You Won't Believe How Expensive This Hot Dog Is

We all love the almost naughty feeling that comes with dining out at a restaurant. Even if it's simply a hop over to Burger King for huge bites of meaty beef burgers, eating out is always a treat compared to the efforts involved with home dining — any amount of money is worth paying to avoid mopping up the mountains of mess.

Although that's not necessarily a good enough reason when certain food prices are considered — particularly those of fancy dining establishments. Caviar, foie gras, and Wagyu beef are some of the most valuable cooking ingredients, according to BBC Radio 4. In the case of the spice saffron, it would literally be cheaper to purchase gold (but crunching through it probably wouldn't do your teeth much good).

A highly unusual combination of fast food and exquisite dining comes in the form of the world's most expensive hot dog. The hot dog officially declared to be the planet's most costly by Guinness World Records has held the title since 2014 — and you won't need any fried onions in your face to find the figure eye watering.

With retail sales of hot dogs hitting $2.8 billion across the U.S. (according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council), there is clearly plenty of money to be soaked up by selling hot dogs. However, it's likely that few people would be able to afford Guinness World Records' official most expensive hot dog: the $169 offering of Seattle's Tokyo Dog.

Named Juuni Ban, the hot dog of riches consisted of a smoked cheese bratwurst topped with butter Teriyaki onions, Maitake mushrooms, Wagyu beef, foie gras, black truffles, caviar, and Japanese mayo — plus a bun, of course (via Guinness World Records). Six dogs were sold to achieve the record, and profits were given to charity.

The Juuni Ban tops the 2012 winner held by Capital Dawg in California, which sold for $145.49, notes Guinness World Records. An unconfirmed hot dog champion is reported by SuccessStory as costing $2,300 in New York. This wiener boasts toppings including saffron, onions caramelized with champagne, and edible gold leaf.