JCI is no Prince’s

Regarding “Prince’s Hamburgers plots another comeback after closing during pandemic due to owner’s death,” (Jan. 23): I was a child of the ’60s; I loved going with my grandparents downtown to shop at Foley’s. It was always an adventure spending time with my grandfather, walking the store and many floors, “window shopping” while my grandmother shopped.

The best part of the trip for me was, without failure, when we walked across the street and had lunch at James Coney Island. Walking into the restaurant, you were hit by an amazing smell. Stepping in line, you were hit with customers yelling orders — next, the order-takers yelling at the customers in line who did not know what to order. I never understood that! It always had to be the Coney hot dog, all the way! Nothing was better. I loved eating as many Coneys as I possibly could, with a bag of Fritos.

I passed my love of James Coney down to my sons and was so grateful to have one in the suburbs near our home where they grew up.

After moving north out of the city years ago, I could not tell you the last time I had a Coney all the way.

On a recent trip into Houston I found myself in a horrific traffic jam on I-45. Big surprise, I know. I saw the sign for the James Coney near my old home and pulled off the freeway to eat.

Oh my God, I don’t know what they have done to my beloved hot dogs, but without a doubt they were the nastiest things I have tried to eat in recent memory. Clearly, they changed the meat source to something that had a chemical taste; the chili was nothing more than brown watery wetness. The only thing that I could clearly recognize was the onions. It was a very sad day!

I am very happy to hear that Prince’s is coming back. I just hope they keep the food the same, as I will never grace the door of another James Coney again. Russell D. Dillard, Magnolia