I sat down in front of a Colin Kaepernick memorabilia frame that was hung up proudly. My eyes glared down on a steamy, sizzling hot dog that was topped with the juiciest tomatoes I had ever seen, crispy bacon, shredded, melting jack and cheddar cheese, ketchup and onions.
One bite and my stomach was in food heaven.
Lisa Wilson, co-owner of Turlock’s very own Main Street Footers, looked over at me with a smile that showed that she knew I was going to savor every bite of the award-winning old-fashioned wiener.
Since 1982, Main Street Footers has been an extremely attractive destination for the local community of Turlock with its greatly satisfying variety of menu items. Deli items include taco salads, tri-tip subs, bread bowl soups and their famous peanut butter and jelly hot dogs.
“Hot dogs, of course, are our most popular, although our sandwiches are catching up and those are really good too. We just won Best Sandwich of the Year by Turlock Journal,” Footers co-owner Glenn Newsum said.
Most college students attending California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) haven’t heard of the mouth-watering restaurant because the hot dog shop is across town from the campus, snugly located at 425 E. Main St. in historic downtown Turlock.
“You can get a good meal here for a reasonable price and (…) people like it because it’s a comfortable and welcoming feeling. We even offer a ten percent discount with your Stanislaus card!” Newsum said.
Footers understands how busy everyone’s lives get, so they offer food deliveries to anywhere in Turlock between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. This means you can call the business before your class starts and once you get out, your #7 Bacon Cheese Footer, chicken tamale and chocolate milkshake will be waiting for you right on campus!
If that’s not convenient enough for you, you can go pick up your phone order at the restaurant or even fax your order to 209-667-7921.
The restaurant has become so well known within the community that it even caught the eye of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Footers carries a hot dog that was custom created in his name, which contains a secret sauce, chili, cole slaw and jalapeño peppers.
“It’s all good ol’ fashioned American food. We don’t have anything fried. Our ingredients come from local businesses,” Newsum said.
Over 30 years ago, Dennis Rogers established the business after he traveled around the Bay Area to try several hot dog eateries. After being inspired, the idea of Footers on Main Street was born.
Newsum soon bought the business when Rogers relocated back to the Bay Area. Rogers’ daughter, Lisa Wilson, has been working at the American deli since was 16.
Together, Newsum and Wilson became business partners in August 1997.
For more information on their history and menu items, visit mainstreetfooters.com, call 209-667-8383 or simply bring yourself in for a one of a kind frank.