There isn’t a single inventor of the hot dog; it evolved from German sausages (frankfurters/wieners) brought to the U.S. by immigrants, with New York vendor Charles Feltman often credited for popularizing sausages in buns on Coney Island in the late 1860s–1870s.
European roots
The hot dog traces to German-speaking Europe, where thin “dachshund” sausages and frankfurters were common, and the name “frankfurter” reflects Frankfurt’s association with the style of sausage rather than a single inventor of the dish itself.
In a bun
Who first served a sausage in a bun is disputed; while some stories claim the bun debuted at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, food historians consider such claims dubious and emphasize earlier German-American practices of serving sausages on rolls.
Feltman and Coney Island
German immigrant Charles Feltman sold sausages on rolls at Coney Island starting in 1867 and built a large restaurant complex by 1871; he is frequently cited as a key figure in the American hot dog’s rise, though not uncontested as sole inventor.
Nathan’s influence
Nathan Handwerker, who once worked for Feltman, founded Nathan’s Famous and helped make the Coney Island hot dog ubiquitous by undercutting prices and building a lasting brand, solidifying the hot dog’s place in U.S. food culture.
Summary of consensus
- German origins of the sausage itself; no single European inventor universally agreed upon.
- Early U.S. popularization on a bun linked strongly to Charles Feltman in late-1860s Coney Island, with later mass appeal driven by Nathan’s.
