Let’s Be Frank—How To Celebrate National Hot Dog Day Today

Get a dog baked in a waffle, topped with Dusseldorf mustard or smothered in chili.

July 19, 2017

Catherine Toth Fox,

Celebrate National Hot Dog Day today with a frank—or two!—from Hank’s Haute Dogs.

Photo: Courtesy of Hank’s Haute Dogs

The origin of the hot dog may be disputed—some say it originated in Frankfurt, others argue a butcher in Coburg, Germany created it first—but one thing is true: Americans eat a lot of them. On average, we devour 50 dogs a year, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, 86 percent of them topped with mustard. Between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day—essentially all summer—we’ll consume 7 billion hot dogs.

“I believe there is something in the basic composition of a hot dog that has a solid appeal to most people,” says chef-turned-hot-dog-entrepreneur Hank Adaniya, owner of Hank’s Haute Dogs in Kaka‘ako. “The sausage itself is easily handheld, the salt content is naturally appealing and it’s pretty easy to eat with your hands. No complex etiquette there … In short, people love hot dogs because they make you smile.”

So, naturally, there needs to be a food holiday for the beloved frank.

That day is today.

Across the nation, restaurants and chains including Burger King, Hot Dog on a Stick and Sonic Drive-In are offering special deals today for National Hot Dog Day.

Here are some ways you can celebrate your favorite frankfurter in Honolulu:

2-For-1 Deal at Hank’s Haute Dogs

This gourmet hot dog shop is offering a shareable deal: Buy one Hank’s Franks ($4.25) and get a second one free, while supplies last. This classic is a premium, all-beef, natural-casing hot dog topped with Adaniya’s favorite Dusseldorf mustard, Chicago green relish, diced onions and a dill pickle spear.

Available between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last. 325 Coral St., (808) 532-4265, hankshautedogs.com

Franks at Manifest

From left, the Chicago dog, the Seattle dog and a classic chili dog, all served at Manifest.

Photos: Enjy El-Kadi

Manifest offers three specialty beef hot dogs from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.: a Chicago dog, Seattle dog and chili dog. The Chicago dog mixes crunchy and spicy with onions, tomatoes, pickles, peppers, mustard and relish. The Seattle dog, smothered in cream cheese, deli mustard and caramelized onions, feels like a heart attack waiting to happen. And the classic chili dog, topped with onions, deli mustard and grated cheddar, is exactly what you’d expect—warm, messy and satisfying.

$6 each, 32 N. Hotel St., manifesthawaii.com

Get Your Dogs Here

Need three more spots to satisfy your hot dog craving today? We picked two hot dogs for our Cheap Eats issue last year. We love the waffle dog from KC Drive Inn, now sold at Hawai‘i’s Favorite Kitchens (3111 Castle St., (808) 744-0465), smothered in chili from Rainbow Drive-In next door. And the ultimate deal: the $1.50 hot-dog-and-drink combo from Costco. You can’t beat that.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries (95-1249 Meheula Parkway, Mililani, (808) 625-4897, fiveguys.com) in Mililani serves its franks kosher, with cheese or with bacon.

Or head to Waimānalo for specialty dogs at Pink’s (41-202 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Waimānalo, (808) 259-2500, pinkshollywood.com), the Los Angeles institution that opened at Sea Life Park in March 2015. The shop offers three types of dogs: a 9-inch standard, a spicy Polish and a jalapeño sausage. The Hawaiian dog is topped with coleslaw, pineapple and teriyaki sauce, of course.