This message has been deleted.

This message has been deleted.

I think in Michael's own very small way he is trying to make amends.
Whereas as kids they were rude and snotty and stole the hot dogs, now they are polite and pay with real money.

4. You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

There is a scene just before the initial hearing of the boys where they said something like "we never saw the vender as a man, we didn't respect him and didn't notice how hard he worked and that he had a wife and 2 kids in Greece where he wanted to bring to this country, we only saw a free lunch". This pretty much tells us that they genuinely felt remorse. And considering the fact they were faced with far worse recollections in seeing the men who raped them, I don't think the sight of a hotdog cart would be too much to handle.

Sometimes people deliberately confront themselves with issues that are linked to painful memories. Foreing-looking hot dog vendor, two napkinsand this time, cash.

Presumably, the boys felt a sense of closure after the court case - a big chunk of their horrific cast has come to an end and they can finally move forward and that's symbolized by the ordering of the hotdogs at the end.
Even note they ask for "two napkins" which was what they asked in the begining.

This message has been deleted.

This message has been deleted.

People get over stuff over time..well at least some stuff..

It symbolizes that they have closure. If you notice, the hot dog vendor is a foreign guy just like the one they stole from at the beginning. Plus, the director goes to great lengths to show Shakes actually pay for the hot dogs this time!
Oh, I've chosen my words carefully Persian perhaps you should have done the same. Leonidas

During the scene where they are senteced the voiceover mentions that they find out the hotdog seller is a poor man who works hard to send money to his family in Greece and they feel guilty. Michael buys the hotdog to support the vendor who he assumes is struggling like the one whose cart they ruined. he does not eat the hotdog he throws it away

I agree with you Danomera - I also noticed that Brad Pitt's character was extra "polite" to the hot dog vendor - referencing back to the narrator saying they never saw the hot dog vendor as a man - with a family - that worked hard - they had no respect for him.

I would be the opposite, I would look at it as a kind of penance. I hurt one hot dog owner, I would in my way help another and buy from them. As a poster said above, whether or not I could eat them, would be another story.

That's a very good take on that scene - I didn't pick up on the fact that he only eats a bit of the hotdog before throwing it in the bin till you mentioned it.
I just saw it as a bookend to the story - the whole thing starts with a hotdog cart, and the story ends with a hotdog cart. (Well, the main story). I didn't read it from Michael's perspective as he thought it would close the book on the events.

lots of onions are a must.
The food I've liked in my time is American country cookin'-Colonel Sanders

Those dirty water dogs are irresistable.
~~
Hot dog! it's the Soggy Bottom Boys!

In my perspective, Michael went to the hot dog stand because he thought he had finally gotten over what they had to go through at Wilkenson's. But after a bite he threw the hotdog out.. which in a way shows that you cannot get over some things. You know he isnt over it when Shakes narrates in the end and says he lives alone.

Funniest comment I've read all week!

They should have stolen the cart just for old times

I thought the same thing! It doesn't matter how long ago it happened; if it was me, I'd never go near a hot dog cart again if I could avoid it.

lol I don't think the cart really had such a significance that it reminded them so much of never eating hotdogs again. More of what the action that caused it.

uh, it's like 20 years later.
They got over it.