Jerry, did you look fetching in your short shorts also?I am surprised that no one has mentioned Stewart's Root Beer. It fights it out with A & W on an equal footing around here, may even be slightly ahead. I've been going to the same 2 or 3 stands for as long as I can remember.
And yes, I, too, remember the ice coated mugs of root beer--only a sissy would take a small one. And chili dogs with chili, onions and mustard and the hot dog deep fried. Had to stop for a moment, I'm salivating too hard. Of course, chili and cheese dogs are a whole other plane of existence.