The Ultimate Ranking Of Hot Dog Toppings

There's truly nothing quite like a good hot dog, and there's certainly no shortage of ways to customize your hot dog experience into something truly savory, delicious, and over-the-top. There are nearly countless hot dog variations out there and quite a few toppings that will elevate any given dog, but sometimes the tastiest ones are those that keep it simple, bearing nothing more than a bun, a wiener, and a single go-to topping of choice. But such a sentiment begs the question: What is the best hot dog topping of all time? 

As a certified hot dog lover and someone who enjoys the handheld food very likely more than the average person, I knew I was up to the task of ranking hot dog toppings. Now, this wasn't necessarily an easy list to come up with, since I tend to prefer dogs that have lots of toppings as opposed to just a single one (and as a Chicagoan, I am quite partial to Chicago-style dogs). That said, after careful thought, consideration, and trips down memory lane, I concocted a definitive list of 15 hot dog toppings, ranked from worst to best. My criteria include how well a given topping pairs with a hot dog, how well it works without backup toppings, and how well it adds a new flavor dimension to the mix (as opposed to just piling on more of a savory flavor profile that the hot dog already has). 

Coming in dead last place on this list is none other than mayonnaise, a condiment that I don't hate by any means — but keep it away from my hot dog. Unfortunately, mayo didn't stand much of a chance here, because it just can't stack up to other condiments like mustard or ketchup. It doesn't pack a tangy punch, it doesn't bring anything particularly exciting to the table, and a hot dog simply drizzled with a squiggle of mayonnaise just looks straight-up sad.

My biggest gripe with a mayo dog in terms of flavor is that the condiment isn't bringing anything new to the table. Mayo is super creamy and rich, but you're already getting a ton of richness from the sausage itself. If mayonnaise were to be working in tandem with another condiment — like, say, we were talking a spicy mayo of some sort — then this ranking would be a different story. But as-is, plain, white mayo is not a sauce I'd ever put on my hot dog, and I'm sure that many fellow frankfurter lovers out there can rally behind that sentiment. 

Cream cheese may seem like an oddball ingredient to even consider putting on a hot dog, but it actually does play an important role in the highly delicious jalapeño popper dog. Paired with other popper-inspired goodies like jalapeños, bacon bits, and perhaps some shredded cheddar cheese, cream cheese works quite well on a hot dog; on its own, though, I just can't imagine willingly putting it on my hot dog.

I do have to at least give cream cheese a smidge of credit over something like mayonnaise, because while they both offer creamy flavor profiles, the former at least edges the latter with a hint of tanginess. So if you were to smear CC on your hot dog and call it a day, you'd at least have a little flavor diversity to contrast against the savory wiener. Otherwise, you'd be left with a pretty odd hot dog, and one that I certainly wouldn't want to be stuck eating.

The idea of some sort of pickle on top of a hot dog, be it whole or in relish form, is certainly not a new or bad one. When it comes to garnishing a frank with pickles, though, it is crucial that you choose the right kind to get the job done. Relish is great, and trust when I say that we will touch on it down the line. Something like a pickle spear, though? Less successful.

Now, before you come at me with your (pickle) spears, know that I do fully acknowledge their place on a Chicago dog, but they just don't belong on every other dog. One, the spear can get slightly awkward to eat as you make your way down the dog, and I find myself often having to remove the latter half of the spear when I eat a Chicago dog and take bites of it separately. Two, while a pickle does add a nice level of acidity, crunch, and perhaps some dill flavor, it can almost seem overwhelming on the dog when it's not paired with anything else. 

I'm certainly not going to sit here and argue that bacon isn't an undeniably tasty hot dog topping. Much like cream cheese, it has a distinct place on jalapeño popper dogs and Sonoran hot dogs, but on a plain old hot dog with nothing else? Bacon simply isn't the topping I'd reach for, and once you really think about it, it makes a lot of sense. 

Bacon and hot dogs are already very similar food products in that they're both rich, savory, and generally pork-based, so topping a hot dog with essentially more hot dog just seems a bit redundant. I genuinely don't think I'd be able to finish a bacon dog, one void of any other topping besides bacon, due to sheer richness alone. Now, am I denying that the first bite or two wouldn't still be pretty good, if not a bit redundant? Of course not. But I don't want to have to tap out after a few bites, so for that reason alone, bacon just couldn't rank any higher on this list.

