When you think of fast food, greasy burgers, and french fries are probably the first things that come to mind. Whether your go-to meal is from In-N and Out, Shake Shack, McDonald’s, Five Guys, Wendy’s, or Burger King — burgers are the quintessential meal. While other big players in the fast food game include Mexican from Taco Bell and Chipotle and fried chicken from places like KFC and Raising Cane’s, there’s one other meat item that may not be at the forefront of your mind: fast food hot dogs.
While cheesy hamburgers, beefy burritos, and chicken nuggets may seem like quintessential fast food, there is another menu staple that comes in a bun, pairs well with fries or other greasy sides, and is way too often overlooked — a true underdog. Hot dogs. Plenty of fast food chains have them on their menu. You just didn’t know it because they’re hidden in the shadow of the other beef in a bun. They’re a staple at ball games, so why not at fast food joints, too? If you’re wondering where one begins when it comes to chain restaurant brats, here are the best and worst fast food hot dogs, according to Reddit.
Which fast food restaurants have hot dogs?
Places like Nathan’s Famous obviously have hot dogs on the menu, but I bet you didn’t know that many burger joints do, too. While the industry has meatless-eaters covered with plant-based meals and fish sandwiches, there are plenty of fast food chains that have meaty options for people who are tired of a basic burger. Even though they may be known for Blizzards, milkshakes, and Swedish meatballs, you can get a fast food hot dog at chains including Sonic, Five Guys, IKEA, Shake Shack, Dairy Queen, Checkers/Rally’s, Freddy’s, and A&W. But the question remains: which ones are the best?
Reddit’s favorite thing to do is debate, so when The Takeout published an article ranking the best and worst fast food hot dogs, Reddit users had something to say about it.
What are the worst fast food hot dogs?
While I love a Blizzard as much as the next person, social media users seem to believe that the worst hot dogs are from Dairy Queen, Freddy’s, A&W, IKEA, Steak ‘n Shake, and Checkers/Rally’s. While Redditors reached the consensus that both Checkers/Rally’s and Steak ‘n Shake have bad hot dogs, that’s about where the agreement stops, as most of the “worst” hotdogs had fans and defenders to frank-fight for them.
Now, this is where it gets juicy. Despite being a hot dog chain, Wienerschnitzel’s dogs are incredibly divisive, with some users arguing that the namesake menu item is awful while others confessing they enjoy them. A majority of Redditors in the forum agreed that, while Wienerschnitzel’s base hot dogs are indeed bad quality, toppings change the game for the better.
User @Victoria4DX defended Wienerschnitzel, saying “Wienerschnitzel does not deserve its placement. They offer higher quality premium beef and Polish sausage options if you want to pay more.”
Freddy’s and A&W’s also got some seals of approval from Redditors, as did DQ. User @Emergency_Cat7112 said that they “love the buttered bun” of Freddy’s hotdogs, and @BazilBroketail wrote “Lol, I love a DQ hot dog. I get it with ketchup and raw onions only.”
@BazilBroketail continued, “The sweetness of the ketchup juxtaposes well with the harshness of the onions which work together to bring out the somewhat “umami” flavor of the dog.”
What is the best fast food hot dog?
While many fast food chains leave room for hot dog improvement, social media users argue that yes, there are some really good fast food hot dogs. While the top dog is up for debate, Reddit users agree that the best fast food hot dogs can be found at Portillo’s Shake Shack, Nathan’s Famous, Five Guys, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Sonic.
In addition to being, well, delicious, Redditors noted that Costco’s hot dog is a great bang for its buck at only $1.50. Similarly, @lisasimpsonfan noted that you can get a delicious Nathan’s beef hot dog (which isn’t small) plus a 30-ounce drink for only $1.38 at Sam’s Club, and no, you don’t need a membership.
Other users, such as @SirTiffAlot, found it amusing that Sonic’s hot dog was ranked highly, saying “I’m sorry, you cannot convince me Sonic has a high quality hot dog.” 7-Eleven’s “Big Bites” dog even got a few shout outs, which I’m somewhat skeptical of given that it is a gas station convenience store.
A surprising shoutout for the best fast food hot dog, though, was Home Depot. Yes, that’s right, the hardware store. Apparently, some Home Depot stores have hot dog stands, and a select few serve specialty wagyu hot dogs for you to munch on before, during, or after your hardware shopping. A hot dog to prepare you for some home DIY, perhaps?
Turns out, a whole lot of fast food chains have hot dogs, but whether or not the brats are delicious or disgusting is debatable. Seems like the only way to discover the truth of fast food hot dogs is to try them out yourself. So make like Joey Chestnut and go devour some franks.