JUSTICE FOR JUMBO HOT DOGS: The Disappearance of a Movie Goers Delight
Heading to the movies is one of the few “non-party” delights that Kingstonians can indulge in on just about any day of the week. Me? I love a good trip to the movie theatre. There is something about it that feels so satisfying for minimum effort. Seeing actors embody pure fantasy on the silver screen with surround sound dancing around your ears, as the air conditioning envelops your body, just does something to a working girl at the end of an intense day (especially when it’s a 2-4-1 deal). But my absolute favourite part of the Jamaican movie experience?
The hot dog.
Sure, I could buy a 90 inch screen for my house, invest in surround sound and plop myself in a comfy couch. Sounds like a dream if you ask me. But that would simply be a cake without frosting. A sundae without the cherry. A beef patty without the cheese. A movie without the hot dog. Heartbreaking.
But even more heartbreaking is the disturbing news I received on one of my latest trods to Palace Cineplex in the late days of Spring: “We nuh sell jumbo hot dog again.”
Sorrows. Prayers. I let out an audible gasp in the cold concession stand. It was a heartbreak that I sensed was coming, but I was hopeful that my senses were wrong.
Truth be told, I personally prefer the Carib-5 experience. I had a semi-traumatic experience at Palace Cineplex during my teenage years that involved overstimulating chatter, cramped corner seats, a flying Timberland boot and a dying Davy Jones, and since then, Carib-5 has been my theatre of choice. However, I noticed that since the COVID-19 pandemic, Carib-5 would routinely be out of hot dogs (not just jumbo). And when they did have hot dogs, they felt cold, grainy and subpar.
Palace Cineplex, however, was the light at the hot dog casing tunnel. Post COVID, Sovereign became my movie going staple. Not for the theatre. Not for the seating. Not for the location. But for the hot dogs. The JUMBO hot dogs.
Fast forward to Summer 2025, where hot dogs are simply a girl’s best friend. We have Oscar Mayer dominating social media with campaigns featuring clever mustard written messages on wieners, and branded merchandise claiming it’s a “Hot Dog Girl Summer”. And they’re oh so right. Search “hot dog” right now on any social media platform and you’ll find a bevvy of glizzy loving content from hot dog chips, to pickle juice boba as relish, to “Hot Dog Towers” providing hot dog flights at upscale restaurants in New York City.
Hot Dog Tower @ The Highroller Lobster Co.
It baffles me that in a time of the hot dog revival, Palace Amusement has decided to take away a cinema staple—the Jumbo Hot Dog.
Of course, regular hot dogs are still available for purchase, but man cannot feed on a singular hot dog alone. The Jumbo Hot Dog was the perfect size for a meal. Because the reality is that most people don’t come to the movies for a snack. In Jamaica, the concept of “dinner and a movie” means dinner AT the movie. Reducing the singular meat based option feels like a cash grab. Sure, I could order two hot dogs, but something about that feels gluttonous—and certainly more expensive than a singular jumbo hot dog.
I cannot lie and say that my desire to go to the theatre has not diminished with the passing of our Jumbo Dog. I recently took a gander over to the Carib-5 to go see The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and while the hot dog was good, it simply was not fantastic. I left the theatre wanting more.
I may be alone in this heartbreak (or I may not be), but RIP to the Jumbo Hot Dog. You may be gone for good, but you shall remain forever in my (our) heart.
Palace Amusement, should this ever come across your desk, I urge you to reconsider your decision. The Hot Dog Girlies are grieving.
And as a final sign off for our dearly beloved Jumbo Hot Dog:
Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog. 🌭
More WongaNews
A memorial and plea for the return of the Jamaican movie theatre jumbo hot dog.