This Is Why Burger King Hot Dogs Were A Major Flop

Burger King, already known for its expansive menu filled with every kind of fast food burger you can think of, tried something new in 2016 and introduced hot dogs for its customers to try. The chain decided to offer their hot dogs two ways, per CNBC, the Classic and Chill Cheese dogs. While the former was a flame-grilled hot dog topped with mustard, ketchup, relish, and onions, the Chili Cheese hot dog included shredded cheddar cheese and chili. Both all-beef dogs were served on fresh buns.

Back then, Alex Macedo, the president of Burger King North America, explained that diners would be able to modify their hot dogs by adding or removing toppings from these two options to have their meal prepared to their preference. "We wanted it to be the Whopper of hot dogs," Macedo explained to CNBC. "The Whopper is America's favorite burger, and we want this to be America's favorite hot dog." Unfortunately, the franchise was not able to achieve the same success with its hot dogs as it had with its infamous burger.

So, what exactly went wrong with the Burger King hot dog? Well, reviews weren't promising, to say the least. The New York Post wrote that the hot dogs were not even able to make an impression compared to what you'd get from a regular street stall; adding that the Classic was so dry it couldn't be saved by its toppings like mustard and ketchup, while the watery Chili Cheese option was packed with beans and lacking flavor. 

When a Burger King fan took to Reddit to mention how the menu item had been discontinued, one user expressed their relief and wrote, "I tried them once and they sucked. Small, hard, rubbery hot dogs lost in a sea of relish and mustard." Another major complaint against the Burger King hot dogs was that they were frequently served burnt. Yikes. Several Twitter users mentioned being disappointed by the hot dog and the fact that it was too burnt to enjoy. Clearly, Burger King's hot dogs simply didn't live up to their hype and couldn't steal the show from more trustworthy items on the menu, like the Whopper.