Shrimp cocktail debuted on the Las Vegas casino scene in 1959 as the marketing brainchild of Golden Gate Hotel & Casino partner Italo Ghelfi and a half a century later the tasty seafood treat is a downtown tradition.

Served at the Shrimp Bar & Deli, the shrimp are piled in a sundae glass with proprietary sauce and come with a lemon wedge garnish.

The snack originally cost 50 cents and the price has increased just once – in 1991 when it nearly doubled to 99 cents. In late April 2008, new management at the casino announced another price increase to $1.99 but the shrimp-for-less-than-a-buck deal still stands if you flash your Club 1906 card (free with sign up at the club desk).

For another way to score the rollback price, try signing the guestbook at the Fremont Street Experience website. Last week I received an e-mail link for online coupons, which included a “Buy 1 Original Shrimp Cocktail (at the Golden Gate) at menu price, Get 1 Free!”