Burger King launching grilled hot dogs this month

Burger King is about to become the biggest restaurant seller of hot dogs in the country.

The fast food chain is broadening its beef kingdom to include two different kinds of grilled hot dogs permanently hitting the menu at its roughly 7,100 U.S. locations later this month. The launch has Burger King poised to steal a sizable bite of a market dominated by convenience stores, wholesale clubs and retailers like Home Depot.

With the addition of a classic grilled dog and a chili cheese dog, Burger King is also expanding its menu to include one of America's favorite processed meats at a time when the fast food industry has been scrambling to find ways to appeal to more health-conscious customers with additions such as kale salad and sides of fruit.

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After testing the franks in five markets last year, Burger King North America President Alex Macedo says there's no doubt an appetite for higher quality dogs at a lower price point.

"It was the biggest market test that we ever did," he says. "We haven’t been as excited about a product announced like this in a long long time." Macedo compares the launch to that of Burger King's most well-known burger, the Whopper.

Burger King partnered with Oscar Mayer to create a proprietary 100% beef hot dog, which Macedo says will stand apart from most options consumers have because it is "flame grilled" in the restaurant instead of boiled or put on a "roller," the cooking method often seen in convenience stores. The classic hot dog will sell for $1.99 and the chili cheese dog for $2.29.

Burger King joins smaller fast food companies including Dairy Queen and Sonic as one of the few major restaurant chains to offer hot dogs, an item typically relegated to summer barbecues and 4th of July celebrations — and still far overshadowed by hamburgers regardless.

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About 14% of all restaurant visits include a hamburger order, vs about 1.5% that include a hot dog order, says Warren Solochek, president of the food service practice at market research firm The NPD Group. And other NPD data show the popularity of hot dogs has faltered recently. Servings fell 4% last year compared to 2014, though they were still up at convenience stores and small restaurant chains.

While the trend could be interpreted as a lack of customers clamoring for hot dogs, Solochek says it could also mean Burger King has the opportunity to take over a category that doesn't face a ton of competition.

If you can put something on menu that most competitors don't have, "it sets you apart," he says.