It's National Hot Dog Day! Here Are Our Top 3 Hot Dog Franchises. If you really, really love hot dogs, then odds are you'll really, really love these franchises.
By Matthew McCreary •
July is the best month for hot dogs. The weather is just right for grilling, and everyone wants to be outside. Joey Chestnut always sets new records for eating hot dogs at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on the Fourth of July. And of course, there's the fact that July 18th is National Hot Dog Day.
If you love hot dogs as much as Joey Chestnut does, you should take a look at the businesses on our Franchise 500 list that serve hot dogs. We'll list the top three here, but you can see the full list of hot dog franchises here.
1. 7-Eleven
7-Eleven sells more than just hot dogs, but the hot dogs and Big Gulps are probably some of the first things you think about when you think about 7-Eleven. The convenience store franchise is ranked No. 2 on the 2018 Franchise 500 after finishing No. 1 in 2017.
The company has the sort of long track record you'd look for in any top franchise. It was founded in 1927 and it's been franchising since 1964. Today, there are more than 62,000 7-Eleven locations around the world -- up nearly double since 2008.
If you're interested in franchising, you can learn more about the company by visiting the 7-Eleven franchising website.
- CEO: Joseph DePinto
- Business headquarters: Dallas
- Franchising since: 1964
- Initial investment: $37,550 to $1,149,900
- Initial franchise fee: $10,000 to $1,000,000
- New units in 2017: 3,336 units (5.7 percent)
- Training: 240 hours on the job, 24 hours in the classroom
- Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, regional advertising, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program/app
Related: The 5 Best Pizza Franchises You Can Start Today
2. Wienerschnitzel
Wienerschnitzel was ranked No. 166 on the 2018 Franchise 500 list. There aren't quite as many Wienerschnitzel locations as there are 7-Eleven spots (320 in our 2017 counting, compared to the 62,000), but what the company lacks in quantity, it makes up for with its focus. The company offers original, angus beef or polish sausage options with a variety of toppings.
Wienerschnitzel has been franchising since 1965, and you'll need a net worth of $600,000 to get started. If you're interested, you can learn more by visiting the Wienerschnitzel franchising website.
- CEO: Cindy Galardi Culpepper
- Business headquarters: Irvine, Calif.
- Franchising since: 1965
- Initial investment: $303,600 to $1,443,000
- Initial franchise fee: $10,000 to $32,000
- New units in 2017: -2 units (-0.6 percent)
- Training: 336 hours on the job, 48 hours in the classroom
- Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, regional advertising, social media, SEO, email marketing, loyalty program/app
3. Hot Dog on a Stick
Hot Dog on a Stick is a 72-year-old company, but it's relatively new to the franchising game (it started franchising in 1997). So it makes sense that the majority of the company's locations are company-owned. In our 2017 count, there were 63 owned by the company, compared to 17 U.S. franchises and nine international franchises.
Hot Dog on a Stick was ranked No. 432 on the Franchise 500, making it the final hot dog franchise to make the list. You can learn more about the company by visiting the Hot Dog on a Stick franchising website.
- CEO: Chris Dull
- Business headquarters: Atlanta
- Franchising since: 1997
- Initial investment: $338,200 to $556,000
- Initial franchise fee: $15,000 to $25,000
- New units in 2017: 1 units (1.1 percent)
- Training: 32.5 hours on the job, 35.5 hours in the classroom
- Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, regional advertising, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program/app
