with this competition. Only it's okay."
Credit: Mack Liederman/Block Gild Chicago The airline baggage handler from Oak Park was in fourth identify Monday, with 181 hot dog stands visited. She estimates she'southward spent 400-500 miles on the road so far. Contestants support the hot domestic dog stands they visit with their ain money (although they don't necessarily have to get a hot dog at each stop).
Sepanik said she doesn't get tired of eating hot dogs. The whole thing hasn't been easy on her wallet or busy work schedule. She collection through a downpour in Wisconsin to check-in at several locations near Milwaukee, only to detect ane hot dog stand with a crudely taped note to the door. She peeked over the windows to run across the identify was dark and airtight.
She is planning a second trip to Milwaukee.
"It does get a little tough. Simply in the stop, information technology's worth it. Now I've gotten obsessed with it, I can't stop now," Sepanik said. "I programme to hit every single identify on that listing."
Out of all the hot dogs Sepanik has eaten, Byron's might be her favorite. Possessor Mike Payne joined the contestants and served upward his dogs with its signature twist: Cucumbers, fresh green peppers and lettuce on acme of the fabled Chicago-style ingredients.
Payne said sales were down most 60 percent at the acme of the pandemic, simply the business is starting time to rebound. The contest has helped.
"It brings people out. They take a reason to become out and go to hot dog stands," Payne said. "They all want feel-adept food. And information technology's helped u.s.a. go through all this time."
Credit: Mack Liederman/Block Club Chicago Long-fourth dimension Vienna Beefiness executive Tom McGlade joined the hot canis familiaris political party to nowadays a private donation to Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Employee Relief Fund, which supports eatery workers during the pandemic. McGlade said the Hot Dog Challenge has replaced the advertising Vienna Beefiness lost from closed Chicago sports stadiums — half-dozen times over.
He hopes the contest could grow to rival Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Fourth of July. Vienna Beef's local lore and footprint in Chicago is "near monopolistic," with more hot domestic dog stands in the area than at that place are Wendy's, Burger Kings and McDonald'due south combined.
Esposito and and a contestant who goes by the name Smarty Pants said their favorite hot stands so far include Corky's in Indiana and Papa Chris' Identify in Niles.
Smarty Pants, of Park Ridge, is a freelance airship artist and children's political party entertainer. He came dressed in a red bow-necktie and oversized xanthous sunglasses as he strolled into Byron's in 5th identify, with 150 stands so far.
Credit: Mack Liederman/Block Club Chicago The competition is a bonding exercise with his girl: Penny Pants. The 12-year-old Roosevelt Unproblematic Schoolhouse student e'er opts for a milkshake.
"She knows I'1000 not like a regular dad," Smarty Pants said. "Nosotros lose track of who the adult is in this relationship quite a lot."
Penny Pants has enjoyed the long rides with her dad in the motorcar, talking near schoolhouse, math tests and birthday parties.
"I dearest the fact that in that location's a 1000000 hotdog stands in Chicago, and they're all run past actual human beings," Smarty Pants said. "In that location's no hot canis familiaris corporation. Ninety percent of the hot domestic dog stands are run by like — a guy. And I just love talking to them."
Sisters Karen Buralli and Rose La Mont didn't take much time to talk on Monday. They were on a tight timetable to hit three other hot domestic dog stands around Byron'southward. The lifelong Due south Siders grew up on Vienna Beef hot dogs, and even dressed up as hot dogs at a festival a few years back.
Buralli, a laboratory supervisor, volition not collaborate with La Mont, a Academy of Chicago finance professional person. This is serious competition. Buralli is in 2nd place with 197 hot dog stands, while La Mont trails one backside with 196.
Competing over hot dogs brings back childhood memories.
Credit: Mack Liederman/Cake Club Chicago "It was a staple growing upward, and it's still staple now. I can eat a hot dog four times a 24-hour interval. I love hot dogs. Love them, dearest them, love them," Buralli said. "Tin you think of a time you were eating a hot domestic dog when you weren't grin?"
Buralli checked her watch and hastily gave her goodbyes. There was another hot dog to consume.
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Source: https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/09/16/top-5-vienna-beef-hot-dog-stand-challengers-have-already-hit-100-wiener-spots-and-they-arent-slowing-down/
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