Jul 04, 2025
How Hot Dogs Became the Star of July 4 in America
Hot dogs may be American icons today, but they came from German and Eastern European sausages brought by immigrants in the 1800s
Originally made from pork and beef, all-beef hot dogs emerged thanks to Jewish-American butchers following Kosher dietary laws
In 1867, Charles Feltman sold sausages in buns from a cart at Coney Island, serving 4,000 in one summer alone
Feltman expanded fast, opening Ocean Pavilion in 1873; by the 1920s, he sold 40,000 hot dogs daily to millions of guests yearly
In 1916, Nathan Handwerker left Feltman’s and opened his own stand, selling 5¢ hot dogs and starting Nathan’s Famous
Nathan’s strategy of affordability and taste clicked during hard times; his brand became a national symbol of American food
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every July 4 since 1972, is now broadcast by ESPN and draws global attention
On July 4, Americans eat 150 million hot dogs; with 20 billion consumed yearly, they’re the true flavor of summer in the US
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