Caramelized onions are sort of like a culinary cheat code, a food that isn't all that hard to whip up but one that instantly brings an air of richness and decadence to whatever you choose to use them on. So, clearly, as a caramelized onion fan, I'm not going to sit here and say that they're a bad hot dog topping. But I'm also not going to say that they'd be my first (or second or third) choice as a topping, because they just don't bring enough diversity to the plate.

Much like with bacon, I believe topping a hot dog with caramelized onions just might be touching on the same flavor profile a little too much. Sure, the rich, buttery goodness would taste great, but it'd be a slog to get through that entire hot dog without any hint of tanginess or freshness to balance it out. I would at least flavor caramelized onions over bacon, since they would at least provide some added sweet and slightly pungent notes. 

On the opposite end of the flavor spectrum while still somehow using the same base ingredient as caramelized onions, we have pickled red onion, which definitely introduces an intriguing potential flavor profile to the mix. While caramelized onions are heavy on the rich, buttery notes, pickled red onions pack a bright, tangy, and acidic punch — all flavor notes that would work well on a wiener.

There are so many creative uses for pickled red onions out there, and I'd argue that hot dog topping is one of the more obviously delicious avenues to take. That brightness and crunch would contrast perfectly against a snappy frank and soft bun, and the acidity would help contrast the richness of the hot dog as a whole. My only hesitation with pickled red onion, and the reason it's only ranking so high, is because does ultimately become a bit one-note in flavor. That tanginess can only stretch so far before the palate longs for some sort of creaminess or sauce.

Although I'm not always looking for a spicy element on a hot dog, there's no denying that it adds a level of intrigue to an otherwise mild sandwich. There are a few ways one could go about adding spice to a hot dog, but there's really only one absolutely right choice: adding jalapeños. Whether you opt for fresh or pickled jalapeños, they add such a new dimension to a hot dog that is genuinely very delicious and unexpected.

While fresh jalapeños are usually my first choice, I have to really give credit to pickled ones in the hot dog-sphere. Not only do the pickled peppers add just the right hint of spice (and often a spice that's a little more tempered than that of fresh ones), but they add a big dose of acidity, with both flavor profiles contrasting nicely against the rich nature of the dog itself. Jalapeños do ultimately work best when paired with other toppings, though, and that spice can be overpowering at times, to the point where the hot dog's richness almost becomes the background flavor. So, for these reasons, jalapeños are only ranking around the middle.

When I was a kid, there was no hot dog topping that could beat cheese. As an adult, I still have to give plenty of credit to cheese, but with a more realistic perspective. It's a great hot dog topping; it works incredibly well with the flavor of the wiener itself, and it sort of performs double-duty as a distinct topping and condiment.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of adding cheese to a hot dog is that distinct level of savory goodness that you get. Now, I've complained about savory overload with certain toppings at other points on this list, and I will say that cheese can teeter in this direction, hence why it's only ranking at No. 8 (Sorry to my younger self). But cheese does manage to slightly break free of the overly savory curse, since it sort of adds a dimension all its own that's, well, straight-up cheesy. Overall, cheese is a great topping, but there are simply better, slightly more complex ones out there.

There's a good chance that many people out there have never even considered putting coleslaw out there, much less have actually experienced a slaw dog themselves. But I'd argue that coleslaw -– classic, creamy, slightly sweet coleslaw -– is an underrated hot dog topping, and it's one that I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up to.

Coleslaw works so well as a hot dog topping because it packs quite a few elements into one cohesive garnish. You've got crunch from the cabbage, creaminess and sweetness from the sauce, and ideally a little bit of acidity packed in there, too. Coleslaw is also a super bright, tangy topping, so it contrasts really nicely against that starkly savory sausage. My only real complaint about coleslaw is that it can be a tad bit messy, but hot dogs are sort of messy handhelds by nature. Also, coleslaw isn't an all-the-time hot dog topping, so realistically, I could only rank it so high in the grand scheme of ultimate garnishes. 

I'd argue that, of all the toppings on this list, sauerkraut might be the most divisive due to its super sour, tangy, and fermented flavor profile. But to me, all of those flavor notes are exactly what makes kraut such a winning topping, and why it's ranking overall pretty high on the list.

I'm not going to say that I'm always in the mood for a big serving of sauerkraut on my hot dog, but it's definitely one topping that manages to always sound pretty good. While there are plenty of other toppings on this list that might add a certain level of tang, spice, or flavor dimension to a savory dog, sauerkraut is unique in what it brings to the table, and for that reason alone I will always sing its praises. I will relent that sauerkraut is ultimately better accompanied by at least some sort of condiment, and I will also acknowledge that it's simply not for everyone. So for all these reasons, I felt that kraut was best-suited for sixth place on this list — almost in the top five, but not quite.

