Hot Dog Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts during Fourth of July holiday

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - The Fourth of July holiday is upon us, which means people will be eating a lot of hot dogs.

But, there are rules to eat by, says the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, a group that celebrates hot dogs as an iconic American food.

The Hot Dog and Sausage Council has released a list of rules of “hot dog etiquette.”

For instance, don’t eat a hot dog on a glass plate. Use a paper plate. And for that matter, no cloth napkins. Use a paper napkin to wipe your mouth.

And certainly, don’t use a fork or knife.

Scroll below for more do’s and don’ts of hot dog etiquette.

Don’t put hot dog toppings between the hot dog and the bun. Always “dress the dog,” not the bun. Condiments should be applied in the following order: wet condiments like mustard and chili are applied first, followed by chunky condiments like relish, onions and sauerkraut, followed by shredded cheese, followed by spices, like celery salt or pepper.
Do serve sesame seed, poppy seed and plain buns with hot dogs. Sun-dried tomato buns or basil buns are considered gauche with franks.
Don’t use a cloth napkin to wipe your mouth when eating a hot dog. Paper is always preferable.
Do eat hot dogs on buns with your hands. Utensils should not touch hot dogs on buns.
Do use paper plates to serve hot dogs. Every day dishes are acceptable; china is a no-no.
Don’t take more than five bites to finish a hot dog. For foot-long wiener, seven bites are acceptable.
Don’t leave bits of bun on your plate. Eat it all.
Don’t use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable.
Condiments remaining on the fingers after eating a hot dog should be licked away, not washed.
Do use multi-colored toothpicks to serve cocktail wieners. Cocktail forks are in poor taste.
Don’t send a thank you note following a hot dog barbecue. It would not be in keeping with the unpretentious nature of hot dogs.
Don’t bring wine to a hot dog barbecue. Beer, soda, lemonade and iced tea are preferable.
Don’t ever think there is a wrong time to serve hot dogs.

July is National Hot Dog Month, and the NHDSC said that some of the top hot dog consuming cities include: Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, DC, and Tampa.

National Hot Dog Day is July 17.

Peak hot dog season is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, where Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs. That’s 818 hot dogs consumed every second during that period.