Store-Bought Hot Dog Buns Ranked Worst To Best

Jenny Kellerhals Keogh/Mashed

Standing in the bread aisle at the grocery store, you might wonder, how different can all of these hot dog buns really be? And can you even tell the difference between them once there's a hot dog on it? I was also skeptical that there could really be a difference between so many buns that look so similar and function nearly identically, but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of hot dog buns out there, and what each brings to the table. While your choice of hot dog plays a starring role in this tailgate food staple, the bun is undoubtedly the foundation that it's all built on.

Classic hot dog buns usually come in packages of eight, are split along the side of the bun, and very often taste like your run-of-the-mill white bread. But there's also a larger world of hot dog buns out there, including brioche, potato, and pretzel buns, as well as rolls that are made with special dietary considerations. I took a taste of every style of hot dog bun I could lay my hands on, from brands that are available nationwide, to see which store-bought hot dog buns are really the best, and ranked them in order of worst to best to help you choose a better bun for your next get-together. For more information on how these hot dog buns were selected, please see the methodology slide at the end. Here's how they ranked.

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It might seem like the gluten-free option on a list of traditionally gluten-filled buns is an easy target for criticism, but I assure you that simply being gluten free is not what landed Schär's Gluten-Free Hot Dog Rolls at the bottom of this ranking. Gluten-free products are more widely available than ever, and are often just as appealing as their glutenous counterparts, if not indistinguishable. Unfortunately, these rolls are not that.

Available in packs of four for $4.99 at my local grocery store, the incredibly pale and strangely textured rolls have an almost rubbery outer crust, which is scored to indicate where to split the roll. But don't let that fool you into thinking that the roll is sliced and ready to eat, because it's not. Grab a knife to avoid awkwardly tearing the bun into lopsided halves, which could fall apart, given how crumbly and unstructured the roll's crumb is. The only thing holding the two halves together is the same rubbery outer crust that may also peel away from the roll's interior while you're holding it.

On the upside, the hot dog roll is mostly flavorless, with only a slightly grainy mouthfeel from the rice flour it's compromised of. It also doesn't dry out as quickly as I expected, leading me to think a spin in the microwave with a damp paper towel might improve the texture. Or you could skip the roll and just enjoy your hot dog plain, cutting out both the gluten and the additional calories from this lackluster bun.

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As far as hot dog buns go, the vast majority of options you'll find at the grocery store are your typical white bread rolls from the usual bread manufacturers. Bimbo Bakeries is no exception to that model, offering an eight-pack of classic white bread hot dog buns for $2.99 (on sale). And as you might expect, there isn't a whole lot of variation when it comes to your typical white bread hot dog buns — making the smaller features and flavors all the more important when comparing them.

The ideal white bread hot dog bun is soft and moist, but not so soft that it crushes in your hands. It's a touch sweet and a little buttery. It should open wide enough to comfortably cradle your hot dog and not split apart, and maybe even lay flat if you're into toasting your bun on the grill, too. Surprisingly, not all buns manage to live up to these standards.

Bimbo's hot dog buns are soft and sturdy, and even manage to lie flat without tearing, which is great news for the bun toasters out there. The flavor is mild, with a hint of sweetness, but no noticeable buttery notes to speak of. All of which makes Bimbo's hot dog buns a perfectly functional choice, but nothing to really set them apart from the crowd.

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I get it — it's awkward to show up to a tailgate and try to enjoy your convenient handheld chili dog without a bun, while standing in the middle of a parking lot outside of a stadium. Trying to explain to your friends all the nuances of your lower-carb diet over a round of cornhole also might garner you just as much ridicule as the visiting team. But in an effort to preserve some of the ritual of the tailgate chili dog without making an absolute mess of both the chili and your dignity, Arnold has introduced a line of Keto hot dog buns to keep you on top of your hot dog game. (You may also find these rolls under the Oroweat or Brownberry names).

While these rolls do still contain whole wheat flour, they are primarily made with wheat protein isolate, modified wheat starch, sunflower flour, and soluble corn fiber. They aren't celiac-friendly, but for those simply looking to cut carbs, they get the job done with only 16 grams of carbohydrates and 70 calories per roll. Flavor-wise, these taste like eating a piece of whole wheat bread, which is a little unusual when you're used to white bread hot dog rolls. But once you get acquainted with the slightly yeasty and bitter flavor, you wouldn't assume these were considered to be "healthy" buns. The texture is nearly identical to typical hot dog rolls, and they're plenty tender and moist for days after you've opened the bag.

