In the nineteenth century, Indiana implemented some of the nation’s toughest “blue laws.” These laws aimed to protect Sundays from activities like alcohol sales, and surprisingly, the sale of hot dogs. Indiana’s legislation played a pivotal role in recording the first known print use of the term ‘hot dog.’ On September 14, 1884, the Evansville Courier & Press mentioned, “Even the innocent wienerworst man will be barred from dispensing hot dog on the street corners.”
The introduction of German sausages like weisswurst, bockwurst, and blutwurst into America became as common as baseball. According to Bruce Kraig, author of “Hot Dog: A Global History,” hot dogs were firmly rooted in American culture by the 1890s and were widely associated with ballparks. The famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York further connected them to American traditions.
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council notes there are 19 regional varieties across the U.S. These include the French-fry-topped Cleveland “Polish boy,” the bacon-wrapped Sonoran dog, and the renowned Chicago dog, known for its seven traditional toppings and poppy seed bun. Despite these diverse styles, hot dogs have played a role in international diplomacy, also known as “hot dog diplomacy.”
Before World War II, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the first reigning British royals to visit the U.S., were served hot dogs by President Roosevelt. The king reportedly asked for more, according to The New York Times. President Kennedy enjoyed hot dogs while attending a baseball game in 1963. During a visit to the Des Moines Packing Co. plant in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev tasted his first American hot dog. Fidel Castro experienced the same during his 1959 trip to the Bronx Zoo. Khrushchev famously remarked that while the Soviet Union excelled in the space race, “you have beaten us in sausage-making.”
Globally, hot dogs remain popular. In Argentina, Gloria Ousset, aged 74, visited a New York suburban landmark, Walter’s Hot Dogs. She reminisced about the crunchy taste her local Argentine hot dogs used to have, comparing them to those at Walter’s. “Now,” she says, “they’re very bland.”
In a unique cultural statement, artists Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw installed a 65-foot hot dog sculpture in Times Square in 2024. The sculpture gained attention as, daily at noon, it expanded and released confetti.
In 2023, comedy writer Jamie Loftus released a celebrated book titled “Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs,” chronicling her journey through various hot dog locations across the nation. Loftus sees the hot dog as a fitting representation of the U.S., stating that, “It is a source of joy and nostalgia for so many people.”