Americans Consume 818 Hot Dogs Every Second (and 5 More Barely Believable Wiener Facts)

We’re now in peak wiener season, folks. Hot dogs are a beloved pastime found at backyard barbecues, picnics, and even cocktail bars across the country. Even though hot dogs are sold in 10-packs and buns are sold in packs of eight — for infuriating, logistical reasons — it’s no secret that Americans love these tubular meat treats, and the numbers back it up.

Believe it or not, the U.S. has a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), and it graciously consolidated America’s consumption stats using sales data from supermarkets and major league ballparks to keep us up-to-date on our shared hot dog habits. Read on to discover five surprising facts about America’s favorite cookout staple.

1. Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs during peak season.

The NHDSC defines peak hot dog season as the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and hot dog producers estimate that about 38 percent of their total annual sales occur over this period. During this time, Americans collectively eat about 7 billion hot dogs, which works out to about 818 hot dogs every second — a rate that would shock even Joey Chestnut.

2. Americans eat 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July.

Apparently, there’s nothing more patriotic than roasting weenies. The Fourth of July is such a popular holiday for hot dogs that Americans enjoy 150 million of them on that day alone — if linked end to end, that’s enough to reach from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles over five times.

3. Los Angeles eats the most hot dogs by weight.

L.A. takes the crown for consuming the most hot dogs by the pound, with New York and Dallas close behind. This might be partially due to the L.A. Dodgers’ recent success, as fans consumed 2.7 million hot dogs at the baseball team’s stadium in 2019. This represents a hefty 14.7 percent of the total 18.3 million hot dogs eaten across all MLB stadiums that year.

4. Paducah, Kentucky eats the most hot dogs per capita.

Big cities and their large populations have a clear advantage when it comes to who eats the most hot dogs by weight. But per capita, a new star emerges: topping the list is Paducah, Kentucky, followed by North Carolina’s Greensboro and Charlotte.

5. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is a hot dog hub.

Even though Chicago only ranks fourth on the list of cities that eat the most hot dogs by weight, the Windy City’s international airport remains a hot spot for these meaty snacks. Passengers at the O’Hare Airport consume six times more hot dogs than those at Los Angeles International Airport and LaGuardia Airport combined.

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