Hot Dogapedia

Here's everything you'd ever want to know about the hot dog...or maybe not. I do find it amazing how one piece of meat has had such an impact on our way of life. Even so, I stand firmly on my belief that I do not wish to be an Oscar Meyer Weiner, for that is truly what I don't want to be.

Hot Dog Etiquette

The Dos and Don'ts of Hot Dog Dining

Do...

Serve sesame seed, poppy seed and plain buns with hot dogs. Sun-dried tomato buns or basil buns are considered gauche with franks.
Eat hot dogs on buns with your hands. Utensils should not touch hot dogs on buns.
Use paper plates to serve hot dogs. Every day dishes are acceptable; china is a no-no.
Condiments remaining on the fingers after eating a hot dog should be licked away, not washed.
Use multi-colored toothpicks to serve cocktail wieners. Cocktail forks are in poor taste.

Don't...

Put hot dog toppings between the hot dog and the bun. Always "dress the dog," not the bun.
Use a cloth napkin to wipe your mouth when eating a hot dog. Paper is always preferable.
Take more than five bites to finish a hot dog. For foot-long wiener, seven bites are acceptable.
Leave bits of bun on your plate. Eat it all.
Use fresh herbs on the same plate with hot dogs. It over does the presentation.
Use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18.Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable.
Send a thank you note following a hot dog barbecue. It would not be in keeping with the unpretentious nature of hot dogs.
Bring wine to a hot dog barbecue. Beer, soda, lemonade and iced tea are preferable.
Ever think there is a wrong time to serve hot dogs.

Classic Commercials

I love a great hot dog commercial.

Hot Dog Statistics

There will be a test later.

In 2009, consumers spent more than $1.6 billion on hot dogs and sausages in U.S. supermarkets.
Los Angeles residents consume more hot dogs than any other city.
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport consumes SIX times more hot dogs, 725,000 more than Los Angeles International Airport and LaGuardia Airport combined.
During Hot Dog Season, Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs or 818 hot dogs consumed every second during that period.
On Independence Day, Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs, enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. over five times.
U.S. soldiers in military posts around the world from Fort Meyers in Arlington, Va. to Okinawa, Japan to Aqaba, Jordon consumed 2.4 million hot dogs last year.
Use a cloth napkin to wipe your mouth when eating a hot dog. Paper is always preferable.
According to data ending January 24, 2010 more than 730 million packages of hot dogs were sold at retail stores, not including Wal-Mart, which does not report sales data. That number represents more than1.6 billion in retail sales.
The summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day continue to make up the "hot dog season". Hot dog producers estimate that an average of 38 percent or $614 million of the total number of hot dogs are sold during this time. Ten percent of annual retail hot dog sales occur during July, which is designated as National Hot Dog Month.
There is only one major league ballpark that sells more sausages than it does hot dogs... Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI.