Mustard Still Second to Bun for the 5th Year Straight, Says the Triple D Hot Dog Celebrity Brand
Every dog has its day and for Hot Dogs, it’s the same one: this year on Wednesday, July 18, National Hot Dog Day.
And according to the Queen City’s Hot Dog Darling, MUSTARD is still King. Charlotte-based JJ’s Red Hots, one of the rare Hot Dog-centric restaurants to be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network, based its study on more than 1,000,000 Hot Dogs served during the brand’s first 6 years and its sales data during that time.
National Hot Dog Day changes its date more often than not and is determined by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, which bases the date according to the Congressional Calendar and the National Hot Dog Lunch on Capitol Hill.
According to JJ’s, which has featured more than 350 toppings on its Hot Dogs since 2012 and has mastered close to 300 unique creations in its heralded Dog of the Week program, America loves their Hot Dogs with the following toppings, in order of preference:
- Mustard – most popular for five years running
- Chili – the Avis (we’re number 2, so we try harder …) of Hot Dog toppings
- Relish – on the rise from 5 last year
- Sauerkraut – up two spots and always steady
- Onions – down one; breath mint, anyone?
- Cheese – still popular with paired with mustard and chili but a little weaker when alone
- Bacon – number seven with a bullet, up two spots
- Tomatoes – new entry, even besting its offspring ketchup
- Salsa – new entry, one that makes you go Hmmm
- Ketchup – the personal pariah of both Dirty Harry and JJ’s founder and proprietor Jonathan Luther
“Every day is National Hot Dog Day at JJ’s. We do the classics better than anyone and everything on this list you’ll find in our restaurants,” said Luther. “I think the reason ketchup is so low on our list is because of the glare I give guests when they order it. I’m with Dirty Harry on that particular topping. But for real, it is not as popular as it once was with so many other choices available.”
JJ’s opened its first location in 2012 to much fanfare and fireworks (literally, they opened on July 4) and its Ballantyne location in 2013. JJ’s Uptown location opened January 3, 2018. Even prior to the Triple D feature, JJ’s was never really a well-kept secret due to winning all of Charlotte’s best Hot Dog honors for the past six years.
“We like to think of National Hot Dog Day as JJ’s Red Hots Day because we are completely unbiased and humble,” said JJ’s chief brand officer and social media guru Brandy Newton. “But on the day when the rest of the world is watching, we’re featuring $2 All-American Hot Dogs, which feature the perfect combination three of the top five most popular toppings. So, come see us at JJ’s, where we demand that you Don’t Dis’ the Dog.”
In addition to the Triple D segment, the brand made waves when it made Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for two years running. Most recently, JJ’s was named by Tabelog as One of The 10 Most Unique Hotdog Joints in America, was cited by Spoon University as The 50 Best Foods to Eat in Charlotte Before You Die and as one of the 10 Best Hot Dog Joints Across the State by North Carolina’s Our State magazine.
JJ’s Red Hots is the premier purveyor of “hand-crafted” char-grilled hot dogs and sausages with three locations and several portable vehicles in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The restaurant concept is built on solid, hardworking values and is modeled after venerable establishments like Ted’s in Buffalo, NY, Gene and Jude’s in Chicago, and many others. Still, JJ’s is a true American original featuring house-made, scratch prepared sides and toppings served alongside time tested, revered American brands like Weber’s Mustard, Martin’s Rolls, Cheerwine and Coca-Cola. Perhaps most proudly, JJ’s Red Hots serves smokehouse hot dogs from Sahlen’s Meat Packing Company in Buffalo, NY. Sahlen’s is a 146-year-old company that remains family owned and operated, and makes, in our opinion, the best hot dogs in the world.