National Hot Dog Day Draws Hundreds to Pop-Up Outside the Met
Smash Kitchen and kitchenware maker HexClad celebrated the day with specialty hot dogs, custom condiments and a crowd of hungry New Yorkers.
| 21 Jul 2026 | 07:14
Joey Johnson, creator of the Instagram and TikTok account @herbshotdogreviews gets ready to review a hot dog from Smash Kitchen at a pop-up to promote National Hot Dog Day. He gave it a rave review. (
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The Food Truck Outside of the Metropolitan Museum (
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The condiment station for the hot dogs. (
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Hundreds of hungry New Yorkers lined up outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art on July 15 to celebrate National Hot Dog Day with a free specialty hot dog.
The two-hour pop-up, held from noon to 2 p.m., brought together Smash Kitchen, the food brand co-founded by actor Glen Powell, and HexClad, the cookware company backed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. The giveaway featured free hot dogs for the first 500 visitors, drawing a steady line that stretched along Fifth Avenue.
Guests chose from three menu options, including the Hot Honey Dog, topped with Smash Kitchen Hot Honey Ketchup and crushed Hot Honey BBQ Kettle Chips, the Caesar Dog, topped with a Caesar salad made with Smash Kitchen Caesar Dressing, or a classic hot dog dressed with the brand’s signature condiments.
One of the event’s biggest attractions was a condiment calligrapher, who customized classic hot dogs by writing guests’ names or fun phrases in ketchup and mustard. Visitors eagerly posed for photos with their personalized creations while staff from Smash Kitchen and HexClad helped bring each design to life.
Among those in attendance was Joey Johnson, a Harvard University student in the Class of 2026 and creator of the Instagram and TikTok account @herbshotdogreviews, where he reviews hot dogs from around the country.
Johnson said his social media page began after he spent time traveling and searching for a career path following college.
”I found my niche,” Johnson said.
After trying one of the specialty hot dogs outside the Met, Johnson was very pleased with his meal and gave it a 10 out of 10 going into greater detail in his review video.
Despite the large turnout, the line moved quickly as staff distributed complimentary bottled water to guests waiting in the summer heat. Many visitors enjoyed their meals on the museum’s front steps, while others stopped to take photos before taking their first bite.
The event also highlighted Smash Kitchen’s lineup of organic, non-GMO pantry staples, including condiments, dressings and cooking oils, while introducing visitors to HexClad’s cookware through the collaborative pop-up.
For many attendees, however, the biggest draw was simple: free food. By the end of the afternoon, hundreds had celebrated National Hot Dog Day with a creative twist on an American classic in front of one of New York City’s most recognizable landmarks.