If you’re thinking about investing in a hot dog business, then there are few franchise options better than Hot Dog on a Stick. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look into some of the other hot dog businesses. It’s good to understand who your competition will be and how they differ from Hot Dog on a Stick. Following are the four biggest competing hot dog businesses that you should learn a little bit about if you plan on investing in one of our Hot Dog on a Stick franchises:

Hot Dog Business Competition

1. Wienerschnitzel

Wienerschnitzel was established in 1961 and is known for the A-frame style of the roofs on their older restaurants. This hot dog business was founded by John Galardi, a former Taco Bell employee. Although they are called Wienerschnitzel, they do not actually serve the German food Wiener Schnitzel. They began franchising in 1965 and currently have around 358 franchise locations. All of their franchises are located within the United States with the exception of two, which are located in Guam and Panama. Wienerschnitzel is currently ranked 195th on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list.

2. Charlie Graingers

Charlie Graingers is a hot dog and bbq-focused restaurant chain that began as the Peacock Alley restaurant in 1939. Long after the restaurant had closed, the site of the restaurant was purchased by Louis North, who built a new restaurant and called it Charlie Grangers in 2012. There are currently 13 locations throughout the country, mostly throughout the south. However, they only recently began franchising and have plans to open another 350 locations throughout the country. Because they are so new to franchising, they have yet to earn a ranking on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list.

3. Nathan’s Famous

Nathan’s Famous arguably has the oldest history of any hot dog business. It was first established as a simple hot dog stand in Coney Island more than a century ago and was named after Nathan Handwerker, who co-founded the stand with his wife. His son began the expansion process in 1959, but the company didn’t begin franchising until 1988. By 2001, Nathan’s Famous boasted 24 company-owned locations, 380 franchised locations, and over 1,400 stores throughout the U.S., along with Guam and 17 other countries. Although their highest ranking on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list was 128th, they’ve since dropped to as low as 493rd.

4. Sam’s Hot Dog

Sam’s Hot Dog was first opened by Frank Lucente in 1983 in West Virginia. Sam’s Hot Dog focuses mainly on serving hot dogs, and they are known for their unique chili dog recipe. Lucente ended up opening five more stores before he began to franchise his business in 1990. There are now more than 45 franchise locations throughout the South, including not just West Virginia, but also North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Kentucky.

5. Dog Haus

Dog Haus is one of the newest hot dog businesses in the game. They first opened in Pasadena in 2010 and are known for their all-beef, skinless Haus Dogs as well as their burgers, which are served on Hawaiian rolls. Customers can also customize their hot dogs and burgers with more than 40 ingredients. They began franchising in 2013 and are currently nearing 20 locations.

These are five of Hot Dog on a Stick’s biggest competitors. While they don’t hold a candle to our Hot Dog on a Stick franchise, they are strong businesses in their own right. For more information about investing in a hot dog business, be sure to contact us at Hot Dog on a Stick today.