When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Michigan, eat like Michiganders do. Michigan, while not a culinary metropolis, takes a lot of pride in its coney dogs.

We visited four coney island restaurants — that’s a coney to you and me — in the Lansing area: Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant, T & D Coney Grill, Leo’s Coney Island and Zeus’ Coney Island.

In hopes of finding the best Coney we could, and learning how Coney Island restaurants set themselves apart, we conducted a scavenger hunt for elements that make a coney stand out. We compared logos, interiors of restaurants, seating, customer reviews and, obviously, the coneys themselves.

Please click on any of the photos to read their captions, and read to the end to find out which coney island restaurant is the “Competition Conscious” Coney Island Winner.

Storefronts
Our first item on our scavenger hunt list was a picture of the storefronts. Location can matter for restaurants in competitive markets.

Leo’s Coney Island is located at 333 Albert Avenue in the heart of downtown East Lansing. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant is located at 300 North Clippert Street, Lansing, in the Frandor shopping center. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill is located at 1731 West Grand River Avenue in Okemos. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island is located at 6525 S Pennsylvania Avenue in Lansing. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Logos
Our second item on our scavenger hunt was a picture of their logo. Logos help increase brand recognition and hopefully, customer loyalty.

Leo’s Coney Island logo is bold with a bright red “Leo’s” against black, white and greys that draws attention to its name. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant logo is whimsical, featuring a personified hot dog. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill’s logo is simple, focusing on the restaurant name. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island logo is vibrant, featuring Grecian inspired graphic elements. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Testimonials
Our third item on our scavenger hunt list was written testimonials. Testimonials help encourage new customers to try a restaurant, since it is recommended. Only Sparty’s and Zeus’ clearly featured testimonials.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant features a link to customer testimonials on the home page of their website. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Zeus’ Coney Island advertises they are the best coney’s in town. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Interiors
Our fourth item on our scavenger hunt was a picture of the restaurants’ interiors. A restaurant’s atmosphere can help customers feel comfortable or at home.

Décor inside of Leo’s Coney Island entertains the classic American diner theme feel with local touches of MSU. A large mural across the wall includes fans at a game holding up newspapers that read “Go State.” Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant creates a local, family diner feel with MSU and nostalgic sports posters. It honors the traditional coney island restaurants in Flint and Detroit. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill’s interior is spacious with plenty of seating at the front counter. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island’s interior features more Grecian details, is well lit and ready for the dinner rush. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Take-homes
Our fifth item on our scavenger hunt list were any take-homes the restaurants offered. Take-homes, such as menus or magnets can help a business stay at the forefront of a customer’s mind, especially if it’s useful. Only Sparty’s offered a take-home menu.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant offered a take-home menu. It is a half page and features dine in and take out options. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Menus
Our sixth item on our scavenger hunt list was a picture of their menus. We were particularly interested in accessibility and pricing.

Leo’s Coney Island features their coney dog in the center of their menu. The coney dog costs $2.39. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant features their coney dog at the top of their menu. The coney dog costs $2.89. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill features their coney dog on the first page of their menu. The coney dog costs $2.69. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island features their coney dog on the first page of their menu. The coney dog costs $2.49. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Unusual menu items
Our seventh item on our scavenger hunt list was any unusual menu items. All of the coney island restaurants we visited had expanded their menus beyond coney dogs.

Leo’s capitalizes on their Greek background with some uniquely Grecian food, including their Saganaki Flaming cheese served with pita bread and spinach and cheese pie. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant offers two unique spin-offs of the coney dog, Tory’s Burger Dog and Seve’s Bird Dog. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill offers stir fry, which our team found unusual. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island boasts a diverse menu, with everything from seafood to sandwich melts. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Websites
Our eighth item on our scavenger hunt list was a screenshot of their website. In our technological age, restaurants can increase their exposure with a well designed, accessible website. You can visit Leo’s Coney Island’s website here, Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant website here, T & D Coney Grill’s website here and Zeus’ Coney Island website here.

Leo’s Coney Island website is optimized for mobile use with large clickable icons for navigation at the bottom of the page. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant website is simplistic, including directions to the restaurant and a photo gallery. Their website is the only site to feature a picture of their coney dog on the home page. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill’s website is easily navigated and features a prominent image of their food. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Zeus’ Coney Island website is vibrantly colored and includes a PDF of the menu. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Unique competitive strategies
Our ninth item on our scavenger hunt list was something unique the restaurant offers. Leo’s Coney Island and Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant both employed notable strategies to set themselves apart.

Leo’s Coney Island’s menu features a short synopsis of the restaurant’s history. Photo by Erika Greco.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant offers first time coney eaters a “taster.” They give you a taste of their Flint and Detroit sauces so you can choose which you would like. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant has a comment box near the front door. It aims to improve customers’ experience. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant offers Coney Kits for customers special events. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Managers’ perspectives
Our tenth item on our scavenger hunt list was a quote from an owner, manager or employee on what makes their coney island restaurant special. The Leo’s employees declined to comment.

Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant manager Heather Sinclair said beyond their Koegel’s hot dogs and two locally sourced coney sauces, what sets them apart is their homey atmosphere. “We’re all a big family, we’ve all been working here a lot of years together,” Sinclair said. “We’re a small business. We’re the only one. It feels like home, especially if you’re from Flint or Detroit where they have little diners like this.” Photo by Alexa Seeger.

T & D Coney Grill manager Viola, right, and servers Marsela and Kendall stand in the restaurant’s passbar. Viola, who declined to give her last name, said although their restaurant is tucked away, they get a ton of regulars. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

“Our coneys are the best,” Zeus’ Coney Island manager Samantha TenHove, who has held her position for two years, said. “Everybody’s kind of like family here.” Photo by Laura Bohannon.

Coneys
Our last scavenger hunt list item was, of course, the coney itself.

Pictured here is Leo’s Coney Island classic coney with chili, mustard and onions. Photo by Erika Greco.

Pictured here is Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant’s Detroit coney, with the spicier Detroit sauce, mustard and onions. Photo by Alexa Seeger.

Pictured here are two of T & D Coney Grill’s coney dogs. The left is topped with sauerkraut, mustard and onion. The right is topped with chili, mustard, and onion. Photo by Jamal Tyler.

Pictured here is Zeus’ Coney Island coney, with onion and chili, ordered without mustard. Photo by Laura Bohannon.

After tallying the points from our competitive strategies scavenger hunt, we declare Sparty’s Coney Island Restaurant the Competition Conscious Coney Island Winner!