The food: An order of fries, a Mountain Dew and a Coney dog covered in cheese, mustard and onions

Total: $4.31 (including tax) for everything

Place: Skyline Chili, 107 E. Allegan St., in Lansing

Hours: Monday and Wednesday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 10:30 a.m.to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Delivery: No delivery, but they do have carry out.

Xtras: When you dine in, you get a free, individual bowl of oyster crackers - but there's better extras than that. Thursday is "College Night," and with a valid college ID, students can buy any menu item and get one free. There is also a Skyline Anytime Card, which, after being punched nine times for meals costing $5 or more, the 10th meal is on them (equal or less than $5).

Our thoughts: The place was immaculately clean, the waitstaff was more than available (being that we were the only people in the eatery) the food was hot and ready, but there is one warning: The reason it was all so cheap was because the hot dog was the size of my index finger. They specialize in mini hot dogs, which are about four inches long, so if you're really hungry, make sure you get two.

Another plus, everything on the menu is less than $5. Fries, beverages, spaghetti; it's all five bucks or less. And they have so many wheelin' and dealin' surprises that you're bound to end up with something special in the end - such as the punch card, which guarantees a free meal or an entry to win something free from the restaurant, such as a bike or a T-shirt.

Skyline Chili is a great place to get coffee with a friend, eat mini hot dogs after class or let your eyes be amazed by the mound of cheese put on their fries. Check it out - it's worth the short drive into Lansing.

Lindsey Anderson