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Brioche-style hot dog buns exist to elevate the lowly hot dog bun to more artisanal heights, offering a sweet and buttery flavor that's more pronounced than what you'll get with a classic white bread bun. So it's not surprising that brioche hot dog buns will cost you a little more than the usual competition. Nature's Own offers an eight-pack of Brioche Style Hot Dog Buns for about $4.49, which is only about a dollar more than a typical pack of hot dog buns. Unlike classic buttery brioche bread, these buns don't contain eggs, which is where the signature yellow tint of brioche usually comes from. Instead, Nature's Own adds annatto and turmeric to achieve the same color without using eggs.

Nature's Own brioche hot dog buns are noticeably sweeter and more buttery than a typical hot dog bun, with a yellow hue to the crumb and a shiny dark brown crust on top. While not pillowy soft, the buns are still tender and don't dry out quickly. On the downside, the rolls are sliced somewhat unevenly, with a thinner bottom portion and a much thicker top portion. They are also quick to split along the back edge if spread a little too wide, making them unfit for toasting, which is one of the most delicious reasons to get a brioche bun in the first place.

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The most widely available top-sliced hot dog buns on the market come from Pepperidge Farm, which makes hot dog buns in five different varieties, including top-sliced white, golden potato, and butter buns. Traditional side-sliced hot dog buns are also available in soft white and sweet Hawaiian buns. These top-sliced buns gently cradle both regular and bun-length hot dogs, with the emphasis on "gently."

Pepperidge Farm buns are incredibly soft, to the point that they're difficult to pull apart, and just as easy to crush. If cloud-like softness is your ideal hot dog bun texture, consider slicing these apart with a knife to avoid tearing and destroying them. They've got the same delicate sweetness you'd expect from a loaf of sandwich bread, and it's not hard to imagine a roll-up of ham and cheese fitting just fine in place of a hot dog. At $4.29 for an eight-bun pack, these buns feel a little more luxurious for the price than they actually are, but try to avoid using them with extra juicy hot dogs or condiments that are especially wet.

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Given how excited people get about a pretzel bun, I was surprised to see that there aren't more pretzel hot dog bun options more widely available. Pretzilla is one of only a few brands offering a selection of pretzel buns, which they've created for burgers, sliders, and sausages (or hot dogs). A package of four buns costs about $4.49 at Whole Foods, which might add up quickly if you're serving a lot of people.

The large buns are clearly meant to accommodate larger hot dogs and sausages, with plenty of space for mustard, sauerkraut, and any other toppings you'd like to pile on. But as far as the malty, tangy, and salty flavors of soft pretzels go, these buns are relatively mild. The dark and glossy bun perfectly mimics the look of a boiled and baked soft pretzel, but doesn't have any noticeable flecks of salt on top. The rolls also have a recognizable soft pretzel scent that gives way to a mildly sweet, white bread-like center.

Ultimately, Pretzilla's Soft Pretzel Sausage Buns are a fun upgrade to your usual sausage and hot dog repertoire, but they might not deliver the big pretzel flavor you're looking for. It turns out that if you want a really authentic pretzel roll experience, you'll probably have to make it yourself or find it from a local baker.

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Ball Park Hot Dog Buns are available just about anywhere you can buy hot dogs, and are essentially the platonic neutral of hot dog buns. You won't find anything exotic here, nor do they lean so heavily into white bread territory that you're essentially wrapping your hot dog in sandwich bread. Sturdy enough to lay flat, these might be the best rolls of the bunch to toast on the grill with a little extra butter for more flavor. They aren't quite as sweet or buttery tasting as many of the other plain or white bread bun options, which gives them a neutral base for you to build your hot dog flavors on top of. And at $3.99 for a bag of eight buns, they're reasonably priced to pick up a few bags for your next cookout.

For those looking for a little sweetness in their hot dog bun, Ball Park also offers "Golden" hot dog buns that are made with a little bit of honey. And while not as widely available, the brand also makes extra-large buns for larger sausages and brats, as well as New England Style hot dog buns that are baked in a pull-apart loaf and split across the top instead of the side.

