New Bedford’s Strangest Hot Dog Deal Came With a Complimentary Jacuzzi Night

If you grew up anywhere near New Bedford, you know Gary’s Best Hot Dogs on Ashley Boulevard isn’t just a food stop, it’s a local monument.

However, even legends have some oddball chapters. One vintage Gary’s advertisement has resurfaced from the archives, reminding us that the ‘80s and ‘90s were a very different time.

It was a much simpler time, but also an odd time to be alive for those who remember a certain Cape Cod hotel.

The Vintage Ad That Started It All

The ad was a newspaper clipping from The Standard-Times, and is a full-blown time capsule, complete with teenage Gary Franco’s high school portrait, clip-art confetti, and a promotion so unhinged, it feels like Mad Libs:

Buy two hot dogs, get one free… plus an orange soda… and a chance to win a one-night stay at the International Inn & Suites in Hyannis.

Keep in mind that this was also the home of the famously suggestive "Cuddles & Bubbles" rooms featuring heart-shaped jacuzzis and mirrored ceilings, and it was Fun 107 that had the room keys.

The Orange Soda Mystery

When I asked Gary Franco (whose family owns Gary's Best) about the ad, he laughed — because the questions have been coming up for years.

“People always ask about the orange soda,” he said. “My dad would say, ‘Who’s going to drink the free stuff? The kids.’ And at the time, kids loved orange soda."

It sounds unorthodox, but it worked.

READ MORE: New Bedford’s Gary’s Best: The Legacy Behind the Name

It does make sense. Root beer, Coke, coffee milk — those are the usual SouthCoast hot dog pairings. In the Franco family playbook, though, orange soda was the secret weapon. Based on Gary’s Best becoming an institution, maybe Joe Franco was onto something.

Hot Dogs & Honeymoon Suites? Sure, Why Not?

Even Gary admits the giveaway pairing was…unique.

“So was pairing it with Cuddles & Bubbles,” he joked. “That was definitely you guys (Fun 107). An interesting matchup, hot dogs and Cuddles & Bubbles.”

Fun 107 broadcast live for the anniversary event, handing out CDs, shirts, and PawSox tickets, all while customers entered to win a night in one of Cape Cod’s most, uh, romantic destinations.

The International Inn — known for heart-shaped hot tubs, champagne-glass whirlpools, and mirrored ceilings — closed in 2020. But its reputation? Immortal.

The Anniversary Tradition

While the ad looks like something straight out of a Trapper Keeper, Mother’s Day weekend was always serious business for Gary’s Best.

“My dad always advertised for Mother’s Day weekend because that was his big thing. The anniversary always fell right around then," Franco explained.

And that photo of young Gary in the ad? The math never quite lined up.

“The picture of me never matched the age,” he said. “I was four years older at the time. People were like, ‘Oh, you’re 17?’ and I’d be like, no.”

A Family Legacy Still in Limbo

Fast-forward to today: Gary’s Best is still owned by Joe and Anita Franco, who would love to retire and pass the torch — but haven’t found the right buyer.

“There’s been interest, sure,” Gary Franco said. “But I thought there’d be more. The price was dropped, but we're still waiting for the right buyer to come forward."

Whoever buys it gets the whole package:

• The business name
• The real estate
• Equipment, merch, the iconic cooler
• A local legacy

And a line around the block on a sunny day, guaranteed.

Until Then...

The Franco family continues to run one of New Bedford’s most beloved food stops, with the hope that the right person will eventually take over the stand and keep the legacy alive.

Gary's Best is still open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, closing only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

In the meantime, we’ll be over here appreciating the fact that, once upon a time, the legendary J.R. cracked his mic to promote a deal where you could buy a couple of hot dogs and potentially end up in a heart-shaped jacuzzi on the Cape.

Only in New Bedford.