Kirkland Signature Beef Hot Dogs Vs Dinner Franks: What's The Difference?

Anytime we walk through Costco's doors, we end up loading up on way more than we originally planned. There's just this magic in Costco that makes you want to grab everything. Since summer's fast approaching, you might find that you've grabbed some Kirkland hot dogs for the grill in a Costco-induced trance. In a hurry, you might grab both the Kirkland Beef Hot Dogs and the Dinner Franks together. They both say "beef" and the packaging doesn't make it super obvious which one you need ... so which should it be?

Here are the differences between the two. The Beef Hot Dogs are your classic, bun-length franks — the standard, 6-inch size you'd expect for a typical hot dog. Dinner Franks, meanwhile, are supersized hot dogs. In fact, they're the same as the hot dogs that they serve in their food court. Each weighs about a quarter pound and, according to Costco, is "8% larger than the typical ¼ pound link" (we checked, and sure enough, with each link being 4.3 ounces per the packaging, it is indeed 8% larger than your average 4-ounce dinner frank).

Standard hot dogs start at $13.99 for a 14-pack and go up to $22.69 for a triple-pack (that's 36 links). Dinner Franks sit at $20.42for 15 links — fewer franks, but way more meat on each one. Pick whichever matches your crowd and their appetite.

Standard Beef Hot Dogs are your go-to for traditional cookouts where hot dogs are one of several dishes. After the hot dogs are poached-and-grilled, they slide into soft buns perfectly and give your guests room to load up on toppings like relish, mustard, and onions. Perfect for gatherings where you're feeding a crowd and want to stretch your dollar further. These are also your go-to for small appetizers or when you're grilling for kids.

The Dinner Franks, on the other hand, are best as highlight-of-the-cookout pieces. Their jumbo size means they're almost always the center of attention. At tailgates or sporting events, you can serve them with some dip or a plethora of toppings, and they'll do a fine job filling bellies solo. Even better if you've got some hearty dishes like baked beans or coleslaws on the side, as the Dinner Franks will pair with them awesomely.

For two totally different cookout scenarios, Costco's made it easy to get exactly what you need, all for cheap. It's why we can't stop loading up whenever we walk through those doors!