[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 138 (Saturday, October 28, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1976-E1977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING DOLORES LARKIN, THE HOT DOG LADY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2000

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, recently the Contra 
Costa Times newspaper wrote an article about a person who has become a 
fixture in central Contra Costa County. Dolores Larkin has had an 
amazing career serving hot dogs at Caspers Famous Hot Dogs in Pleasant 
Hill, California.

[[Page E1977]]

For more than 45 years Dolores has done more than serve hot dogs. For 
all these years she has had to listen to people in our community who 
have had problems or are down on their luck. It is not unusual to go 
into Caspers and see Dolores counseling someone about their kids or 
talking to her own kids. Whenever you walk into Caspers, she always has 
a smile for you. That is why so many people go out of their way to get 
a dog at Caspers.
  Mr. Speaker, I should know; I have eaten as many Caspers hot dogs as 
any person in the county. I started eating hot dogs at Caspers in 
Richmond. There was a rumor when we were young that the record number 
of dogs eaten in one sitting was 19. On a challenge I tried to break it 
and got to 14. Even today the debate goes on as to where the best hot 
dog was served. Was it Chris's in Oakland, Doggie Diner in Oakland and 
Richmond or Kaspers with a ``K''?
  Mr. Speaker, time turned out to be the test; most of the others are 
gone now--they just could not compete with the great people at Caspers, 
especially Dolores who has been a great friend to so many in the 
community. It is wonderful to see her get this recognition. I submit 
the following article from the Contra Costa Times:

            Hot Dog Lady's a Fixture at Pleasant Hill eatery

                            (By Katie Oyan)

       Pleasant Hill--Dolores Larkin rarely goes unnoticed.
       People point and stare at her in the grocery store, at the 
     doctor's office--even once when she was vacationing in 
     Hawaii.
       ``Kids will say, `Look mom, it's the hot dog lady!' '' she 
     said, ``It used to embarrass me, but it doesn't anymore. I 
     like it.''
       In November, the 68-year-old great-grandmother will 
     celebrate her 45th anniversary as an employee at Casper's 
     Famous Hot Dogs, a popular hang-out and fast-food joint on 
     the corner of Vivian Drive and Contra Costa Boulevard.
       The Concord resident doesn't sling dogs for the money. In 
     fact, the only bad thing one of her managers, Ron Dorian, 
     could say about Larkin is that she sometimes forgets to cash 
     her paychecks.
       Instead, the ``hot dog lady'' said she has stuck around for 
     the company.
       ``I like my customers--that's why I'm here,'' said Larkin, 
     wearing her long, dark hair in a pony-tail and bubble-gum 
     pink earrings to match her Casper's apron.
       Over the years, Larkin has made Casper's her second home. 
     Of her five children, 10 grandchildren and six great-
     grandchildren, seven of them have worked with her at the 
     restaurant, and some still do. To family, she's known as 
     ``Grandma hot dog.''
       Before coming to Pleasant Hill, Larkin spent five years at 
     the Casper's on First Avenue in Oakland. In 1960, her boss 
     sent her to the Pleasant Hill Casper's to train employees 
     before the restaurant's grand opening. She has been there 
     ever since.
       And so have many of her customers.
       Bob Wescott, a retired military pilot and researcher, has 
     been a regular for so long, Larkin gave him his own key. Five 
     days a week, he opens the store and starts the coffee, 
     getting a cup ready for Larkin when she comes in.
       ``Another gentleman and his wife did it for years, but they 
     got too old and said they couldn't do it anymore. I guess I 
     just happened to be there,'' Wescott said.
       A couple of retired Pleasant Hill police officers also lend 
     Larkin a little volunteer labor. They come in each morning 
     and restock the restaurant's paper cups and lids. If there 
     are any light bulbs that need replacing, they do that, too.
       ``Everyone thinks the world of Dolores,'' Wescott said. 
     ``That's why we do it. She's just an awful nice person, 
     that's all.''
       One of the first fast food chains in the Bay Area, Casper's 
     migrated to the East Bay from Chicago in 1934. In addition to 
     the one in Pleasant Hill, there are 10 Casper's restaurants--
     in Albany, Richmond, San Pablo, Walnut Creek, Dublin, 
     Concord, two in Oakland and two in Hayward.
       Among the other stores in the chain, the Pleasant Hill 
     Casper's is known as ``the country club'' for its friendly, 
     comfortable environment, Larkin said. Devoid of a playland or 
     flashy banners, a couple of counters and a handful of wooden 
     tables give the restaurant its old fashioned appeal. 
     ``Floy,'' the philodendron in the front window, is named 
     after a coworker who died about five years ago. ``We raised 
     our kids together,'' Larkin said.
       The Pleasant Hill Casper's is also the most successful in 
     the chain, selling about 200,000 dogs a year.
       People go out of their way to stop there for a $2 or $3 
     meal. Larkin said the most popular item is the Casper's dog, 
     a natural-casing frankfurter that comes on a steamed bun with 
     mustard, relish, tomatoes and onions. Employees also serve 
     10-inch spicy polish, smoked Cajun and turkey frankfurters.
       Red Skelton is the most famous person Larkin can remember 
     serving.
       He came in two or three times, she said. Congressman George 
     Miller stops in once in a while, too.
       In her spare time, Larkin makes cakes for her friends' 
     birthdays and weddings. Her other hobby is ``kids.''
       ``My last girl was born on my day off, she said. ``I worked 
     all nine months.''
       About 10 years ago, a mathematician who dropped in for a 
     hot dog figured out that if someone were to line up end-to-
     end all the hot dogs that Larkin has served, they'd stretch 
     from here to San Diego.
       By now, they'd probably stretch halfway back again.

       

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