RNC 2008: "Protester Special" At The Wienery

Photo By John Hoff

After directing some young, out-of-town protesters to The Wienery on the West Bank, and seeing a sign in the window which said "Protester Special," I...

...went there to ask the owner whether the story was true: did he give free meals to people arrested in protests?

It is not true, he said...however, the "urban legend" is not entirely without basis. There is indeed a "Protester Special," but what you get is a highly subjective product of all the following factors, and possibly more:

1.) Are you local? Or from far out of town?

2.) What did you do, exactly, to get arrested?

3.) How hungry are you? How BROKE are you? What do you want to eat, exactly?

4.) What have we got made right now...what have we got plenty of...how has the week been for the business?

5.) Have you got a "jail ID card" to add to the collection on the wall? (Most protesters were not allowed to keep their jail ID cards)

There was apparently quite an influx of business during RNC 2008, because a fry cook was arrested and told a bunch of detainees to head over to The Wienery for free food. But the fry cook was drunk when he made that promise. Arrest was impending, the fry cook and some of his buddies had booze along, so they managed to drink it up quickly before being processed.

The Wienery does give away SOME free food, however. Another sign in the window promises "Free French Fries To Undercover Agents."