The Best Fast Food Hot Dog Is Also A Store-Bought Favorite

If you're out and about and hungry for a quick hot dog, there are plenty of options. Hot dogs are many things to many people — to some, a sausage from a streetside stand is a late night snack; to others, a couple in a backyard is a full lunch. Different countries do different things with their wieners, like this flavorful and multi-textural hot dog from Colombia. If you're looking for more standard dogs, many fast food restaurants carry them. Those who don't have time to drive around and test out all the options can rest assured, because our reviewer tried 12 different fast food hot dogs and ranked them from worst to best. The number one spot is the chain that specializes in hot dogs: Nathan's Famous.

Our reviewer appreciated the history of this hot dog. The 110-year-old company uses a secret recipe that earned the chain the top spot. The 100% all-beef and taste of garlic won our reviewer over. What could once only be found on Coney Island is now all over the world. But if you don't have one near you, check your local supermarket — Nathan's Famous is also our top-ranked store-bought hot dog brand!

Online, the reviews of Nathan's Famous can be mixed, as people point out that some locations near them are ghost kitchens serving pale imitations of the original. Nathan's partnered with Franklin Junction, a company that connects brands with host kitchens. The company works with Denny's, so when you order Nathan's Famous online, you'll often end up getting food from Denny's. On Reddit, people report many of their Nathan's orders coming from Denny's. A reviewer on Yelp detailed their ordeal at a Nathan's Famous ghost kitchen in Santa Monica, writing "Fries were microwaved. They got my order wrong. I was given a small fry, instead of the large I ordered (and paid for). When I asked the employee, they just fought with me, so I left with the order, as I didn't want to fight with a teenager over fries."

Thankfully, the original location still impresses. On Google, it has 4.3 stars with over 15,000 reviews. One reviewer agreed with our ranking of the hot dog, writing: "... a Brooklyn tradition and a must-do every time I'm in Coney Island. You know exactly what you're getting — delicious hot dogs on a perfectly crisp bun and their iconic fries with cheese sauce." If all else fails, instead of having a disgruntled teen make your hot dog at a ghost kitchen, pick up a pack of Nathan's new deluxe hot dogs from Sam's Club and grill them yourself!