A Nathan's hot dog is carried at Citi Field. (Photo by Michael E. Ach / March 29, 2009)

After all that's been reported about the fancy food choices - sushi, prime steak, cannoli - at New York's two ballyhooed new ballparks, average baseball fans can rest easy: They'll still be able to sink their teeth into good old-fashioned hot dogs at the new Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

A Nathan's Famous hot dog, at that.

The Westbury-based company recently signed agreements with both the Yankees and the Mets to make Nathan's Famous the "official" hot dog of each new park.

"Baseball is America's pastime, and what's the best thing about a ballgame?" said Wayne Norbitz, Nathan's Famous president. "It's getting a hot dog and an ice-cold drink."

Each agreement - signed within the past 60 days - is for 10 years, Norbitz said. The Yankees, who opened the season Monday in Baltimore against the Orioles, sold about 1.5 million Nathan's Famous beef hot dogs last season in the old Yankee Stadium. Nathan's had been the official red hot of the stadium since 2000.

During the final year at Shea Stadium, where Nathan's had been the official hot dog for five seasons, fans gobbled up slightly more than a million Nathan's Famous, Norbitz said. The Mets opened their season Monday in Cincinnati against the Reds.

A Nathan's Famous - bun included - goes for $6 at the new Yankee Stadium and $5.75 at Citi Field.

Norbitz said the Nathan's Famous story - the company started in 1916 as a small stand offering hot dogs for nickel at Coney Island - has helped it earn the right to be a favorite flavor of New York.

As for being associated with New York baseball, Norbitz said: "The exposure is terrific. We're very happy about that."