Schnapper's Hots (Sanibel, FL) - Excellent (Apr 6, 2009)

Once again, the "island effect" could be controlling my mind here because I actually ordered a hotdog (right, not a typo), fries and a milkshake. Uggh. The hotdog, or /hot-dug/ as we like to say in B'more, was actually a request from my kids but I had a chomp of that dug just the same. I have to give it to Mr. Schnapps for his marketing acumen. Clever that he has capitalized on the island effect by placing little scraps of paper for people to post their accolades on the walls alongside authographed photos of the likes of Chris Berman snarfing down a dug (imagine that). Not to overstate things, but this marketing ploy seems to have created a bit of cult following with people claiming to have come for each one of their last yy years and came all the way from Scotland and other fictitious places. He boasts awards for best take-out from a hokey organization in Sanibel. He does, however, make a tasty, bun extending dog, excellent fries and a deadly milkshake. So here's where I will actually solicit a little input (a second sacred cow slain in the same review!) on tipping. I don't think tipping is appropriate if I walk into the restaurant, place the order, pay, wait around for the food, and then eat standing up. Anyway, the dude taking my order was non-plussed by his no-tip on my first of two orders. To test my read on his nonchalant attitude, I sprung him about 30 cents or so from the change of the hotdug, and he perked up a bit with the slightest acknowldgement that I had rang his tip jar. Spanker, you work at a hotdog stand and you are over 40; you are not allowed to have an attitude. And get some stools; 2 of my kids sat underneath a table in the windowsills reaking havoc while the the 3rd tried to poke a hole in the glass to get their attention.