7 Fast Food Chili Cheese Dogs, Ranked Worst To Best

A hot dog is iconic all by itself. It's not quite a sandwich (though many restaurants do try to categorize it that way), leaving it floating in a special little league all its own. Really, I shouldn't say little league. This is the big leagues, or the major leagues, if you will. The hot dog has cemented itself as one of America's favorite staples, making appearances at baseball stadiums, backyard barbecues, county fairs, and fast-food restaurants alike.

We have our friends in Germany and Austria to thank for the plain frank becoming such a hit here. But, as Americans, we had to take things a step further. I'd really love to meet the first person who decided a hot dog wasn't meaty enough, so they ladled a layer of chili on top, ensuring there was absolutely no chance of eating the thing cleanly. Of course, I'll likely never get that chance, and we may never even know who truly invented the chili dog. But what I can do is honor that person and their genius by trying a whole lot of them for myself.

I turned my attention specifically to the drive-thru for this endeavor, and tried several different fast-food chili dogs. Well, technically, they're all chili cheese dogs — because why not throw on a little bit of cheese while we're at it? It just feels right. On my hunt for the greatest fast-food chili cheese dog, I looked for rich, savory chili, juicy franks, and ample cheese.

Drive in, press the button, and wait for a carhop to bring you a classic Chili Cheese Coney. I don't think anyone would be surprised to hear that Sonic offers a range of hot dogs, from footlong franks to a corn variety. It's fitting on its menu of classic American grub — because Slushes, Refreshers, and ice cream treats need a savory counterweight.

The Chili Cheese Coney definitely brings the savory, from the hot dog topped with chili and shredded cheese, all on a bakery bun. But it didn't bring the flavor. The chain's website doesn't specify what kind of meat is used, though I would venture to guess it's not an all-beef product. It tastes far closer to a standard store-bought hot dog that's predominantly pork-based. That fact by itself would be just fine with me. Those are the kind of hot dogs that kill as a seventh-inning snack. But the rest wasn't all that spectacular either. The chili is just a simple, finely ground beef blend. It carries a light smokiness but also a strange chemical taste, and combines with the cheese to create a messy slop on top of the dog.

Some chili cheese dogs make you want to eat one every single day. Then there are ones like this that make you say, "Yeah, I don't think I need another one of those for awhile."

Another fast-food joint. Another Coney. Now, with A&W, I do have to reveal that I'm quite familiar with the chain's menu. I recently conducted a taste test of nearly every single item it offers. And wouldn't you know, the Coney Cheese Dog ended up as my least favorite on a list of different foods and drinks.

That didn't exactly leave me with high hopes for the dog's performance in this more specialized ranking. And unsurprisingly, not much has changed since the last time I tried it. Just like last time, most of the problems revolve around the dog itself. Sure, it's all-beef, but it has a tendency to be unforgivably dry. This one even looked like it was cooked to the point of being burnt. The outer casing was tough, making it hard to bite into. Even with a softer bun, this didn't bode well for the Coney's base.

A&W did try its darnedest to cover this up, though. The chain went heavy on the cheese sauce — what's essentially just a small step up from basic concession stand nacho cheese. It's good and creamy. The signature Coney sauce underneath also has a decent meaty tang to it and doesn't have a chemical taste. But there wasn't enough of it to go around. So as a whole, I'm still left pretty disappointed by this dog. The redeeming qualities don't outweigh the problems at the heart of this Coney.

Rally's must have been taking notes from A&W when it made its chili dog, or vice versa. The two use a nearly identical formula, from the all-beef frank and bun to the chili and overload of cheese sauce (which does cost extra, by the way). However, despite their similarities, Rally's execution is better.

Starting from the outside and working our way in, this bun was far softer and more inviting, like a supple little hot dog hammock. The grilled hot dog also offers a better flavor and texture — one that isn't tough and dried-out like A&W's. Together, those two components made for a pretty decent hot dog, but the toppings could still use some work. Neither the cheese sauce nor the chili brought much flavor to the party. I kept waiting for more of those spices to come through or for some kind of chili punch, but it never really arrived. Instead, the chili ended up tasting like little more than a cheap canned chili sauce (which I previously tried and ranked). The cheese just made it more wet and difficult to handle.

Rally's did throw in a few extras without me having to ask, including ketchup, mustard, and a few bits of red onion on top. I appreciated the additions, but they really didn't make much of a difference in the overall taste.

You may have noticed that some Dairy Queen locations are branded as DQ Grill & Chill. Well, hot dogs fall into the "Grill" category, along with all the other hot foods it sells, like burgers and chicken baskets. The "Chill" part, on the other hand, covers all of the chain's Blizzards and frozen treats (if that wasn't obvious).

You can order your DQ hot dog plain, with chili, or with both chili and cheese. That last option grants the ice cream shop entry into this taste test. I have to say, this frank went farther than I thought it was going to. I don't have many thing, good or bad to say about the beef hot dog itself. It's just okay, and I'd lump the bun in the same category — I actually found the bun to be a little bit stale. However, the chili on top does a great job distracting from all that mediocrity. Its dark color was intimidating at first, but it hints at a richer, more umami-filled flavor with a little bit of a kick. It also has all the right ingredients for a solid chili, including beef combined with tomato paste, chili powder, onions, green peppers, and cumin.