Breaking into the top five on this ranking is none other than ketchup, a condiment that is surprisingly controversial in the wiener world. While you should keep the ketchup off of a Chicago dog, it absolutely belongs on hot dogs in certain contexts.

What I like about ketchup on a hot dog is that it manages to add a distinctly tangy, slightly sweet, and acidic flavor profile without much effort. Ketchup also has a certain brightness that translates well to hot dogs, and overall, it almost always ends up enhancing the dog instead of bringing it down. My slight qualm with ketchup is that it can sometimes lean a bit too sweet, which can start to overwhelm the palate and mask the general savoriness of the sausage itself. Generally speaking, though, ketchup is a great topping; maybe not my absolute favorite, but one I'm never going to be disappointed by. 

Chili is one of those absurdly messy, over-the-top hot dog toppings that almost shouldn't work, but it somehow does (and tastes great while doing so). While I do think chili is best on a hot dog paired with cheese, it has the gumption to stand on its own, hence why it's earning pretty high praise in this ranking.

What I love about chili is that it's sort of a topping cheat code since you're getting so many ingredients and flavors in one cohesive sauce. Depending on the exact chili you're working with, your hot dog will receive an instant meaty, bean-infused, spiced upgrade, along with one that boasts extra savory and perhaps even some tangy notes to boot. It's true that chili can lean heavily on the savory and rich side, but those spices and diced onions help keep it from being too overpowering to the dog itself, resulting in a truly exceptional (albeit messy and sometimes sloppy) topping.

Although it may be slightly controversial for diced onion to land in third place, I steadfastly stand by this decision. I could happily eat a diced onion-topped dog anytime, and while I would prefer it with a drizzle of some sort of condiment, I wouldn't be all that disappointed if only diced onions were available.

Onions just pack that perfect pungent flavor profile to contrast against the rich hot dog, one that just works time and time again. Those crisp, slightly juicy, and pungent notes are simply irresistible on an otherwise savory and soft dog, and I especially love the textural element that onions bring to the mix. I understand that onions might not be for everyone, or at the very least, not all on their own. But for me, diced onions really do transcend other toppings, standing out as a sort of underdog that deserves praise. All that said, there are just two toppings out there that (in my humble opinion) manage to outrank onions, if only slightly. 

Relish is another one of those toppings that almost feels like a cheat code since you get both a chunky, substantial garnish and a condiment all in one. Part pickle, part sauce, and all parts delicious, relish is an absolute classic hot dog garnish, and one that simply never lets me down.

Much like other successful toppings on this list, relish excels in its distinctly tangy, acidic flavor profile, which helps cut the richness in the hot dog. It also adds an impeccable crunch to the soft dog, along with a pop of freshness that not all toppings can lay claim to. There are also different types of relish out there, meaning whether you want it dilly or sweet, you can basically have it all with relish. That level of versatility and sheer deliciousness speaks for itself, so without a doubt, relish deserves its silver medal on this list.

This hot dog ranking has been quite the journey, but dear reader, could any other topping besides mustard have truly deserved first place? Perhaps it feels a bit safe or obvious, but to me, no hot dog topping can compete with good old, classic mustard.

What makes mustard such a successful condiment is that it encompasses everything I've sung praises for at different points in this article. It adds a nice tanginess, acidity, and brightness to the dog, but it also adds a slightly pungent and vinegary note. While I am a yellow mustard gal myself, I'm considering all types of mustards in this slide — honey mustard, brown mustard, Dijon mustard; they're all great, and they all deserve a place on a hot dog. Basically, you can't go wrong with mustard, and if there's one topping that I think truly can stand alone and always taste good on a hot dog, it would be that distinct yellow sauce. For all of these reasons, mustard wins the hot dog topping race, and dare I say with flying colors.

When coming up with this hot dog topping ranking, I considered those toppings that are not only tasty or classic, but ones that really, truly upgrade the handheld in some capacity. To me, a truly good hot dog topping complements the wiener and bun without overpowering it, and can also bring a unique flavor to the mix. Those toppings that bring some element of freshness, brightness, tanginess, or acidity fared better on this list, whereas those blander or overly-rich toppings were less successful. Another major thing I considered in this ranking was how well a given topping could stand on its own, with those standalone toppings naturally faring better.