‘No other taste like Nu-Way.’ Popular Macon hot dog joint featured on national show
Macon natives and fans of one of the city’s most beloved restaurants are likely to connect quite well with the latest episode of the SEC Network’s “TrueSouth,” which aired Tuesday evening.
Writer and commentator John T. Edge, on a journey through the South, made a stop in a city he knows well to enjoy food and nostalgia from Nu-Way Weiners.
Edge, who was born in Clinton but went to high school in Macon before attending the University of Georgia, explained to viewers that he found comfort in Nu-Way. And he still does.
“Restaurants offer us access to our past,” he says as he introduces viewers to the hot dog joint. “When I open this door, I’m 8 again. ... Every time I come to a Nu-Way I feel like I’ve stepped into a time portal that takes me back to my childhood.”
Nu-Way lays claim to being the second-oldest hot dog spot in the U.S. It opened its first location in 1916, on Cotton Avenue, and offered hot dogs for a mere 5 cents. The restaurant has hosted famous guests such as Oprah Winfrey, and has been featured on the Travel Channel. This latest highlight of Nu-Way is part of a limited series on Southern food and culture, and can be seen on-demand through espn.com.
‘Good food, good vibes’
Edge was not the only one who felt strongly about the restaurant’s ability to transport customers back in time.
Johnny Hollingshed Jr., who makes an appearance in the episode, said going to Nu-Way can serve as an escape from hardship.
“I’m 64 now, and the world is not like it used to be, you know, the bills actually have my name on them now,” Hollingshed said. “You know what I mean? But I can go to this place, and that doesn’t exist.”
Hollingshed was asked what triggers good memories.
“The taste, man. There is no other taste like Nu-Way,” he replied.
Workers have felt something special about Nu-Way too. Diana Bailey, who says in the show that she was the first Black manager hired by Nu-Way after integration, emphasized how good it felt to see a locally-owned restaurant in many Macon communities, offering a job for residents that was always close by.
“Nu-Way was locally owned, it was like your mama, your dad, opening up a business,” Bailey said.
Whether behind the counter or ordering from it, Hollingshed said it’s clear what makes Nu-Way so special.
“Good food, good vibes.”