Here’s Why There Are 10 Hot Dogs in a Pack, But Only 8 Buns
I'll never understand why this wasn't fixed a long time ago!
It’s a food dilemma that’s been haunting people around the world for too long…and we’re finally ready to right this wrong. You know what we’re talking about. You’re at the store trying to stock up for your backyard party, and you always end up with more buns than hot dogs. Ugh!
There’s a reason why 10 hot dogs and 8 buns in each package is the norm, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.
How many hot dogs come in a pack?
If you’ve been grilling lately, you’ll know that hot dogs come 10 to a pack—a nice, even number. Why 10? Because hot dogs are sold by the pound, and standard-sized hot dogs sold in stores weigh 1.6 ounces, so of course, 10 is the perfect number for a package. This started in 1940 and remains so today.
How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?
When it comes to buns, it’s not weight that comes into play, but baking pans. According to the National Hot Dog Sausage Council (NHDSC), “Sandwich rolls, or hot dog buns, most often come eight to the pack because the buns are baked in clusters of four in pans designed to hold eight rolls.” Yep, there’s a council for hot dogs.
So why 10 hot dogs and 8 buns?
It’s always been that way. But it would make sense to match up the amounts of buns and hot dogs per package, wouldn’t it? It’s beyond irritating every time you go to the grocery store to buy at least two packs of buns per pack of hot dogs to make sure no dog is left alone. Well, the “Condiment King” Heinz has decided to put its foot down on the age-old debate.
July is officially National Hot Dog Month. To celebrate, Heinz has begun a campaign called the Heinz Hot Dog Pact to finally make big hot dog companies and big bun companies agree on a single number of products per package—10! This is most definitely a cause we can get behind.
Now that you know why there are uneven numbers of buns and hot dogs in a package, find out where you can finally get 10 dogs and buns per pack!
