Would you like a thong with that?

It's not the most common burger joint cliché, but the phrase and the thongs will be served up at Ye Olde College Diner, 126 W. College Ave., to customers who order one of 10 specified burger baskets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday this month.

Diner co-owner Dan Pivirotto said he came up with the idea of giving out a free thong with the purchase of a burger after seeing Dinner and a Movie on TBS.

"I'm taking this marketing course about how to get people's attention," Pivirotto said. "So, I thought, 'Dinner and a Movie? How about a burger and a thong?' "

The Diner has not offered any similar promotions in recent years, but the owners said they intend to implement more creative sales strategies in the future.

The burger-thong promotion began last Thursday.

"We used to do a lot of goofy things, but we haven't been very imaginative for about the past five years," Pivirotto said. "We want to start having fun again and get this place going."

Jim Wright (sophomore-aerospace engineering) said he sees the promotion simply as a marketing device designed to draw attention to the Diner.

"I have nothing against it, but it is unusual," Wright said.

"If something works for a company, it works," he added.

Pivirotto said he wants the Diner to be known for something else besides its grilled stickies, and he also hopes to attract more young people to the restaurant.

"We want to get kids coming in again," Pivirotto said.

"Last Thursday, the first few tables were young ladies, and they were giggling and laughing. Some kids are too shy, but so far, reactions have been great," he added.

The Diner created a pamphlet listing the burger baskets and describing the promotion -- "Buy a burger for yourself. Get a thong for your Valentine."

The thongs come in three sizes, and each comes inside a Valentine's Day gift bag.

"I think it's random to put a thong with a burger, but I'm sure that it will attract people. It's not something people expect," Jessie Hershman (senior-science) said. "People will probably go there to see who else is there for the promotion."

The skimpy underwear hanging in the front window left Bregan Heffentrager (junior-wildlife sciences) questioning the suitability of the Diner's promotion.

"I'm sure that not everyone feels that it's appropriate," Heffentrager said. "I mean, I'm sure children eat there, too."

Downtown Improvement District Director Teresa Sparacino declined to comment.