Celebrate National Hot Dog Day In NoVA With These Deals

VIRGINIA— It's a staple for many families — throw some hot dogs on the grill for the kids while the adults eat steak or fish — and a must at food carts and ballparks. The dining industry says that Wednesday, July 17, is National Hot Dog Day — who are we to argue? — so Patch has compiled some of the best restaurant specials offered on the portable meal throughout northern Virginia.

The folks at Offers.com set out to poll 1,026 respondents about their favorite hot dog toppings. Turns out, Americans don’t need their hot dogs too fancy — ketchup and/or mustard will do just fine:

What is your favorite hot dog topping?

• Mustard – 33%
• Ketchup – 30%
• Onions – 11%
• Relish – 10%
• Coleslaw – 6%
• Cheese – 5%
• Chili – 2%
• Other – 3%

Which restaurant or vendor serves your favorite hot dog? Tell us in comments.

Check out some options for snacking below and bon appetit from Patch.

Note: Participation and pricing may vary by location and franchise. Be sure to call your location to confirm details.

Love’s: Get a free hot dog on July 17. Love’s has partnered with Schwab Meat Co. to give out free hot dogs at participating locations in 41 states. To claim this deal, get the barcode on Loves.com, on the Love’s app or via Loves’ social media pages from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 17. See details.

Paragon Theaters: The chain, which has locations in Maryland and northern Virginia, is offering a buy-one-get-one-free special on hot dogs on July 17. See details.

Philly Pretzel Factory: This promo was announced on the chain’s Facebook page. Starting at 11 a.m. on July 17, the first 100 customers get a free Pretzel Dog.

Pilot Flying J: Open the Pilot Flying J app on July 17 to find a coupon good for one free roller grill item, including hot dogs. First-time app users will also get a free drink. See details.

TravelCenters of America: This includes Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express locations. UltraONE loyalty program members can receive one free hot dog at participating locations. Jut visit the UltraONE kiosk and print out your coupon from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. See details.

Check the Offers.com website for a full list of restaurants nationally offering specials.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, hot dogs are a type of sausage that were introduced as frankfurters in Frankfurt, Germany, in the 1600s by butcher Johann Georghehner.

The origins of the name "hot dog" and the use of buns remain a mystery, however.
Some claim the hot dog became an American staple in 1893 when vendors began selling the sausages on buns at the Colombian Exposition in Chicago.

Others credit New York Journal cartoonist Tad Corgan with coining the name hot dog after he saw vendor Harry Stevens selling "hot dachshund sausages" during a game at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901. Corgan supposedly illustrated the scene with a dachshund dog nestled in a bun, although no copies of the cartoon can be found.

Maybe it was Charles Feltman, a German butcher, who served the sausages with milk rolls from his stand on Coney Island, New York, in 1871 or the German immigrants who sold hot dogs from push carts in New York City's Bowery as early as the 1860s.

There's one thing hot dog historian Barry Popick knows for sure. The hot dog was around in the 1890s. An article published Oct. 19, 1895, in Yale University's Yale Record mentions students "contentedly munching on hot dogs." He also found references to wagons selling hot sausages in buns outside Yale dorms as "dog wagons."

Includes reporting by Patch Editor D'Ann White.