Whether you grill it, pan fry it, or cook it over a campfire, nothing beats a good hot dog in the summer, especially on National Hot Dog Day. The sizzle is real at Heid's Hotdogs in Liverpool.

“A hot dog goes with everything. You’ve got a national day for a lot of things, so why not hot dog days?" said Heid's General Manager Pat Winslow.

National Hot Dog Day, which falls on the third Wednesday in July every year, is in full effect. People of all ages relishing their time eating this All-American treat.

“They’re so good. Who’s the guy who eats 70 in a minute? Joey Chestnut! If there’s a food to eat that many times, that’s a good thing to choose. If he doesn’t get sick of them, I don’t either," Jake Lysack, a Heid's customer, said.

And doing their dogs up with their favorite condiments.

“Sometimes cheese on it, but mainly I go with chili,” Winslow says.

“Coney, some chili on the top, mustard on it, lots of onions, big fan," Lysack says.

“I like ketchup and honey barbeque sauce," Brandon Gunn, a Heid's customer, said. 

“I tried one condiment, ketchup," Zayden Gunn, Brandon's brother, said.

Americans eat 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial and Labor Day each year. It’s a tradition during the dog days of summer.

“Hot dogs are a celebration type food. I think that’s why people relate different memories to that," said Hoffman Sausage Chief Marketing Officer Rebecca Baker.

“I think of going to a baseball game, the Syracuse Mets in town, going to New York City, Citi Field, watching some sports and enjoying the sun. Maybe not right now, but it makes me think of that and makes me happy," Lysack says.

Let’s be frank: during a pandemic, digging into a dog gives you time to "ketchup" on what’s good in the world.  

“Considering what’s going on in the world it’s awesome. The rain is coming down, but I don’t think it’ll stop people from coming down on National Hot Dog Day. Not just because you get one free, but because the taste is good," Winslow says.