25 Best Cheap Hot Dog Stands Across the U.S.

GET YOUR FILL FOR LESS

Hot dogs, franks, weiners, weenies, or redhots. Whatever they're called and however they're topped, hot dogs are a perennial favorite of Americans across the country. They're also a classic staple for those on a budget -- even when dining out; hot dogs are often one of the least expensive options on the menu. In celebration of National Hot Dog Day, Cheapism set out to find 25 highly rated hot dog joints that offer a basic dog for less than $5. The result is a mix of classic shacks and shops that have survived for more than a century, along with newcomers that are testing diners' palates with unique flavors and exotic meats.

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EL GUERO CANELO, TUCSON, ARIZONA

El Guero Canelo has three locations in Tucson, serving traditional Mexican cuisine along with a Sonoran-style hot dog ($2.79) -- a hot dog wrapped in bacon, grilled, and topped with pinto beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapeño salsa, mustard, and mayo. It's served stuffed inside a bun so that even the ends are covered in bread.

TOP DOG, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA

Top Dog opened in 1966 and has been serving the Bay Area ever since. It offers up a selection of German, Polish, Italian, American, Portuguese, and veggie sausages and hot dogs for $3 to $3.75 each. Grilled and served on a toasted French roll, a Top Dog hot dog isn't fancy, but it is a local favorite.

PINK'S, LOS ANGELES

Pink's started as a hot dog cart in West Hollywood more than 70 years ago. Over time, a storefront replaced the cart and Pink's also makes appearances at county fairs and amusement parks across the country. There are several options to choose from within a $5 budget, including a chili dog (with or without sauerkraut), a Guadalajara dog, and the "super special" mushroom Swiss cheese dog. Standard dogs are 6 inches long, but stretch dogs, in 9- or 12-inch lengths, are also available, along with burgers and plenty of sides.

FAT JOHNNIE'S RED HOTS, CHICAGO

Fat Johnnie's looks like a cross between an ice fishing hut and a speakeasy, according to one Yelp reviewer. But don't let the outside appearance turn you away. Instead, order a super dog ($2.75), which comes loaded with cheese and chili, or the mighty dog ($4), a hot dog and tamale topped with cheese and chili and served in a bun. Sit down at the nearby picnic table and enjoy.

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SUPER DUPER WEENIE, FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

Super Duper Weenie has its own costumed superhero mascot and serves seven specialty dogs ($4 to $5 apiece). Each is decked out with a regional taste, such as the Chicagoan, Cincinnatian, or New Yorker. Reviewers delight in the flavors, prices, and service, although they note parking can sometimes be a challenge.

TOMMY'S ORIGINAL WORLD FAMOUS HAMBURGERS, LOS ANGELES

Tommy's may have hamburger in its name, but don't let that fool you. What makes the burgers great is the same thing that makes the dogs great: the chili -- and the fact that the place is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Chili dogs start at just $2.75. Add 50 cents for cheese.

BIKER JIM'S, DENVER

Biker Jim's serves a $5 all-beef hot dog, but you could also splurge a little and grab one of the less common varieties that have made the shop famous. Alaskan reindeer or pheasant dogs are $5.50. For $6.50, try wild boar, elk jalapeño cheddar, duck cilantro, southwest buffalo, or a rattlesnake and pheasant combo.

BLACKIE'S HOT DOG STAND, CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT

Blackie's opened in 1928 and has kept things simple since. The menu has just the basics: hot dogs, hamburgers, a few drinks, and ice cream cones or shakes. Locals love it, especially the homemade hot relish, and cheap meal enthusiasts will find it hard to argue with $2 hot dogs and $4 shakes.

NATHAN'S FAMOUS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Nathan's is a 100-year-old hot dog shop that's hit it big, with franchise locations across the country. The company's hot dogs and other foods can also be found in grocery stores nationwide. Wait with the crowds at the original in Coney Island to grab a plain hot dog, or a dog covered in cheese, chili, or both, for under $5.

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GENE AND JUDE'S, CHICAGO

Gene and Jude's makes the bare essentials -- hot dogs and fries -- and makes them well. A dog with fries costs $2.69 while a double dog with fries is $3.44, and comes with a choice of mustard, relish, onions, and sport peppers. But don't bother looking for ketchup. As is Chicago's tradition when it comes to hot dogs, Gene and Jude's doesn't offer it -- and hasn't since opening more than 60 years ago.

CAPITAL LUNCH, NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT

Hot dogs typically aren't expensive, but at $1.90 for a dog with mustard, onions, and "famous sauce," Capital Lunch may strike some as downright cheap. Cheese, sauerkraut, and extra sauce are 60 cents each. But it's not the prices that make the shop a local landmark. It's the dogs from Martin Rosol (a local meat shop), the homemade meat sauce, the friendly service, and the nostalgia.

Photo credit: Lafayette Coney Island/yelp.com

AMERICAN CONEY ISLAND AND LAFAYETTE CONEY ISLAND, DETROIT

Coney Island dogs in Michigan are topped with chili, cheese, and onions. American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island are two of the best known purveyors of this local classic. They're long-standing rivals set next to each other in downtown Detroit. Which is best? With prices of just a few bucks apiece, grab one from each shop and conduct your own taste test.

DOG HOUSE DRIVE-IN, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

A hot dog shack that fans of "Breaking Bad" may recognize, the Dog House Drive-In keeps things simple and cheap. Foot-long hot dogs with cheese are $3.70, corn dogs are $1.55, and shakes start at $2.49. The grilled dogs are split, and topped with cheese, chili, and onions before being served on a fresh bun.

