Burger King to Debut Flame-Grilled Hot Dogs

Burger King is ready to add another backyard grilling staple to the menu: hot dogs.

The chain is rolling out its new Grilled Dogs to restaurants this week, and they’ll be available nationwide by Feb. 23.

Yahoo Food got a sneak peek at the new hot dogs, which are a custom 100 percent beef and spice blend made specially by Oscar Mayer for Burger King. The biggest difference between these hot dogs and others served at gas stations and ballparks around the world is that they are “flame-grilled” like the burgers at Burger King. They come in two varieties: Classic ($1.99), with ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, and relish (although any item can be left off; never forget: “Have it your way”), and Chili Cheese ($2.29). Both are served on a baked bun, which isn’t toasted.

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Burger King brass think they have a hit on their hands. Alex Macedo, the president of Burger King in North America, said the company was impressed by how the Grilled Dogs performed during six weeks of market testing last year in Salt Lake City, Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, and Memphis.

“We’re tapping into a category that’s huge,” he said. “We might not have the expertise to start serving spaghetti, but hot dogs, we do.”

When the hot dogs fully launch on Feb. 23, Burger King will become the largest restaurant in the nation to serve them, he said.

Macedo even went so far as to say it was his favorite sandwich on the menu, until Yahoo Food asked him to weigh in on the philosophical debate that plagued the Internet last year: Is a hot dog really a sandwich?

“I knew you picked up on that,” Macedo replied. “I should say an item, just to be safe.”

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