Hot Dog Bar ideas

These Hot Dog Bar ideas are perfect for outdoor entertaining when you have a crowd. Find ways to hold the condiments, keep your hotdogs warm and DIY ideas!

We love to entertain outside. We are so lucky to have a lot of outdoor entertaining spaces here on the farm and during the warmer months we try to make the most of it. Recently, I put together this fun hot dog bar and I thought I would share some of my hot dog bar ideas with you.

Like it or not, hot dogs are distinctly American so they always make me think of a patriotic theme. With multiple states across the United States having their own style of hot dog – not to mention endless combinations – they can really help to give everyone a customized meal they want.They’re also easy to cook up in the summer when you have a crowd. 

Location selection

As I mentioned we have a lot of locations on the farm to have our hot dog bar. This year, I decided to have it out by our farm stand. The space isn’t really in use yet since it is too early in the season for our vegetables and flowers. But we did add picnic tables this year so people could have a glass of lemonade while buying a few veggies. This also makes it the perfect place to entertain because the tables are already built in to our space.

However, the hot dog bar doesn’t take up a lot of room. Even if you have a small backyard or townhome you could probably set up a table like this. You could even do this inside too. These hot dog bar ideas will work inside or outside. 

Patriotic Theme

To start, I knew I wanted to have some patriotic decor. There were a few fun DIYs I included in my hot dog bar ideas that I thought you could use no matter what you’re celebrating this summer. We were doing this right before the 4th so it seemed fitting for the occasion. 

First is this custom DIY Patriotic Banner. This is actually a Pottery Barn Dupe and you can see how I did it in the YouTube video above. It is one of the easiest DIY projects you will ever do and it doesn’t cost a fortune either. 

Next, I made a DIY Sign for the Hot Dog Bar space. I kept the colors of it blue and white to match the patriotic theme but this also leaves it general enough to use on other occasions throughout the year. I made the sign by creating custom stencils with my Cricut. I’ll have have full blog post up about it soon but you can also watch the YouTube video above and see exactly how I made it. 

Lastly, I decorated our picnic tables simply. When you’re making a big meal or prepping a space like this it can be difficult to make a grand table. I went with a simple place setting and a simple centerpiece. Since it is summer it didn’t make sense to be overly fussy about it anyways. It is too hot! My centerpieces are simple smooth sides mason jars that have been painted in red and blue. I used Behr paint sample for these in a satin finis in English Channel and Fire Cracker Red. Then I added in some white roses, white daisies and white hydrangeas. 

Table decor

Besides the mason jar centerpieces, I used elements I already have for the table decor in addition to my hot dog bar ideas. These plates are Melamine and I bring them out every summer. You can also see all the Melamine Plates I love {HERE}. 

Simple table runners from Target run down the center of the table {HERE} and then I love my striped napkins. You can find them {HERE}. 

I also love these charger and use them year-round. You’ve probably seen them in multiple tablescapes. I can’t find these exact ones anymore but {HERE} is one with a close shape and {HERE} is one with a close color. You can find a similar gold silverware set {HERE}.

Hot Dog Bar Ideas

On the actual hot dog bar itself, there’s a few things that I would recommend to make it the best experience possible. First, have a lot of toppings! I’m a fan of option in life. While my favorite hot dog build is the Chicago hot dog, I really love being able to also have a chili dog or a Detroit favorite – a Coney Island Dog. I wanted to make sure you could do that here on my hot dog bar so here are my hot dog bar ideas for toppings:

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Spicy Mustard
• Dijon Mustard
• Barbecue Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Onions – Yellow/Red
• Chili
• Baked Beans
• Coleslaw
• Banana Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Pickle relish
• Tomatoes
• Sour Kraut
• Cheese

I served all the condiments in these in little jars that I would 100 percent recommend. They’re glass and I love that they are reuseable. So no matter what holiday you’re entertaining for in the future, these can be used. I also love that they both have slots for spoons! You can find the jars with the glass tops I used for the liquid condiments {HERE}. You can find the jars with the bamboo tops that I used for the bulkier condiments {HERE}. 

To hold the coleslaw, baked beans and chili, I used quilted mason jars. This way people could use them to top their hot dogs or they could use them as a side option. You can find the 8 oz. mason jars {HERE} and the 4 oz. mason jars {HERE}.

How to make a large scale custom sing

To make your own sign like in this DIY sign project, you will need a few things

Supplies:

• Project wood – You can buy this at most hardware stores that sell wood. Home Depot usually has some pre-cut. Just ask where it is. 
• Without Cricut Machine
  • Stencils – Either custom that you can make on a Cricut Machine {HERE} OR large scale stencils that you buy. I’ve found it is not easy to find large stencils in the stores. You generally have to order them. Here’s a few I like:
    • 12 inch Block Stencils {HERE}
    • 12 inch standard font {HERE}
    • 12 inch rounded standard font {HERE} – I purchased these ones for future signs.
    • 18 inch Stencils {HERE}
    • This is a great set {HERE} too.
• With Cricut Machine 
  • Cricut Machine. I have the Explore 3 {HERE}.
  • Foil Cardstock Paper {HERE}
  • Blue Mat {HERE}
• Stencil Brush {HERE}
• Stencil paints – I used a white chalk paint for the base of my sign {HERE} and paint samples from Behr in a satin finish for the blue. The color is English Channel.
• Blue Tape

Steps:

1. Pick out the project wood that’s pre-cut or cut your own wood to size.
2. Paint the background so you have a nice, even color as the base. This is what I used the Chalk Paint in Chiffon Cream for. 
3. Buy/Make your own stencils. If you’re using the Cricut machine, attach the foil paper to the Blue Mat and print your design from the design studio. Make sure to pay attention to the printing area since the paper won’t be the 12×12 size.
4. Tape the stencils into position on the painted sign board. Make sure to tape down all edges and the insides of the letters too.
5. Using the stencil brush, dab the paint onto the stencil space using small amounts of paint on the brush to prevent it from seeping through the outline of the stencil. 
6. Let dry and remove the stencil. Make any touch ups with the paint and then hang!

Looking for more summer entertaining ideas? 

If you’re looking for more summer entertaining ideas, try these ones!

• Family Outdoor Games {HERE}
• DIY Outdoor Coffee Table {HERE}
• The best large stone planters {HERE}
• The Best Melamine Dish sets {HERE}

Looking for a few summer recipes?

• If you”re looking for a few summer side dishes or desserts to go with your hot dog bar ideas, try these!
• Red White and Blue Trifle {HERE}
• American Flag White Cake {HERE}
• Homemade Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream {HERE}
• Rotini Pasta Salad {HERE}
• Tortellini Pasta Salad {HERE}
• Corn, Red Pepper and Avocado Salad {HERE}

Thank you so much for joining me today friends! I hope you love these Hot Dog Bar ideas and I hope to see you again!

Find me on my socials!

Follow me on instagram @sugarmaplekitchen for all my recipes and @sugarmaplefarmhouse for all our farm, family and garden. Find me on Pinterest {HERE}, YouTube {HERE} and Tik Tok {HERE}.

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