“Home of the Misdemeanor Wiener.”
“Food so good it’s criminal!” That’s “Felony Franks,” one (legally blind) Chicago businessman’s vision for employing ex-offenders. A local alderman and a local ex-felon don’t share his sense of humor. It’s the name they object to, not the mission. What do you think? Does the name “elevate the life of crime,” or lower the barrier of automatic mistrust and stigma with a laugh?
Ambiance 
Icepick said,
April 25, 2009 at 11:56 am
Don’t know and don’t care whether it will “elevate the life of crime” or lowere barriers of mistruct. How good are the ‘dogs, and how good are the prices? Everything else just doesn’t matter!
amba12 said,
April 25, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Guy says ex-cons make the best workers. (I’m sure he doesn’t hire just any ex-con who walks through the door.)
amba12 said,
April 25, 2009 at 12:03 pm
He could do well by starting spinoffs called “Foreclosure Franks” and “Bankruptcy Burgers,” and maybe “Layoff Lobster,” hiring others among the chronically unemployed.
Ron said,
April 25, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Can I be the first to make electric massaging barcaloungers made by guys on Death Row waiting for “The Chair?”
In the immortal words of Gary Gilmore: “Let’s do it.”
Rod said,
April 25, 2009 at 4:25 pm
We have a system which determines the scope of punishment for crimes. Some guys are too creepy, but for the most part, I take the view that someone who gets out of prison has paid his debt to society. It is not a good idea to stigmatize most ex-cons for life. Otherwise, they are more likely to be cons again.
Slammer sandwiches?
Big House Burgers?
Parolee Panini?
amba12 said,
April 25, 2009 at 4:36 pm
To stigmatize any ex-con for life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Especially when there are so many young people who do something dumb, do time once and never again. One’s in our karate residential program. He committed a robbery as a teen, is now in his early 20s and as sweet and serious as can be. Putting him in the same category with a hardened repeater is as stupid as calling an 18-year-old with a 15-year-old girlfriend a “sex offender.”
I think you need to write to the Felony Franks guy. “The Slammer” is such a great name for a sandwich. It’s at least as natural as “grinder.”
Ron said,
April 25, 2009 at 7:01 pm
They could have a 10 slice pizza and call it “The Dime.”
GN said,
April 27, 2009 at 8:58 am
Heh! It’s a “HOT” dog, right? Let’s see, a person serves time for a crime, is released and trys to be creative at earning a living, and an Alderman and another ex-con are offended by a “brand” attempt? Let’s stay with the capitalist theme and please them all. Open a place down the street and call it “Rehab Burgers” so the sensitive souls can still have lunch.