Coney Island Hot Weiners celebrated its 100th birthday Thursday with hundreds of Tulsa coney eaters lining up for a timeless taste of the hot dog smothered in chili and cheese — plus onions for some.
There were so many people in line, it took me exactly 100 minutes of waiting to get my three coneys fully loaded.
The lengthy line of hungry Tulsans snaked around the tiny wood school desks that have served as the main seating for diners for decades. Being in close proximity to each other meant it was easy to overhear customers share their memories of visiting the restaurant over the years.
Some talked about familial connections dating back to the original location in the Tulsa World basement when Christ Economou, a native of Greece, opened Coney Island 5-Cent Weiners on Jan. 8, 1926. Economou’s descendants still run the restaurant today after moving locations a few times. His great-granddaughter Caitlin Costas cut through the line numerous times to hand out slices of birthday cake to diners during the lunch hour rush.
Kevin Tolbert was among those who waited in the long line — and shared a lengthy history with the family-run business that relocated to 107 N. Boulder Ave. just over a decade ago. As he waited to place his order, Tolbert said his dad and a few cousins slung coneys before he took a high school job there just before the store relocated to the Arts District.
After an hour of conversation while inching forward, Tolbert reached the point where his dad is pictured on a wall. He proudly showed off the historic image of the man who introduced him to Coney Island.
Finally, we arrived at the service station where dozens of hot dogs were cooking on a flat-iron grill as four employees furiously assembled long rows of coneys. Each were specially priced at $1 for a regular coney and $1.25 for cheese.
Everybody has their go-to coney order. For Tolbert, it’s always been “three coneys with extra mustard and extra onions.”
He got his order and was on his way. Then it was my turn to get my three coneys with an Orange Crush and a bag of Funyuns.
“Happy birthday! See you next week,” I told the team as I grabbed my lunch and gave way to the next person in line — not coincidentally, my colleague Jessica Remer.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
