Staying with today’s theme of divisive topics, Robert Sietsema at Eater NY:

Which hot dog is better: Papaya King or Gray’s Papaya?

Can’t we all just get along?

Truthfully, I’ve eaten probably hundreds of hot dogs from both. They’re both tasty and I’m thrilled they’re still battling for supremacy.

I very much enjoy Papaya King, but I slightly prefer Gray’s—partly because I find their dogs more flavorful; partly because their (former) locations in Hell’s Kitchen and Greenwich Village were closer to where I hung out. Many a late-night bar crawl ended at Sixth and 8th.

Rivalries have helped define the New York City hot dog: a slender, all-beef frank with a natural skin, served with a choice of mustard, sauerkraut, and, later, stewed onions.

I’m a simple man. A dog with mustard, that’s all I need.

Over the years, Papaya King has added over a dozen variations to its basic hot dog featuring incongruous toppings like pastrami, pineapple, jalapenos, grated cheddar, onion rings, hot honey, and mushrooms, generally priced at $7 each. You should ignore these: They’re a diversion from the flavor that defines the New York City frank. 

Completely correct. Same for the abomination that is the Chicago dog. Woof.