# How do you hold your hot dog? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612 "2020-02-27T20:25:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/1 "2020-02-27T20:25:23Z")
I was reading a thread about hot dogs in Cafe Society, and it made me think of something I’ve wondered about. I grew up holding hot dogs on buns like a sandwich: top bun on top, dog in the middle, bottom bun on the bottom. But sometimes when I see photos of people eating them, they’re holding them with the hot dog facing up (so the bun is essentially U-shaped). I guess that would make more sense when eating one with a lot of toppings (I eat mine plain), but I wonder if it’s a regional thing. So, a poll (assuming I can figure out how to make it work). How do you eat your hot dog? ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/2 "2020-02-27T20:27:07Z")
U-shaped, hot dog on top. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/3 "2020-02-27T20:59:24Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > U-shaped, hot dog on top. The only time I don’t hold it that way is if the bun splits into two pieces. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/4 "2020-02-27T21:07:18Z")
Depends on the toppings, but usually dog up. Since the proper way to dress a hot dog is to dress the dog, not the bun, any other orientation increases the likelihood of mustard on your shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/5 "2020-02-27T21:13:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Depends on the toppings, but usually dog up. Since the proper way to dress a hot dog is to dress the dog, not the bun, any other orientation increases the likelihood of mustard on your shirt. Yeah, I like mustard and relish and it is the only way to hold it not to spill the toppings. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/6 "2020-02-27T21:15:18Z")
Dog up. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/7 "2020-02-27T21:49:30Z")
I’m 67 now, so I have to hold it myself. In my drunken youth I usually managed to find a young lady to hold it for me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/8 "2020-02-27T22:12:16Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > I’m 67 now, so I have to hold it myself. In my drunken youth I usually managed to find a young lady to hold it for me. 😃 Aaand I realize now that I left out a poll option! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/9 "2020-02-27T22:25:33Z")
Eat the pickle spear. Eat the tomato(es). Assess and evaluate the sport pepper distribution; rearrange as needed. Eat the remainder, bun slit up. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/10 "2020-02-27T22:50:28Z")
I guess it doesn’t matter much in any practical sense if you don’t put any toppings on it, though you will look like a oddball. But hey if you don’t care about what people think of you, eat it with the dog facing down for all I care. But the direction is up, toppings are the reason, and now they even sell buns that are top split for beginners who haven’t graduated to proper side sliced buns which makes the whole dog tastier. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/11 "2020-02-27T23:33:01Z")
The dog has to face up. Otherwise your sauerkraut or relish or chili or whatever fall off. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/12 "2020-02-28T00:01:03Z")
Chicago Dog/Drag it through the garden. I never saw a topping for a hot dog that I didn’t like. U-shaped/dog up. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/13 "2020-02-28T00:07:39Z")
Chicago Dog/Drag it through the garden. I never saw a topping for a hot dog that I didn’t like. U-shaped/dog up. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/14 "2020-02-28T00:27:00Z")
The first time I had a u-shaped bun was at a working class bar in Providence R.I. when I was visiting friends. They’re not common in SoCal. At least that I’ve found, but I’m not a big hot dog eater. I associate the u-shaped bun with lobster rolls more than hot dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/15 "2020-02-28T00:37:54Z")
On a stick. (Corn dogs) (:)) I didn’t vote 'cause you needed an ‘other’ category. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/16 "2020-02-28T00:56:23Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Eat the pickle spear. > Eat the tomato(es). > Assess and evaluate the sport pepper distribution; rearrange as needed. > Eat the remainder, bun slit up. That’s pretty much how I do it, except I save the pickle spear for “dessert.” ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/17 "2020-02-28T01:16:21Z")
Since the Polish Sausage phase-out, our only choice at CostCo is a doggy delivered with bun sticking to wiener. Pry the bun apart, squirt onions + relish + spicy mustard+ catsup aboard, add kraut, and try not to dump the toppings. Chili dogs elsewhere are quite messy. A tablespoon works best. Doesn’t matter whether bun, dog, chili, onions, or cheeze are on top. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/18 "2020-02-28T01:34:03Z")
I’m not quite sure I understand. Are you just referring to a hinged bun? Isn’t that pretty much the standard everywhere? If you have yours with the top and bottom of the bun completely separated, you are definitely in the minority. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/19 "2020-02-28T02:22:57Z")
U-shaped, so the KETCHUP doesn’t drip out. Actually, you left out an option: the “good girls” way, like how Amy Farrah Fowler eats a banana. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612/20 "2020-02-28T02:54:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > U-shaped, so the KETCHUP doesn’t drip out. KETCHUP? BURN THE WITCH! Okay, hot dog up because I always dress it with chili, or kraut and mustard, or full Chicago, and everything would fall out if I ate it sideways. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hold-your-hot-dog/848612.md?page=2)