“Heights Hot Dogs” is located in the parking lot of The Lava Lounge in Dearborn Heights.

DEARBORN HEIGHTS — For years, Muslims have crowded local bakeries for sahoor to indulge in meat pies and cheese manushis before sunrise. 

But this year in Dearborn Heights, it appears Muslims are craving good old-fashioned American hot dogs. 

For more than a week now, customers have been lining up outside a hot dog stand to get a taste of “Heights Hot Dogs”, located in the parking lot of the Lava Lounge.

Mo Baydoun and Nehme Jaafar, who opened the stand as a test run during Ramadan, said the turnout has exceeded their expectations. 

Within days, they’ve had to double up on their orders from their halal meat supplier.

“People are tired of Manushis, so we decided to change it up a little,” Baydoun said. “Hot dogs are very popular in New York and Boston, so we thought we would bring that here. The turnout has been phenomenal, the entire community has been supporting us.”

The menu includes only five hot dog items. But each hot dog varies with bun and toppings. And they get very creative. 

“The Whatup Dog”, a popular item on the menu, comes on a pretzel bun, with chili cheese, banana peppers, onions and Doritos. It was coined with the name because the dog sits on the top, while all the toppings rest on the bottom. 

Customers even have the option to build their own dog for just $4, the most expensive item on the menu. 

The hot dog stand has garnered massive attention on social media. Within just a few days, a video promoting it hit 10,000 views. 

Baydoun attributes the success to the community. He thanked the Lava Lounge and the other businesses in the plaza for allowing them to operate the stand between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m.

Baydoun said he’s now looking beyond Ramadan to operate the hot dog stand. He’s looking to turn “Heights Hot Dogs” into a permanent chain and expand it to nearby cities as well. 

“The community is so diverse and we give back to each other,” he said. “We’ve been blessed to have so much support in the city of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights.”