Much like our nation, Curly’s Frozen Custard is never finished. They’re always growing, always evolving.

Loyal Scaiaholics will recall each year I would compete in a celebrity hot dog eating contest at Curly’s. And by “compete,” I mean, “I lost each year, but they still gave me a trophy and just added new categories for me to finish first in, like, ‘media’ and then ‘radio.'”

But I nearly bankrupted the restaurant by winning all these participation trophies, so they ended the contest a few years ago. That’s why the ended it. Certainly not because of a pandemic where “a large group of people spewing spittle and crumbs all over the place” might have been considered borderline infectious.

So the owner switched from a contest to just handing out free hot dogs you can eat at your own pace. He has several restaurants and says he wants to build each one so it fits with the surrounding community. Tragically, though, the contest had become a freak show [unlike the event at Coney Island, which is, obviously, a lovely exhibition].

He says Curly’s has grown as a community gathering spot. I’ve taken associates there. One was even visiting from back east in Dallas, so I wanted to show them the sights.

Harvey is giving away 220 hot dogs this year to match 22 years in business. And with each of those hot dogs comes a 4×6 inch American flag.

July Fourth is not a day with protests. It’s a day you might hang out with your neighbors. Free hot dogs can bring us together to celebrate our freedom.

You can see why we should look to the hot dog. Curly’s has been in business 22 years, and no one’s marched on them.

Maybe if everyone in this great nation got a free hot dog, we wouldn’t spend so much time arguing about politics with strangers in comment sections.