The following is a hypothetical, yet highly probable, cell phone conversation between a Wesleyan student and his or her parent who is driving towards campus and is oh-so-close.
Parent: Hi, honey. I’ll be at your dorm in about 10 minutes.
Student: Where are you?
Parent: I’m just passing the place on 66 with the big, neon ice cream cone out front. How’s their food?
Student: I don’t know. We don’t go there.
Parent: Oh. See you soon.
This place, the one that lets your parents know that they are just ten minutes away from you and your Saturday morning hangover, is Guida’s.
If you can identify with the “student” that we have so delicately depicted—curt with your parents, disdainful of their imminent arrival and never having inhaled a 10-inch chili-cheese dog from Guida’s on Route 66—we suggest you make the trip (and start being nicer to your parents).
Guida’s is the kind of roadside snack shack that belongs on a more noteworthy Route 66. The food is cheap and quick, but cooked with all the appropriate touches of the fine-tuned greasy spoon. The 10-inch hot dogs (only $2.85), which let out the all-important and intensely gratifying “snap” when you bite into them, are served on split, buttered and toasted buns and can come equipped with any number of toppings, including chili, horseradish mustard and buttery, fried onions. One hot dog is seldom enough, so either supplement it with a shake from the unnervingly large milkshake machine, or, better yet, go on a Monday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. when hot dogs are two for the price of one.
If you don’t much care for irresistibly delicious hot dogs on golden, buttered buns, Guida’s also serves burgers, classic diner sandwiches (BLTs, grilled cheese, tuna melt) and (this is very important to note with warm weather around the corner) fried clams. Guida’s serves breakfast (in the style of Ford News Diner) until 11:30 a.m. and is open until 8:00 p.m.
Maybe the next time your parents call as they are eagerly speeding past Guida’s towards Homecoming weekend, you can confidently tell them to stop for a hot dog and some ice cream. Whatever salty/greasy snack they bring you will undoubtedly do wonders for your hangover. Plus, if your parents stop at Guida’s, it will take them a little longer than 10 minutes to come knocking at your door.
Mon., 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Tue.-Sat., 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sun., 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Breakfast served daily until 11:30 a.m.
484 Meriden Road
Middlefield, Conn.
860-349-9039
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