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Martin's is one of the most recognizable names in the world of potato rolls, with high-profile restaurant chains like Shake Shack, among so many others, using its buns for burgers — so you likely already know what Martin's potato rolls taste like. But just in case you don't, you can expect a noticeably sweeter roll that's soft and almost creamy tasting. The sweetness is on par with what you'd get from a brioche roll, but it lends itself surprisingly well to salty and savory applications without becoming soggy.

A bag of eight long potato rolls costs around $4.59, and the rolls are slightly smaller in length than some of the other options. That said, they're known for how well they toast up on a grill, and generally stay soft and moist for several days after opening the bag. Other companies make potato-style rolls for both burgers and hot dogs, but Martin's is the one you'll likely find on grocery shelves everywhere.

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Trader Joe's usually carries at least two different types of hot dog buns, both brioche buns and a loaf-like pack of eight split-top hot dog buns. Since the split-top buns are the more unique offering of the two choices, that's what I picked up for this particular taste test. Not nearly as delicate as Pepperidge Farm's split top buns, the Trader Joe's buns easily and cleanly pull apart, and are also sturdy enough to split and lay flat on the grill. These buns are still reminiscent of soft white sandwich bread, but taste more like your typical hot dog bun. And at $2.49 a pack, these Trader Joe's buns offer more bun for the buck than all of the other bun options on this list. Just make sure to keep them refrigerated or frozen after opening the pack, since these were also the buns quickest to mold over after opening.

Interestingly, both the split top and brioche hot dog buns from Trader Joe's come in packages of eight, while the actual hot dogs the grocery store sells come in packs of six. The disconnect is enough to send you into a Steve Martin-esque spiral over "superfluous buns" vis-à-vis the 1991 film, "Father of the Bride." But don't let that keep you from picking up a pack anyway, or going big with four packs of dogs and three packs of buns to even it all out.

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Whole Foods Market offers a store-brand hot dog bun under its 365 label that closely resembles many of the usual buns you'll find on store shelves everywhere. But since many markets also have a bakery on premises or nearby, Whole Foods also offers bakery fresh brioche hot dog buns, which are worth trying if you're in the market for a more flavorful hot dog experience. The brioche itself tastes like the real thing, because it is. Made with whole eggs, sugar, yeast, and butter, the flavor of the brioche is buttery, yeasty, and creamy with the perfect balance of springiness and softness that you'd expect from a loaf of brioche.

The buns are on the larger side, which can accommodate just about any size hot dog or sausage. And while there are only six rolls in each package, Whole Foods also sells packages of six surprisingly large hot dogs to balance it all out. Like many groceries you'll find at Whole Foods, these buns cost a little more than your average pack of buns at $6.99 per pack, but the taste of these makes them well worth the price.

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Wonder Classic Hot Dog Buns look exactly like all of the other typical hot dog buns on the bread aisle, but they've got a little something that sets them apart from the crowd. Maybe it's the malted barley flour, or the buttery yeastiness of these rolls, but they carry a sweeter and creamier flavor than the other rolls in the classic category do, which makes them downright irresistible. Somehow, these taste like what you'd get if you married a typical white bread hot dog bun with a potato roll, and you've magically got a roll that's easy to please everyone at the party.

Structurally, Wonder's Classic Hot Dog Buns are very soft and tender, but not so delicate that they crush easily. They're also sturdy enough to open and lay flat on the grill, and easily fit a variety of hot dog sizes. A bag of eight hot dog buns costs about $3.79, which is on the lower end of the bun price range, and well worth it even if they aren't on sale. Given how great these hot dog buns taste, I'd be just as tempted to try Wonder's Top Sliced Frankfurter Buns as well, should I ever come across them in stores.

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When choosing hot dog buns for this taste test, I picked up nearly every bag that was available to me at several grocery stores for a selection of widely available buns. From there, I searched for rolls with different flavor profiles and ingredients, even though they might only be available from specific retailers, to offer a broader variety of insights into bun types.

Each of the buns was tasted plain, side-by-side with all of the other buns in the lineup, for a clear idea of how they tasted alone and next to similar buns. While nutrition wasn't a huge concern, given that hot dogs are not inherently the most healthy food to begin with, it was taken into account when the bun was designed with a special diet in mind. Additionally, the price, availability, and overall value were considered along with the taste of the hot dog buns to offer some clarity when choosing between several similar buns.