Do you know Ted’s Hot Dogs? Unless you’re in Western NY or Phoenix (where they have a place), you probably don’t.

I love Ted’s. It’s the best hot-dog…ever. Don’t worry, The Varsity, SuperDawg, and the NY dog-on-a-cart, get honorable mentions, but Ted’s beats those joints hands down.

I admit, I’m biased.

From awesome home-made onion rings and fries to a ton of other local favorites (sausages and burgers) all over a charcoal (I think) fired grilled. It’s awesome and something to be experienced and enjoyed.

Unfortunately, hot-dogs can be really dangerous for young kids. In fact, a lot of kids even die from choking on a hot dog. The round sausages can block kids’ tiny airways if they swallow it without properly chewing. If you’re a parent, you know your kids love doing that. Stats on how many kids die or get hurt from the choking hazard per year are up for debate. Some say 1.6 kids die each year from hot-dog related choking or even higher figures. 16 in 2001 in Canada is a confirmed figure, so you figure what that could mean for the US.

C’mon, you’ve seen Field of Dreams. Remember the hot-dog choking scene? Yeah…

There’s enough concern about hot-dog choking that new designs for hot-dogs are coming soon. A pre-cut dog that falls apart easily is being marketed and pitched to hot-dog makers.

Check out WSJ.com for details and pics.

As a parent of young children who enjoy a hot-dog once in a while (find me a kid who doesn’t like hot-dogs!), I find the new design interesting. I think I’ll stick to being an over-protective parent and just watch my kids as they eat a hot-dog to make sure they’re not taking humongous bites.

Isn’t that just easier?

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