Fast food hot dogs can satisfy a multitude of appetites, as long as you order them from
the right place. These are the top dogs ranked from worst to best. Supermarket food court
options are included as well because they are also fast enough and delicious enough.
Rumors of poor hot dog quality at Dairy Queen have been circulating for at least a decade.
In 2010, a Reddit commenter who claimed to work at a DQ said that the hot dogs were reheated
and reused day after day until they were sold. Another commenter said that didn't happen
at the DQ they worked at, but other employees who posted on Quora claimed that people should
avoid the hot dogs and that the way the chili is prepared for the chili cheese dogs is,
quote, "really disgusting."
Dairy Queen has used an all-beef hot dog since 2007, though they're of the "skinless" variety
with no snappy casing that pops when you bite into them. As it turns out, they're not very
popular. A Business Insider fast food reviewer in 2016, for example cited the Dairy Queen
chili dog as the worst menu item she's eaten from any fast food restaurant. And then there's
the review from Fast Food Menu Prices, which declared that the chili cheese dog wiener
tastes like low-grade meat. Simply put, there's not much going for Dairy Queen in the hot
dog department. It's best to just stick to the Blizzards when you go there.
The full name of the Five Guys chain is "Five Guys Burgers and Fries." And even though "hot
dogs" isn't in the official name, they still make a very tasty dog. They use a Hebrew National
Hot Dog, which is sliced lengthwise and cooked on the griddle, so it's crisp on the outside
and inside. As for toppings, mustard and maybe some relish is the way to go, though raw onions
and Kraft American cheese are acceptable additions on the cheese dog if that's something you're
into. There's even an option for a bacon dog and a bacon cheese dog. All of these are fine
selections.
This type of praise isn't normally lavished on a food item that's close to last in a ranking.
But there's a sticking point here, as Five Guys prices its hot dogs at more than $5 for
the most basic version at many locations and racks it up to $7 or more for additions like
bacon and cheese. A single Hebrew National Hotdog with basic condiments and a basic bun
simply shouldn't cost this much. For perspective, a pack of seven Hebrew Nationals can cost
less than $4 at Walmart. Hot dogs are cheap and quick hunger fixes, even by fast food
standards. So while Five Guys deserves to place higher from a pure taste perspective,
they have to drop down a bit, as only the most decorated and crafty of hot dogs should
command these prices.
There are a lot of good hot dogs in the world and a lot of bad ones. And there are also
a lot of ones that are just fine. That last category is where we find Checkers, or Rally's,
depending on what part of the country you live in. The price is just right at around
$1 for a basic dog, and there's a chili dog option for when you want something a little
messier. But there's nothing that really makes a Checkers beefy hot dog on a toasted bun
stand out.
That hasn't stopped Checkers from feeling pride about their franks, though. In 2016,
the chain released a series of ads about Burger King's short-lived phase of selling hot dogs.
The campaign was filled with cringe-inducing lines like,
"It's time to compare wieners."
And:
"Overcompensating, anyone?"
As if that wasn't enough, the campaign also joked that Checkers was promoting its dogs
because Burger King was showing its wiener in public for the first time. A side of sophomoric
jokes doesn't make an average hot dog taste any better.
Few hot dogs can compare to the reputation of Nathan's Famous. It's the centerpiece of
the most famous hot dog eating contest in the world, and it's the standard for ballpark
hot dog stands and beachside shacks. Nathan's Famous can be also found on supermarket shelves,
but they're best from a stand. The dog itself is just the right amount of sweet and salty,
and the meat is juicy and full of all-beef flavor without being watery or oily.
Nathan's Famous sells around 550 million hot dogs annually for a reason. The brand claims
to use the same recipe that was invented by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker. Nathan's
hot dogs became famous more than 100 years ago in Brooklyn's Coney Island, long before
"famous" was officially part of the name. Grabbing a hot dog from the original shack
on the boardwalk deserves to be on every hot dog lover's bucket list. A simple hot dog
with mustard from a Nathan's Famous stand rarely disappoints. It tastes best when it's
eaten after a long day spent relaxing on the beach and riding roller coasters.
It seems like everyone in Chicago has an opinion on the best place to get a Chicago hot dog.
The style consists of mustard, relish, celery salt, onion, tomato, pickle, and peppers on
a poppy seed bun. It's sometimes known as a hot dog that's "dragged through the garden"
because of all the toppings. It is one of the best ways to eat a hot dog, as it's full
of tangy acidity, umami, and salt that all complement an all-beef dog. Portillo's does
a fine job with its Chicago-style hot dogs. There may be some small shops that do it better,
but this chain is about the closest you can get when you're looking for a Chicago dog
outside Illinois.
Since its humble start in a trailer in 1963, the chain has spread to other states like
Arizona, California, and Florida. The menu features basic hot dogs as well as chili dogs.
The best option is to go with the classic to have a taste of Chicago delivered fast-casual
style. Each hot dog has more filling than any of the comparatively skimpy options you'll
find at other chains, but if you're still looking for something a little more significant,
just ask for a Jumbo, which is simply the same but with a thicker frank.
