Hot Dog Hot Spot: Burger King (really)

In yet another foray into the land of commercial wiener vending, I brave a trip to Burger King to test their grilled hot dog. The franchise made big waves in the world of hot dogs last year when they added wieners to their burger-heavy menu. It sort of made sense, after all, both are items you would grill in your backyard. Still, early reviews were not promising. But, I wanted to give the chain a fair shake, so after finishing my virtual baseball tour, and with my trusty dog in tow, I headed for the drive-thru of my local Burger King.

Let's begin with what they do right. The dogs are served in a cardboard coffin like you would receive your dog in at Yankee Stadium. These containers ensure that your hot dog arrives intact and helps with a smooth transition from the drive-thru window to the interior of your car. My dog was salivating so the aroma must be alluring...at least to canines.

Upon opening the box I nearly screamed. Ketchup. They put ketchup on their hot dog. No one over the age of twelve should be able to put ketchup on a hot dog and keep a clear conscience. If you do this, and are an adult, please stop eating hot dogs right now; your are desecrating what Americans hold dear.

Burger King does put their franks on a fresh bun, and the meat is split down the middle to ensure an even grill throughout. The condiments added automatically includes relish, mustard, onions and of course the silly ketchup. Then I bit in and savored the taste while my drooling pet watched.

The verdict. Not a great dog...but not a terrible one either. I'd give it a solid five on a scale of ten. I wasn't expecting much, but at least it was warm, fresh and didn't taste like llama ass. Additionally, it was kind of small and cost over two bucks after tax. My recommendation would be if you want a hot dog, seek out a local hot dog cart. If you want a fast food burger then Burger King is a decent option. Hot dogs, are not, and will never be, their forte. When you have burger in your business name, stick to what you do best and leave the hot dogs for the experts. My dog on the other hand, gives it five stars and was ready for her own.

Now that I have momentarily worshipped the false idol of a burger chain drive-thru hot dog, I am born again and back to hitting real hot dog hot spots. The next time I am at Burger King, I am getting fries.