17-07-2025
Chicagoans chow down to celebrate National Hot Dog Day
Summertime is peak hot dog season, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans eat 7 billion hot dogs. Chicago is number four on the list of top hot dog-consuming cities — and plenty of Chicagoans were enjoying hot dogs on Wednesday, whether they knew it was National Hot Dog Day or not.
Relish Hot Dogs can be found at Michigan Avenue and Jackson Drive in Grant Park, right across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago. The first item on the menu is the all-beef original Chicago hot dog — with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt — on a poppyseed bun of course.
"Ketchup available on request," the menu says. But to many Chicagoans, adding ketchup to a Chicago hot dog is less appealing than a sardine sundae.
Every order at Relish Hot Dogs counted as a celebration this National Hot Dog Day. It is a day Relish Hot Dogs owner Michelle Olszanski… relishes.
"It is a holy holiday here in Chicago, because we do have the best hot dogs around," she said.
The Godfreys from Minneapolis were enjoying Chicago hot dogs for the first time. It may soon become a tradition.
"It's like a crunchy hot dog, 'cause it has like all like the pickles," said Evy Godfrey, 10.
"Three bites and it's gone," said Auggie Godfrey, 15.
"Yeah, I'm trying to savor it," said Vilu Godfrey, 12.
But for exchange student François Delestrade of the Toulouse area in France, setting aside an entire day to honor hot dogs is a bit of a foreign concept.
"Yeah, it's good, but I prefer French gastronomy," Delestrade said.
Well, who wouldn't like French gastronomy? But in Chicago, one must indulge.
And let's be honest — National Hot Dog Day is a holiday Chicago can celebrate any day.
