The Georgia National Fair is in full swing with rides, games, shows and — of course — the food. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs and funnel cakes to deep-fried everything, the fair’s food is always a highlight. However, it can be expensive.
I went to the fair with Katie Tucker, The Telegraph’s visual journalist, with a challenge: we each got $25 and had to see how much food we could buy. This is what we ended up with.
Fair attendees walk past food stalls at the Georgia National Fair on Oct. 6 in Perry, Georgia. Katie Tucker The Telegraph
Katie Tucker
Pickle Dr. Pepper ($10) – We saw this on a menu and were appalled and curious. While it may seem intimidating, the Pickle Dr. Pepper isn’t so bad. The salty, tangy taste of the pickle chips and spears floating in the drink cuts through the sweet soda flavor of the Dr. Pepper. It wasn’t our favorite thing, but we kept drinking it the rest of the afternoon.
Corndog ($7) – As a chaser, I went for a traditional fair corndog. However, I was disappointed. The corndog was bland and wasn’t very warm, and it didn’t stand out compared to some of the other foods we tried.
Apple Dumpling a la carte from the Georgia National Fairgrounds on Oct. 6. Katie Tucker The Telegraph
Apple Dumpling ($7) – The apple dumpling was the highlight of everything I ate. The outside had a warm, crispy crust and the apples inside were perfectly baked. It was like an apple pie, small enough to fit in your hand as you wander the fair, but without compromising any of the comfort or flavor.
Lucinda Warnke
The Tybee Island Dog won the 2025 Judges’ Savory in the Georgia Fair Food Fight. The bacon wrapped hot dog features pimento cheese, bacon and topped with jalapeño mustard. Katie Tucker The Telegraph
Tybee Island Dog ($8) — For my first purchase, I went with the Tybee Island Dog, a bacon-wrapped hot dog covered with pimento cheese, bacon bits and jalapeño mustard. The hot dog had a savory, smoky flavor thanks to the bacon, with a nice kick of heat from the mustard. It’s easy to see why this was chosen as the judge’s savory choice in the Fair Food Fight. It was also the best buy of the day, with many of the other flavorful, elaborate fair creations costing between $15-$19.
Peach Cobbler ($6) — We wouldn’t be in Georgia if we didn’t have some kind of peach-centric dish. The peach cobbler can be found throughout the fair and is a generous portion size for its price. It’s plenty gooey and warm, but doesn’t compete with the true, homemade version.
Oreo-Dipped Frozen Cheesecake from Polar Bear Ice Cream at the Georgia National Fairgrounds. Katie Tucker The Telegraph
Oreo-Dipped Frozen Cheesecake ($11) – To finish off the day, I used the last of my money to order Oreo-dipped frozen cheesecake. The cheesecake comes on a stick and has a great texture with a soft, creamy inside. It’s coated with crunchy frozen chocolate and cookie crumbs. The cheesecake is rich, so keep a bottle of water (or in this case, Pickle Dr. Pepper) handy while you eat.
This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM.
