Ann's Dari-Creme — Restaurant in Maryland

Tdlr: Parking was not great, food was pretty good. Cash only. Great social distancing enforcement. Get the double dog and chocolate milkshake.

Very long hotdogs.

This parking lot is a little small and hectic so I was glad I wasn't driving. Honestly this place is kind of n institution so it's a lot of older drivers. Be patient.

The ordering system is also a bit chaotic. The menu is on the wall. Know what you want by the time it's your turn. You just tell the people what you want, they shout it back at you and that's it. They only let 6 people in at a time and will tell at you if you come in past capacity. The doors have big glass windows so you can see in the window at the line and menu on the wall. They also have a big tent outside to protect you from the elements. Since this place is popular, make sure you dress for the weather!

I loved the classic atmosphere and I got a picture with the scary hotdog lady out front. It's an Instagram hotspot after all!

Now when it comes to the food, I think it's just OK. I got a hotdog and fries, and other members of my party got a milkshake and double hotdog. Since I got a single I really felt like the bun to dog ratio was off. So if you're getting a hotdog make it a double! The chili is good but it's wetter and less chunky than a lot of us imagine when we hear chili, so set your expectations. The fries were very tasty and they make sure to put in a few packets of ketchup (made by a veteran company). Since in lactose intolerant I unfortunately didn't get to try the milkshake. But the size is big and the reviews from my party were very high. So the chocolate milkshake some highly recommended.

Overall this place is super cute and it's a fun place to go. I would go again on a...

Food is good, ice cream and shakes are very good. Unfortunately, the ordering system is psychotic. The place is small and usually they pack as many people inside as possible. There are two lines that are really one line once you get to the counter, and you're supposed to keep track of who came in first between both lines, and the person at the front of the other line gets upset if you don't.

However, that often doesn't even matter, because they will take orders from everyone in the room in no particular order, over the heads of the people in front of them. You don't pay or get your food in a specific order or at a specific place. You might get your food and pay after, not knowing which register or where to stand or who to talk to, or pay and then wait nowhere in particular, just hoping that you aren't forgotten in the huge rush of orders. It's almost random where and when it happens. They also encourage people to add to their orders after they already paid and/or received their food, which adds another element of chaos and unexpected delays to everyone else. The regulars love to take advantage of this for no reason other than to feel like big shots, or like they figured out some secret.

That's the other unpleasant part. If you get confused by this ridiculous system, the people who go there regularly will judge you and look at you like you have three heads. The appeal of the place is that it's "local" and sort of folksy and nostalgic, so they get away with it due to their reputation and how skillfully they pull it off. And it is genuinely impressive how well the ladies there remember everyone's orders and multitask to put it together. But they shouldn't have to. No other business that I'm aware of...

UPDATE: Since my original review, service has improved significantly. I haven't had a single order wrong since my review, and they're much faster then they were even a year ago. I'll be sure to keep returning.

As someone who has been going here for over a decade and a half, it pains me to write this review. To put it bluntly, I'm surprised they're still in business. Over the past 3 years or so, the quality of their service has taken a massive hit. It used to be that once you got in, your order was done in 5 minutes, and they'd get it right the first time. Even without Covid-19 limiting the maximum occupancy, I've recently been waiting 15-20 minutes on average for a single double dog, a shake, and some fries. And they have failed to get my order correct on a few occasions as of recently, despite my clear and concise instructions. I know the waitresses there are supposedly famous for memorizing customer's orders, but maybe they need to start writing them down, because I was asked twice what was in my order after placing it. Luckily, they got it right. The food was great as always, but given the massive hit in quality of service, I highly doubt I'll be going there anytime soon.

TL;DR: Food still great, service is slow and your order may get screwed up. Don't go if you're expecting the quality service they were...