While the many condiment options at IKEA can make assembling your hot dog about as complicated
as assembling a piece of IKEA furniture, there's no denying the Swedish store makes some tasty
dogs. They're often overshadowed by more popular items like the Swedish meatballs, but they're
nevertheless well worth trying out. The particular details of your IKEA hot dog experience depend
on where you're located. In the United States, IKEA's hot dogs are a mix of chicken and beef.
Large fluffy buns hold it all together with the condiments on the bottom if you want.
What really makes IKEA stand out is that it makes a veggie hot dog that actually tastes
good. It's made with sustainability in mind, as it consists of kale, lentils, quinoa, onions,
and wheat protein. If you're not strictly vegan or vegetarian, you can always go for
the classic meat version, but it's always nice to have options, especially if you're
concerned about the environment.
Wienerschnitzel is like the Nathan's Famous of the West Coast, even though it's probably
not quite as famous. But it's still pretty successful in its own right, with some 120
million hot dog sales every year. And it does that with locations in only ten states. Options
are king at Wienerschnitzel. Before you order, decide whether you want a pretzel bun or a
regular bun and whether you want a dog that's the World Famous Original style, all-beef,
or Polish.
The chain started in Southern California in 1961. Today, there are a number of options
that will satisfy any type of hot dog craving, which helps push it ahead of some competitors
on this list. There's a Relish Dog and a Bacon Street Dog, as well as a Green Chile Chili
Cheese Dog and a plain dog known simply as the Mustard Dog. There's even a Chicago Dog
that's been dragged through the garden. It's perhaps most famous for what the company describes
as its "über famous" chili that's smothered on the Chili Dog. What you won't find is actual
wiener schnitzel, which is a pounded, breaded, and fried piece of veal. But if you're going
to Wienerschnitzel for the hot dogs, as you should be, you'll leave satisfied.
"We did it!"
In 1985, Costco began selling a hot dog with a soda for $1.50. That price remains the same
to this day, and it's just about the best hot dog meal deal you can find anywhere. That
said, Costco's prime hot dogs are far from a secret. Food writer Kevin Pang has praised
them in the Chicago Tribune, and there are clearly plenty of people who agree with him:
in 2015, Costco sold 128 million hot dogs.
Though the price has stayed the same over the past three and a half decades, the dog
itself has changed, as Costco swapped Hewbrew National out for Kirkland in 2009. The quarter-pound,
all-beef hot dog is actually ten percent larger than Hebrew National's, and it's free of artificial
flavors and fillers. In 2018, Costco got rid of its Polish dog to make room for healthy
options, much to the dismay of fans, but the regular ol' hot dog is still good enough.
Top it up with all of the complimentary condiments you enjoy, and eat it right away for full
enjoyment of the steamed bun and all that it contains.
Sonic's All-American Hot Dog is, simply put, a hot dog done right. It's loaded with ketchup,
yellow mustard, relish, and chopped onions without being overly full, though if you prefer
a simpler hot dog, you'll still be satisfied on the flavor front. The true draw when it
comes to Sonic, though, is the Chili Cheese Coney, which is smothered in an all-meat chili
and melted cheddar cheese. It's made in the true Coney style, which is defined by a steamed
bun, beanless chili, and white onions. It's believed that the Coney was invented in the
early 1900s in Michigan by Greek immigrants who had tried Nathan's Famous hot dogs on
Coney Island.
At Sonic, the Coney is a filling load of flavor. It's messy, but the toppings won't all fall
off before you get into it. Still, you'll probably want to eat it outside of your car,
just to be safe. If you're in the mood to go big or go home, opt for the Footlong Quarter
Pound Coney, which is a blend of beef and pork. While the weight is the same as the
dogs at Costco and Sam's Club, it's elongated rather than chunky, which leaves plenty of
room for the chili in between the buns.
"Ask not what your hot dog can put on you, but what you can put on your hot dog."
Shake Shack is known for its Shack burgers. The chicken sandwich has also gotten a lot
of love since it was first released in 2015. But the original Shake Shack menu option is
the hot dog, and it's the best fast food hot dog on the market. In 2001, the first Shake
Shack hot dog cart opened in Manhattan's Madison Square Park. The goal was to support the Madison
Square Park Conservancy's first art installation. The cart drew crowds for three summers until
a permanent spot opened in 2004, which eventually transformed into the national burger chain
we know and love today. And it all started with a hot dog.
"This little hot dog cart would attract a line of 60 or 70 people, and in 2004, we finally
said, 'Let's turn this into a full kiosk.'"
Shake Shack's dogs are butterflied, or "flat-top," as the company puts it, like how the ones
at Five Guys are. For just over $3, or $4 for Chicago style, you get a juicy-yet-crispy
Vienna beef hot dog that can hold all its toppings in thanks to the butterflied style.
It's all served in an airy and lightly sweet Martin's potato roll. If you're in the mood
for something extra, you have the option to add the house-made cheese sauce, which is
a blend of cheddar and American. However you do it, the Shake Shack original is worth every
penny!
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