@djsundog Okay, so... inhale

In college we would go to Wawa. Do you know what Wawa is? It's regional and it's roughly akin to a corner market, but with a very particular vibe. Quite homey, but cleaner than a gas-station market. Not as corporate marketing vibey as a Sheetz. But it's in that family.

Back then Wawa had a deli counter where you could order sandwiches. They were 24/7 places and the sandwich counter was open all night. So, in highly inebriated states, we'd shuffle down to Wawa for tasty goodness.

Being in a certain type of inebriation, I was experiencing a higher than normal munchie status. So I would go in, get up to the counter, and order my hoagie (this was south jersey, where they are called hoagies, not subs). I would then proceed to the other side of the Wawa to the ready-made hotdog display. These things were just sitting under heat lamps in little plastic boxes there. Luckily they'd time-stamp them when made. I tried to avoid them if they were over 3hrs old... but when munches are upon thee, you do what you must.

I would take my hotdog and painstakingly prepare it with my toppings of choice.

Now here's the important part of the conversation. At this time in Wawa you would collect your sandwich, then pay for everything at the counter on the way out. Later this was changed so that you paid for your sandwich before you picked it up. As you'll see, that completely changed the situation.

So once I had my hotdog, I was now just waiting on my sandwich to be finished before I could pay and leave. But 2am Wawa crews were not known for being especially motivated to go quick. And I'm lord munchenstein over here. So I'd start eating the hotdog while I waited.

If, by some act of God, the sandwich finished while I was still eating, I would take what was left of my hotdog and the sandwich to the counter to pay, then head on my merry way. If the sandwich took longer to be ready than the time it took me to finish the hotdog... well, there was no longer any evidence of a hotdog. I would take my sandwich, pay for it, and leave.

Thus, the Hotdog Tax™. It was laid upon them for slow service.

That was over 20 years ago in another country, so I think I'm in the clear here now.