Happy National Hot Dog Day!
This is one of those “National ____ Day” things I can get behind!
We are in the middle of PEAK hot dog season, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. According to Zippia, West Virginia and both Carolinas are the country’s leaders when it comes to loving a good grilled dog.
But how do you do your condiments? Apparently, we’re all doing it wrong, because hot dog ettiquette says that you should never place condiements between the bun and the dog, and 75% of people do the opposite.
And, yes, there is a hot dog etiquette website. And it is glorious.
For instance, some DO’s of hot dog eating:
- Serve sesame seed, poppy seed and plain buns. Sun dried tomato and basil buns are considered gauche.
- Eat hot dogs on buns with your hands. No utensil shall touch a hot dog on a bun.
- Use paper plate. Every day dishes are also acceptable, but don’t break out the good china.
- Use multi-colored touthpicks to serve cocktail wieners. Cocktail forks are in poor taste.
Some DONT’S:
- Use a cloth napkin. Paper is always preferable.
- Take more than five bites on a normal-sized hot dog. For foot-longs, seven bites are acceptable.
- Use ketchup on you dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are okay.
- Send a thank you note following a hot dog barbecue. It would not be in keeping with the unpretentious nature of hot dogs.
There’s also a handy video!
