Giant grease stain on bottom half of receipt not shown.
When Gray’s Papaya announced in September that the price of its Al Franken–endorsed frank was to go up from 95 cents, founder Nicholas A. B. Gray was keeping mum about the math. We visited the Sixth Avenue location this weekend and can now report that as of the beginning of the month, the price is $1.25. This exceeds even the 25-cent jump (from 50 cents to 75 cents) of 1999. Still more devastating, the Recession Special — two dogs and a small drink — has gone from $2.75 to $3.50. Not that we would forsake Gray’s for an inferior imitator, but when we called every other listed Papaya stand in the city, we made an all-too-sobering discovery: These days you’ll have to go out to Queens to get a 95-cent frank. Here’s how much fourteen different dogs will set you back.
Papaya King, Seventh Ave. at 14th St.: $1.79
Papaya King, 179 E. 86th St., nr. Third Ave.: $1.76
Papaya King, 121 W. 125th St., nr. Malcolm X Blvd.: Number disconnected, but UES branch quoted $1.50
J’s Papaya, 3550 E. Tremont Ave., nr. Lafayette Ave., the Bronx: $1.50
Gray’s Papaya, 402 Sixth Ave., at W. 8th St.; 539 Eighth Ave., nr. 37th St.; and 2090 Broadway, nr. 71st St.: $1.25
Mike’s Papaya, 88 Reade St., nr. Church St.: $1.25
Frank’s Papaya, 132 W. 125th St., nr. Malcolm X Blvd.: $1.25
Papaya World, 1161 Second Ave., nr. 61st St.: $1.25
L & A Papaya, 166 Delancey St., nr. Clinton St.: $1.00
Papaya Express, 32 Ave. C, nr. 3rd St.: $1.00
Chelsea Papaya, 225 Seventh Ave., nr. 23rd St.: $1.00
Papaya Dog, 4179 Broadway, nr. 177th St.: $0.99
Mano’s Papaya, 3001 Steinway St., nr. 30th Ave., Long Island City: $0.95
Mike’s Papaya, 50 W. Fordham Rd., nr. Grand Ave., the Bronx: $0.75. Next week for three days only: $0.50 (days TBD). —Daniel Maurer
Earlier: Masa and Gray’s Papaya Have More in Common Than You Might Think
