 Some restaurants , among them Skyline and Gold Star , do not use the term " four @-@ way bean " , instead using the term " four @-@ way " to denote a three @-@ way plus the customer 's choice of onions or beans . Some restaurants may add extra ingredients to the " way " system ; for example , Dixie Chili offers a " six @-@ way " , which adds chopped garlic to a five @-@ way . " Ways " are traditionally served in a shallow oval bowl . Cincinnati chili is also used as a hot dog topping to make a " coney " , a regional variation on the Coney Island chili dog , which is topped with grated cheddar cheese to make a " cheese coney " . The standard coney also includes mustard and chopped onion . The " Three @-@ way " and the " Cheese Coney " are the most popular orders and very few customers order a bowl of plain chili . Most chili parlors do not offer plain chili as a regular menu item . Oyster crackers are usually served with Cincinnati chili , and a mild hot sauce such as Tabasco is frequently used as an optional topping . 
