Coney I-Lander
Encyclopedia
The Coney I-Lander restaurants are a regional chain based in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. Their signature dish is a slow-grilled hot dog
topped with chili
, shredded cheese
, onions, and mustard
, sitting in a steamed bun. The coneys are unique, being much smaller than a typical hot dog. Coney I-Lander coneys are often accompanied by a choice of bagged potato chip
s, and a drink. The restaurants also serve small tamales, and spaghetti topped with the same chili used on the coneys. The name of the restaurant is derived from Coney Island
, the famous New York
amusement park
and vacation destination of the early 1900s.
The chain dates to 1926, when Greek
immigrant Christ Economou opened his first location in downtown Tulsa. The restaurants survived the Great Depression
to become a part of Tulsa's history. The restaurant was one of the first to sell chili and was named "Coney Island in Tulsa" until 1983, a year in which the eateries sold more than 600,000 hot dogs. Loyal customers enjoy their food while unscrambling posted jumble
sentences that became a staple during Economou's time as owner/operator. At the downtown restaurant rows of "coneys" on the grill are visible to those standing outside on the sidewalk.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. Their signature dish is a slow-grilled hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
topped with chili
Chili con carne
Chili con carne is a spicy stew. The name of the dish derives from the Spanish chile con carne, "chili pepper with meat". Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included...
, shredded cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, onions, and mustard
Mustard (condiment)
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
, sitting in a steamed bun. The coneys are unique, being much smaller than a typical hot dog. Coney I-Lander coneys are often accompanied by a choice of bagged potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
s, and a drink. The restaurants also serve small tamales, and spaghetti topped with the same chili used on the coneys. The name of the restaurant is derived from Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, the famous New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
and vacation destination of the early 1900s.
The chain dates to 1926, when Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
immigrant Christ Economou opened his first location in downtown Tulsa. The restaurants survived the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
to become a part of Tulsa's history. The restaurant was one of the first to sell chili and was named "Coney Island in Tulsa" until 1983, a year in which the eateries sold more than 600,000 hot dogs. Loyal customers enjoy their food while unscrambling posted jumble
Jumble
Jumble is a word puzzle with a clue, a drawing illustrating the clue, and a set of words, each of which is “jumbled” by permuting its letters to make an anagram. A solver reconstructs the words, then arranges letters at marked positions in the words to spell the answer to the clue...
sentences that became a staple during Economou's time as owner/operator. At the downtown restaurant rows of "coneys" on the grill are visible to those standing outside on the sidewalk.