Nathan’s Famous

I just went here yesterday. I tried to order one of «Nathan’s «World Famous Beef Hot Dogs», but after saying my order rather clear, the employee put it in as a «Corn Dog». Before handing him my card, I told him this was incorrect. He corrected it, but I could feel the tension rising between him and I as if he was trying for me to buy stuff that I didn’t want or need!
But that’s not all that happened during this encounter with this business… when I got to the place at the other end, my hot dog was sitting there, as if it had been sitting there for an hour or so (though I checked before I ordered and it wasn’t). Although it took a few minutes for the serving employee to notice that I had some questions about whether or not that hot dog was my order or if it was someone he was waiting to serve out of the line. I asked, he told me it was. That was okay, but «you leave something sit» without any mention of a receipt number or order number designating that this order belongs to you… just not cool!
All in all, the order past that seemed almost flawless; though the hot dog had an untraditional «tied-​off» like end on it (almost like a turkey hot dog’s tie, which I was able to peel off), the hot dog did taste like beef, so that part wasn’t a problem.
I don’t think I’ll ever go back if given another chance to. Friendliness of the staff was poor at best. Perhaps this employee was an employee who thought that his job meant only «money to feed the pig» and a «I work by the hour» situation. When given the chance to go to a Nathan’s Famous in a mall, I tend to make a stop at one, but this one rather scares me to go back.

This had to be one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. First, when my friend Char was trying to order his food, the man behind the counter was very rude. After Char picked up his food, there was a bit of confusion as the unprofessional man had put 2 hot dogs on the tray, when Char clearly only ordered one. Char nicely told the man that he only ordered one dog, which was true, and the man went on a rampage. Then, when I ordered my food, the man told me that my friend (Char) is a dumb***. Really? This is how you treat your customers? Talking **** behind their back? Ok… then when I finally get my food, I take one bite of my chili cheese fries and what do I find? I find a human tooth! A huge molar is in the french fries! What a joke. The health department should shut this place down immediately. When I go back up to show the man the tooth that I found in my fries, it seemed like he didn’t even care… just telling me «I’m sorry» and then going back to talk with his friends. And then once I finally began to eat my dog, it was ice cold and tasted like dog food. I will never be back, and I advise you to eat at the Taco Bell or the many other options in the food court that actually treat their customers the right way and serve food that is actually edible.

Staff didn’t go out of their way to be friendly, but they were very efficient and got things done. Counters were clean, and so was the do-​it-​yourself topping area. I always felt like Nathan’s was over priced for a hot dog however, by adding cheese to those crinkle cut fries makes that guilt some what subside.

It had been a long time since I had been to a Nathan’s. The one thing I remember especially enjoying were their fries.
I couldn’t remember their hot dogs.
But when I saw the Nathan’s in the Colonie center had opened up, I decided it was time to revisit this classic American hot dog purveyor.
Now I realize why I didn’t remember their hot dogs. They are perfectly fine, but nothing to write home about. Their casings have a nice snap to them, but mine would have benefited from a bit more grilling on the griddle. Griddling?
Hot dogs are just so bad for you that for me to eat one it needs to be extra special. So I don’t imagine I will be eating another one from Nathan’s anytime soon.
Their fries are unique, although I could imagine some people really not liking them. Young master Daniel B. doesn’t particularly care for them, and that is saying a lot since to him a fry is just a ketchup delivery device.
The fries taste intensely of potato. It is almost as if they roasted a potato, ridge cut it, and dipped it in oil to crisp the outside edges. The interior texture is so soft and velvety its almost redolent of stiff mashed potatoes. I have no idea how they make these fries. But they come with a specially designed fry fork.
I don’t know why I’m going on about this. It’s a Nathan’s. I like those fries. Perhaps they are not my all time favorite version, but they fill a niche, and they bring me back.
One dog and a small fries was $ 5.15. Not so cheap. But it’s Colonie Center. What do you expect.