RUTT'S HUT, CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY

Rutt's Hut is known for its mustard and as the home of "the Ripper." The dogs' casing is cracked and split open when the shop deep fries the dogs, making it look as though they're ripped. Rippers start at $2.20, with cheese an additional 45 cents. Side orders of fries, potato salad, vegetables, or sauerkraut are $1.70 to $2.20 each.

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CRIF DOGS, NEW YORK CITY

Crif Dogs serves all-beef, beef and pork, or veggie dogs topped with an assortment of condiments and sauces -- and lays claim to being "New York's No. 1 Weiner." A few signature concoctions fit the budget at $4.95, including the jon-jon deragon, a pork and beef hot dog topped with cream cheese, scallions, and everything bagel seeds. As a side note, if you visit at night, you may notice that people seem to disappear from the restaurant. The phone booth inside this hot dog hotspot is actually the door to speakeasy bar PDT.

Photo credit: Dicks-Hotdog-Stand-1-since-21-Official/facebook.com

DICK'S HOT DOG STAND, WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA

Dick's Hot Dog Stand has been in the family for 105 years and is currently run by the founder's son. Unlike some stands that have just a few items on the menu, Dick's also makes sandwiches, gyros, and omelets. Newcomers, however, may want to start with the classic super dog, a quarter-pound hot dog topped with mustard, onions, and homemade chili.

HAPPY DOG, CLEVELAND

Past patrons of Happy Dog's original location on Detroit Avenue (a second location at the historic Euclid Tavern opened in 2014) say it isn't a particularly fancy place -- more like a dive bar, actually. But that doesn't keep them from coming back for more. The dogs are $6 each, stretching past our budget, but Happy Dog deserves mention because the price includes as many toppings as you can stack on top, and there are 50 from which to choose, including oddities such as fried eggs and cereal. Tater tots, also available with toppings, start at $3.

ROAKE'S, PORTLAND, OREGON

Roake's has had several names over the years, but this hot dog stand has been a local hotspot since 1937. The menu offers a variety of dogs, burgers, and deep-fried sides, and most items are under $5, including a foot-long with all the toppings.

ESSIE'S ORIGINAL HOT DOG SHOP, PITTSBURGH

Known as the "O" by locals, Essie's Original Hot Dog Shop sells hot dogs for $4, which may seem pricey. But toppings, including mustard, relish, onions, mayonnaise, pickles, chili, sauerkraut, and ketchup, are free. Cheese is 98 cents a slice. Hungry diners can save by purchasing a second hot dog for 25 percent off every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Photo credit: olneyvillenewyorksystem/facebook.com

OLNEYVILLE N.Y. SYSTEM, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

This hot dog shop may have a clunky name, but it won a James Beard Foundation award in 2014 for its classic American food. The Providence location is the original and dates back to the early '50s, but Olneyville N.Y. System also has a second location in Cranston. Order the hot wieners, served with onions, mustard, and meat sauce, and pair with coffee-milk, a glass of milk flavored with sweet coffee syrup that's a local favorite.

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CORI'S DOGHOUSE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Close to Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University, Cori's DogHouse features an expansive menu and no item costs more than $4.25. More than 30 different signature hot dogs are offered, distinguished by region of inspiration, and each is less than $4. Opened in 2009, Cori's has quickly become a local favorite.

DIRTY FRANK'S HOT DOG PALACE, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Open from lunchtime till past midnight, Dirty Frank's starts with either a basic Vienna all-beef hot dog or a Tofurkey veggie dog on a steamed poppy-seed bun. A basic hot dog is $2.50 while the menu's most expensive dog ($6) is wrapped in bacon and topped with beef brisket, cheddar cheese, onion rings, and barbecue sauce. Choose from another one of the many menu options, or make your own by choosing from a variety of more than 25 toppings and sauces.

Photo credit: LuschersRedHots/facebook.com

LUSCHER'S, DALLAS

Luscher's invites customers to "Taste Texas Chicago Style," serving Chicago-style hot dogs alongside Texas barbecue. Most items cost more than a Lincoln, but there are three options that fit within a $5 budget: the Depression Dog, with mustard, onions, piccalilli, sport pepper, and fries on top; the Kraut Dog, served with spicy brown mustard and caraway kraut; and the Post Oak Red Hot, a beef and pork smoked frank with piccalilli, white onions, tomatoes, pickled sport pepper, and spicy brown mustard. Sides include baked beans and sweet potato steak fries.

BEN'S CHILI BOWL, WASHINGTON

A well-known counter restaurant in northwest D.C., Ben's Chili Bowl is a popular late-night hotspot (made a bit more famous when Barack Obama stopped by in 2009 just days before his presidential inauguration). Take a bite into the messy but delicious all-meat chili dog topped with mustard, onions, and chili and served with fries ($4.40). Or try the half-smoke with a quarter-pound pork and beef smoked sausage ($5.95), a jumbo quarter-pound turkey dog ($5.95) with similar toppings and sides, or a veggie dog sans chili ($4.40).

THE VANGUARD, MILWAUKEE

The Vanguard serves its share of hipster sausages, but it also has a classic pork and beef hot dog that can be dressed to suit your taste. Starting at $4, it's served on a warm roll with a choice of onions, sauerkraut, hot giardiniera, sport pepper, and relish. For an extra buck or two, style your dog based on seven different locales: Milwaukee, Seattle, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Tijuana, Mayville, or Buffalo. Pork brats and vegan chorizo or Italian-style sausages are $5 each before toppings.

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