While every season is special at Scooter’s, this one is even more so as it marks the establishment’s 25th year in business. The beloved hot dog emporium was founded by Scott and Diane Hagara, who ran it until 2017, when they passed it along to longtime fan Mike Blauman. Recently, Blauman handed over the reins to his sister, Emily, who is preserving the Lake County institution.
The menu features nearly two dozen signature dogs, each available in multiple sizes. The top-seller is the Chicago Dawg, which is loaded with mustard, tomato, dill pickle, relish, onion and celery salt.
After the franks, the next most popular menu items are the french fries. The restaurant flies through 1,000 pounds of spuds per day, selling them in the form of fresh-cut fries in sizes that still flabbergast newcomers. The “small” is more than enough for three people, while the “family” could satisfy an entire village. A few years back, Scooter’s debuted a new size of fry, the “tiny,” which of course is not, but still.
The dogs and fries are joined by burgers, hard and soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes and floats.
If you’ve never visited Scooter’s on a sunny summer day, prepare to be awed by the crowds. But things move swiftly here, so be ready to order when you near the front of the line. Wait times for food consistently is south of 15 minutes.
There are only 17 seats inside, but a dozen or so outdoor picnic tables see most of the action.
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This article appears in Feb 13-26, 2025.