AMHERST, N.Y. (WBEN)......Thirty minutes before Ted's on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst opened Wednesday morning, there was a line of 30 people who snaked their way in front of the restaurant.
And, the line was expected, said Ameera Mian, general manager of the Niagara Falls Boulevard Ted's.
"It was not new to me," Mian said.
The line was tied into a Ted's "National Hot Dog Day" promotion where customers could get a free regular hot dog if they bought one - a classic 'buy one/get one" deal.
"This is a really a fun day for us," Mian said.
Youngstown resident Charlie McNeely made the trek from northern Niagara County to Amherst specifically for the BOGO offer.
"In a way, it's even better than the Fourth of July," McNeely said.
Williamsville's Joe Graham said the BOGO promotion was the reason why he was one of those waiting line outside of Ted's
"I probably wouldn't have come otherwise," Graham said.
Ted's and its char-grilled Sahlen's hot dogs is one of the region's culinary calling cards. It is almost up there with beef on weck and wings.
Almost.
"It is so Buffalo," said Tonawanda's Kyle Prey. "Sahlen's and Ted's is right up there."
Mian is predicting that her location, alone, will go through 1,600 regular hot dogs on Wednesday about 300% more than that Ted's location sells on a typical weekday, which averages between 300 and 400 regular hot dogs.
The Niagara Falls Boulevard location is anticipating selling 200 pounds of onion rings and 200 pounds of fries, when on a typical weekday, they sell about 120 pounds each of rings and fries.
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, nationally 20 billion hot dogs are consumed annually across the country - that translates the average U.S. citizen eating 70 hot dogs a year.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day 7 billion hot dogs are consumed - meaning that every second 818 hot dogs are eaten somewhere in the U.S.
Ted's promotion tied into 'National Hot Dog' Day
Ted's promotion tied into 'National Hot Dog' Day
