Hot dogs are basic food, and are very conducive to ‘streamlined’ condiments. Sure, you want kraut (I love kraut on a dog, too), but they might not get ten customers a day that want kraut, out of the thousand they serve (both wild estimates, for example only). They might also have ten customers that want neon green relish, and ten customers that want jalapenos, and ten customers that want Cheez Whiz, and ten customers that want bacon, and ten customers that want ketchup, ad infinitum.

After a while, it gets cost inefficient. Not to mention, a large minority of those customers wanting something from off the menu will adapt & take what is offered, if the experience is nice enough.

It’s fine to ask, but you have to look at it from the owners’ point of view, too. It’s like a seafood place offering steak. After a while, you lose what made you successful. What made RWS successful is the bare bones, frayed around the edges authenticity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD8AUtdgQh0

http://roastgrill.com/

As you can see, that place has also managed to succeed without lots of options. I could mention a dozen other Va places that have similar philosophies, but I hope the point was made.

You can go one way or the other with hot dogs (or burgers) and be extremely successful. Perhaps the secret is to stick with what you’ve proven works.

Evidently, over the past several decades the RWS has determined their choice of preference.

I always thought that if I opened my ‘fantasy’ hot dog joint, it would have the following – chili, slaw, mustard, onions, kraut, jalapenos, cheez whiz. That’s just me & my ultimate combinations, though. Here in the South, kraut is a pretty hard sell for the majority of people, while chili, slaw, onions & mustard are the overwhelming preference. In my ‘fantasy’ hot dog joint, I’d use kosher dogs that had snap to them. Again, here in the South, many places use the red hot dogs that are mushy.

I’ll be honest, I love both versions. Just like NY style thin crust pizza & Chicago deep dish style, both are really great. It’s all about hitting your market, though. If RWS wants to stay basic, it seems to have worked for about a century now, so I’d say they know what they’re doing.