Free wieners for National Hot Dog Day

Hot dog lovers rejoice!

National Hot Dog Day is this week.

And that means you’ll be able to scarf down free and discounted wieners like a hungry Joey Chestnut.

National retailers like 7-Eleven and Sonic Drive-In, along with local purveyors like DogTown Hot Dogs in Middletown, will be cutting prices on their hot dogs Thursday, while Philly Pretzel Factory will be giving away pretzel dogs as part of this year’s festivities.

Just don’t tell them they’re celebrating on the wrong day.

“I hate to say it, but National Hot Dog Day is actually on Wednesday,” said Janet Riley, president of the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council.

The Washington, D.C.-based clearinghouse on all things cased meat is a branch of the North American Meat Institute – the organization that first established National Hot Dog Day in 1991.

“July has been National Hot Dog Month since the 1950s, but the first National Hot Dog Day was established to coincide with a hot dog lunch we sponsor on Capitol Hill every year,” explained Riley, whose business card bears the title “Queen of the Wien.”

“One year, the event was held on July 23 and now everyone thinks that’s the date of National Hot Dog Day,” she said.

In fact, National Hot Dog Day is the third Wednesday of July – except this year when it will be held the fourth Wednesday because July 1 also was a Wednesday.

Really, the whole situation is messier than a chili dog with the works.

This year’s National Hot Dog Day Lunch – on Wednesday – will feature former Major League Baseball players Mookie Wilson and Bill Buckner, the hero and goat of the 1986 World Series, along with former Cincinnati Red Tony Perez.

“Hot dogs and baseball just go together,” Riley said. “They’re both symbols of America.”

And that iconic status is why so many national chains have jumped on National Hot Dog Day, even if they have the wrong day.

And even if they specialize in pretzels 364 days out of the year.

“Hot dogs and pretzels are both super yummy,” said Megan Burke, owner of the Philly Pretzel Factory off Naaman’s Road in Brandywine Hundred.

“Hot dogs are all-American, while you probably grew up with pretzels if you’re from the Tri-State area, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

The first 300 guests who visit Philly Pretzel Factory’s three Delaware locations – including franchises in Bear and Rehoboth Beach – will receive a free, all-beef Dietz & Watson dog wrapped in a Philly pretzel with American cheese.

At Burke’s franchise, revenue from any pretzel dog sold after the freebies are exhausted will be matched dollar for dollar in the form of a donation to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Don’t forget, that’s on Thursday.

Thursday is also when hot dog lovers will be able to find deep discounts on frankfurters across the state.

In honor of not-really National Hot Dog Day, 7-Eleven will sell its all-beef Quarter Pound Big Bite hot dogs for just $1, while Sonic will be selling its American and Chili Cheese Dogs for the same price.

DogTown will be selling its Plain Jane dogs for $1.50.

“Is it National Hot Dog Day again already,” DogTown owner Patti Lindstrom said when asked what day she’ll be marking the holiday. “To be honest, I didn’t even know it existed until last year, but now I feel it’s my duty to celebrate every year.”

Johnnie’s Dog House on Concord Pike in Talleyville will celebrate National Hot Dog Day by unveiling three new menu options – the S’mores Dog, topped with Nutella, Fluffernutter and crushed grahm cracker; the Tequila Sunrise, a deep-fried, bacon-wrapped dog topped with a fried egg and melted cheese; and the Destroyer Bowl, a base of chopped up hot dogs and hamburger topped with mac and cheese, a layor of bacon, a layer of French fries, then chili, fried onions and hot sauce.

Other hot dog hot spots in Delaware are less inclined to recognize the big day.

Link lovers won’t find any deals at Deerhead Hot Dogs’ three New Castle County locations or Doghouse on North DuPont Highway in New Castle.

But you don’t need discounts – or even the right day – to celebrate National Hot Dog Day.

Just one of the 20 billion weenies sold in the U.S. each and ever year.

“Just don’t eat them with ketchup,” Riley said. “That’s improper hot dog etiquette.”

Contact Scott Goss at (302) 324-2281, sgoss@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ScottGossDel.