Even though the shredded mild cheddar cheese doesn't make much of an impact, the chili alone does enough to help Dairy Queen surpass other picks like Rally's and A&W. It's a small, yet surprising win for the ice cream peddlers.

Skyline evokes strong feelings. As a lifelong Ohioan, I know plenty of people who love the chain's Cincinnati-style, cinnamon-infused chili (yes, you heard that right, cinnamon-infused). At the same time, I know of others who won't go within 50 feet of the sweet-and-savory combo. I myself am fairly unbiased on the topic. I can often take it or leave it, but I do think Skyline's Coneys have a leg up on some of the more stereotypical fast-food dogs. Hey, at least the chain dares to be different.

The magic of the Skyline Coney is all in the chili and cheese. I've had the plain hot dog and bun before, and it was just unnatural. It felt like something I shouldn't be seeing, let alone eating. It's only when the Coney is dressed up that it really shines. I like that the chili is sweet and smooth, but at the same time meaty and heavy on the spices. The cinnamon gives it a unique flavor profile, but one that still plays well with the familiar notes of chili powder and garlic. Throw on a heap of melted shredded cheddar, diced onions, and a little mustard onto that steamed bun, and it's not too shabby. They're good enough and small enough to make you want just one more.I'm not saying this is the best fast-food chili dog out there, but I think more people should give it a chance.

If you're not from Ohio, you're probably not familiar with Swensons (one of the best regional fast-food chains). But all you need to know about the chain is that it turns back the clock and operates as a drive-in, similar to Sonic. It also sells a similar style of American cuisine as Sonic, though it puts more of an emphasis on the food rather than the drinks and throws in some deeply Midwestern favorites like fried bologna and egg salad sandwiches.

Naturally, that list also includes a Coney of its own. And just based on first impressions, this one looked like it meant business. This thing is heavy, with a beef frank that has the size and juiciness of a brat. It's by far the highest quality hot dog up to this point. Then, it doubles down with an excellent chili topping. It's thick and beefy as can be, and you can actually see the bits of onions and green pepper sticking out. Like Skyline's chili, it's defined by its sweetness. However, it's a different kind of sweetness, one that reminded me of a Sloppy Joe that's been laced with brown sugar.

One note is that this Coney does not automatically come with cheese. I had to tack on a slice of American for an upcharge. I thought it was weird that it came tucked in between the dog and bun. But it melted into something resembling cheese sauce and ultimately made the Coney even better.

It was a close call between Freddy's Chili Cheese Dog and Swensons' Coney. Both chains can walk away proud of the gourmet-style dogs they've created. However, since I had to pit one against the other, I have to give the award to Freddy's for crafting the most quintessential chili cheese dog, yet one that also has some unique elements.

Even though Swensons' beef frank was a bit bigger, Freddy's packs just as much flavor and even dials things up when it comes to smokiness. It truly tastes like a fresh-off-the-grill dog. On top, you'll find what I would refer to as a comfort food chili, with heartier bits of beef and heavy notes of onion, tomato, and savory, earthy spices. The frank certainly isn't lacking in the cheese department either. The entire thing is covered in a generous blanket of what appears to be shredded Colby Jack. All of that comes together to make one perfectly greasy, cheesy, over-the-top bite. And even with all of that going on, my favorite part might actually be the bun. Freddy's skips the traditional grocery store-style hot dog bun in favor of something bigger, thicker, and more buttery that closely resembles Texas toast.

Is it difficult to even pick up? Yes. Is it also the most expensive hot dog I tried? Yes, ringing up at $7.29. But believe me, it's worth the messy hands and the larger dent in your wallet.

Here in the Midwest, fast-food hot dogs aren't hard to find. You do have to look a little harder for chili cheese dogs, but even those are plenty abundant when you know where to look and are willing to drive a little farther to reach them. My own quest to pick up these franks took me all around the city, but it's okay because it was all in the name of finding the greatest chili cheese dog. As for ordering, I found the chili cheese dog or chili cheese Coney on each menu and ordered accordingly. In some cases, they automatically came with other toppings like onions or condiments. In other cases, I actually had to add the cheese separately. But still, I ended up with very similar dogs.

There isn't just one component that makes a chili cheese dog. There has to be an equal amount of effort from the frank, the chili, the cheese, and even the bun. I was looking for quality and juiciness from the meat. I didn't necessarily care if it was pork, beef, or some other combination of meat, but most ended up being beef anyway. The chili also had to be meaty and full of flavor, whether that was more classic chili spices or more unique flavors. I tended to prefer melted cheese rather than more muted nacho cheese, but for the most part, any cheese in a decent amount is good cheese. Lastly, the bun really just needed to be soft and at least somewhat hold everything together — though in Freddy's case, this was the last piece of the puzzle that really sold it for me.