Attracted by the full parking lot, which included a set of fire trucks, we pulled into The Varsity. We maneuvered around the parked fire trucks and lengthy drive-through line to find an open spot in the back. If firefighters ate here along with multitudes of local residents, we anticipated a good meal.
Lines of people extended from the counter as the employees shouted the restaurant’s trademark of "Whadda ya have? Whadda ya have? Whadda ya have?" Known for their efficiency, they kept people moving and orders flying. We elected to try the feature items: chili cheese dog and slaw dog along with an order of onion rings and the highly recommended Frosted Orange drink. Fried pies for dessert were highly recommended, but we skipped trying the delicacy this time. With arms waving and folks shouting, our lunch was quickly plopped on a plastic tray and we were off to find seating.
Small sectioned areas contained plastic modeled booths, each with a television showing local channels. We noticed people getting ready to leave so hovered by that booth. Before we could sit down, an employee politely came over and asked if he could clean the table for us. We appreciated the good service and attention. Additionally, the television in this section of the restaurant blared the news and we preferred this over the cartoon station in the next eating area.
The ordinary hot dog sat on a white, plain, generic bun, covered with a spoonful of toppings. The coleslaw appeared to be the same brand sold by gallon containers at Sam’s Wholesale Club and the chili / cheese topping was equally bland. The large onion rings were greasy and a bit cold. I could not finish my order of rings as they lost their appeal after eating the first two.
However, the Frosted Orange surprised me. The smooth drink easily slurped through a straw with a fantastic burst of orange cream. I drank a large gulp and immediately had a "cold headache", the feeling when you swallow too much ice cream too quickly. This treat had a drinkable texture with the flavor and feel of ice cream. It was great! (Even better would have been a splash of orange or pineapple rum in this drink.) Hands down, this frozen concoction would beat out Wendy’s frosty drink any time.
After eating our dogs, we discarded the paper plates and returned our tray to the designated section. A group of people quickly jumped on our booth as soon as we stepped away. The restaurant was packed with people waiting for open booths the entire time while we ate our lunch. I’m not certain I understand the attraction and appeal of this restaurant for the hot dogs, but I would certainly return for the Frosted Orange!