In memory of Dollar Dog Night, a beloved tradition that met a sudden end at 27

Dollar Dog Night — the beloved, highly anticipated, sometimes frustrating race for franks at a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park — is no more. The tradition was a ripe 27 years of age. It ended after a string of seasons with a less-robust calendar, though its representatives suggest foul play.

“The unfortunate incidents last year of the throwing of the hot dogs plus the feedback from our fans postgame survey, the fans told us that it was time for a change,” said John Weber, the Phillies’ senior vice president of ticket operations and projects.

Devised in 1997 at Veterans Stadium, the tradition was born into struggle, with the Phillies losing a whopping 94 games that season. Still, like the Phillies, the tradition persevered, drawing a loyal following.

Of course, as often happens at the height of fame, the tradition wasn’t a stranger to scandal.

The lines for dogs could be incredibly long, clogging up the concourse and concession lines no matter the inning. Gaming the system to get through as many franks as possible was as much fun as the game — even if it meant blowing through the daily sodium cap suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

» READ MORE: Phillies are replacing Dollar Dog Nights after 27 seasons with a buy-one, get-one promotion

The smell of meat and mustard lingered long after the last inning as bloated fans made their way home.

Last season’s Dollar Dog Nights averaged more than 43,000 people in attendance despite taking place early in the season, on weeknights, and against non-marquee teams. Public discourse centered on the front office’s further limiting the number of glizzies an individual could acquire in one trip; the cap was set at four.

Yet the worst was still to come. Soaring foil bundles, cradling franks and their accoutrements, ushered in the end for Dollar Dog Night, unbeknownst to those in the ballpark.

The hot dog melees went viral on at least two of the three nights set aside for the tradition.

When this season’s schedule was announced, no games were marked with the promotion.

Weber would later tell The Inquirer that the change had been a topic of discussion for the last couple of years.

The Phillies have wasted no time in naming a replacement. The “Hatfield Phillies Franks BOGO Night” is set for April 2 for the Cincinnati Reds game and April 16 against the Colorado Rockies. The promotion is self-explanatory: $5 will get you a second frank for free.

Naturally, the move has cut through the city like the swine flu in a pigsty with remembrances and protestations flooding social media. It’s like when the organization tried to replace the Phanatic with an off-brand version. Olympus has fallen, cried longtime fans, vowing to avenge the loss by boycotting what they described as measly promotional cash grabs or bringing hot dogs from home.

The change could also have ripple effects in politics, as some pundits see this as a clear indicator of where the economy stands and voters are already demanding that their elected officials make their positions on the issue known.

“Forget the $7 carton of eggs,” said one user on X, formerly Twitter. “Inflation has truly hit home for our household now. Bring me dollar dog night.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.), who joined the calls to add a third night when the Phillies tried cutting back last season, voiced his support of the deal on X, saying double dogs sounded “like a great way to fuel up,” only to be met with the pleas and rebuke of voters.

“Senator, your reelection will be guaranteed if you convince the Phillies to bring back dollar dog night,” wrote an X user in response.

Others posted messages for Casey, calling for him to “stand for something” and “fix it.”

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D., Pa.) suggested a field hearing at the park to look into the change.

Still, many fans of the promotion said perhaps Philly didn’t deserve the night at all, blaming the few ruining it for the many.

Weber said the last three Dollar Dog Nights were not enjoyable for those around.

“Our goal as an organization is to always provide a first-class fan experience to all of our fans,” he said. “We didn’t meet those goals for those three Dollar Dog Days, for sure. We set out to come up with a solution and hopefully this works for everyone.”

As news of the loss spread, the memories of gorging on too much processed meat continued to flood the internet.

Others, wasted no time to try to eke out a bit of the market.

“It’s always dollar dog night at Ikea South Philly,” posted the company known for its Swedish meatballs.

Staff writer Matt Breen contributed to this article.