Mark your calendars because July 16 is National Hot Dog Day. It’s the perfect day to indulge in our favorite treat, and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious IKEA hot dog or veggie dog?
How Did National Hot Dog Day Start?
National Hot Dog Day was established to celebrate the humble hot dog, a staple of American cuisine enjoyed at ballparks, backyard barbecues, and street vendors for generations. This day is simply about savoring that perfect bite of a hot dog, whether you like it plain or loaded with toppings.
IKEA Hot Dogs: Why They Are So Good
IKEA isn’t just about stylish furniture, home decor, or hacks; it also serves some of the best hot dogs and veggie dogs around.
You know the feeling – tired from wandering through the IKEA maze and paying for a cart full of items you never intended to buy – the bliss of biting into a smoky hot dog, meaty, juicy with the right snap.
It’s not surprising IKEA has perfected the art of making hot dogs. They are one of the biggest hot dog vendors in the world, selling more than 100 million hot dogs every year.
And as if that were not good enough, they are winning the crowd over with veggie dogs. I’ve yet to try one, but I heard the plant-based veggie dog is just as good (if not better!).
But How Did A Swedish Furniture Store End Up Selling Hot Dogs?
The story is that in the late 1980s, IKEA began selling hot dogs at a few of its stores in Sweden, thanks to the initiative of a young employee named Chatarina Berglund. During a warm summer in 1983, Chatarina worked at the ice cream bar near the checkouts when a customer asked, “Do you only sell ice cream? No hot dogs or anything?”
Inspired by the query, she proposed the idea to her restaurant manager, Lars Eriksson, who was initially uncertain. But the next day, he turned up with a shopping trolley containing a small portable stove, a saucepan, a bag of hot dog sausages, and some buns—and mustard and ketchup, obviously.
He allowed her to test the concept. The hot dogs sold out quickly, leading to a permanent addition to IKEA’s food offerings. A week later, restaurant manager Lars caught up with Chatarina and handed her a white envelope. It was a cinema ticket to thank her for her commitment and inventiveness. “That was a great boost for me as a 20-year-old! Lars ordered many more hot dogs, and the hot dog bar was eventually refurbished and given a bigger stove,” Chatarina explained.
But it was Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, who insisted that an IKEA hot dog should cost far less, even half as much, as one you would buy from a hot dog stand in the city. And it couldn’t be just any old sausage; this had to be a frankfurter-quality sausage. It should be the perfect way to end a visit to IKEA.
“They should cost no more than the loose change in people’s pockets,” said Ingvar.
Enjoy Hot Dogs For Under $1
In keeping with Ingvar’s legacy, IKEA has lowered the prices of its hot dogs. Hot dogs are $0.75, and veggie dogs are $0.65. Crisp onions and cabbage are $0.25 each. For a buck, you can relish a satisfying bite to conclude your IKEA shopping trip.
Enjoy IKEA hot dogs at the Swedish Bistro after the cash registers, and don’t make the rookie mistake of looking for them at the IKEA Restaurant (that’s for meatballs.)
Share your IKEA hot dog moments with us using the hashtag #IKEAHOTDOGDAY. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. How do you like your hot dog? Are you team traditional or team veggie?