National Hot Dog Day
When: 3rd Wednesday of July
National Hot Dog Day celebrates America's most democratic food: a simple, portable sausage in a bun that has been eaten by presidents and paupers, at ballparks and black-tie events, for over a century. The hot dog's origins are disputed, its toppings are viciously regional, and its cultural significance far exceeds what its humble ingredients would suggest.
The hot dog is one of the most disputed foods in American culture — its origin is claimed by Frankfurt, Vienna, and a New York pushcart vendor simultaneously, and nobody has definitively proven which came first.
The hot dog is one of the most disputed foods in American culture — its origin is claimed by Frankfurt, Vienna, and a New York pushcart vendor simultaneously, and nobody has definitively proven which came first.
Three cities claim to have invented the hot dog. Frankfurt, Germany, says a butcher named Johann Georghehner invented the frankfurter in 1487. Vienna (Wien), Austria claims the "wiener" predates the Frankfurt version. In America, a New York pushcart vendor named Charles Feltman is credited with serving sausages in rolls on Coney Island in 1867, and Nathan Handwerker — Feltman's employee — opened Nathan's Famous in 1916, selling them at a nickel. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council diplomatically notes that the origin is genuinely contested and sides with no city. What is certain is that German immigrants brought sausage-making traditions to the United States throughout the 19th century, and the combination of a cooked sausage with a bread roll proved so practical and portable that it became ubiquitous at outdoor events — particularly baseball games. Harry Stevens, a food vendor at the New York Giants' Polo Grounds, is credited with selling hot sausage in rolls at baseball games...
Deals & Freebies
- Wienerschnitzel [FREE] [Active through Jul 16]
America's largest hot dog chain celebrates National Hot Dog Day with a free chili dog when you make any purchase in-store.
- 7-Eleven [FREE via app] [Active through Jul 16]
On National Hot Dog Day, 7-Eleven gives away free hot dogs via the 7Rewards app. One of the best freebies of the summer — no purchase required when redeemed through the app.
- Sonic [$1] [Active through Jul 16]
Sonic typically offers $1 hot dogs on National Hot Dog Day. Check the Sonic app for the current deal — app members often get it automatically.
More to explore
- Smithsonian Magazine — The History of the Hot Dog [Article] (history)
The hot dog's journey from German frankfurter to American icon, told through its immigrant origins.
Read
- History — How the Hot Dog Became America's Fast Food [Article] (history)
From Coney Island to baseball parks, the story of how the hot dog became synonymous with American leisure.
Read
- The New York Times — Hot Dog Styles Across America [Article] (culture)
A tour of regional hot dog styles, from Chicago's poppy seed bun to the Sonoran dog of the Southwest.
Read
- Eater — Chicago vs. New York: The Great Hot Dog Debate [Article] (culture)
The definitive breakdown of what makes each city's hot dog style unique, with no ketchup on the Chicago dog.
Read
- Atlas Obscura — The Origins of Coney Island Hot Dogs [Article] (history)
The messy, contested history of the Coney Island hot dog and the immigrants who created it.
Read
- Food & Wine — The Best Hot Dogs in America, According to Chefs [Article] (news)
A coast-to-coast guide to America's best hot dogs, from street carts to gourmet restaurants.
Read