How Chicagoan are you? Vienna Beef 'Hot Dog Stand Challenge' launches today to crown the top dog

Vienna Beef, the legendary Chicago company synonymous with the city's iconic hot dog, launched a monumental challenge to help support its recovering vendors as the city returns to entertainment and activities.

The Vienna Beef Hot Dog Stand Challenge is not for the faint of heart or small-stomached but puts the "City of Big Shoulders," and hopefully even bigger appetites, to the test.

Starting Aug. 19 through Sunday, Oct. 17, Vienna Beef asks a very important question, "Who can eat at the most Vienna Beef hot dog stands?" The challenge was created to help bring customers back to their favorite local Vienna Beef hot dog stands as people and vendors recover from a challenging year and a half. Participants can view a complete list of participating locations in Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Southeast Wisconsin, and prize details as well as check-in for each visit at www.HotDogStandChallenge.com.

"We missed a lot during these last 17 months and Vienna Beef is ready to help pull Chicagoland back up on its feet and get people excited to be out and about again. Vienna Beef hopes this challenge delivers some light-hearted fun to our loyal customers, helps drive business to vendors, benefits restaurants and employees, and provides industry support after a challenging year and a half for restaurants," said Tim O'Brien, president of Vienna Beef.

Contest participants will also help support the entire state's restaurant industry as at the completion of the challenge Vienna Beef will make a donation to the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Employee Relief Fund. The fund was created in October 2020 to help support restaurant workers affected by the pandemic. Today, the fund has been expanded to also cover Illinois hospitality workers affected by natural disasters, injury and other unexpected life events.

"We are grateful to Vienna Beef for helping boost our foundation funds to provide financial aid to restaurant workers in need," said Kristen Hodges, executive director at IRAEF. "While we are thrilled to see restaurants become busier and people returning to work, this last year and a half taught us how important it is to take care of each other. When members of our restaurant community are in crisis, thanks to partners like Vienna Beef, we are there to lend a helping hand."

Throughout the 60-day challenge, "Weekly Wieners" will be selected by Vienna Beef from check-ins made during that week and win a gift. At the end of the challenge, special prizes will be awarded to the "Hot Dog Royalty" for second, third and fourth most unique locations visited. There also will be 15 "Mayor of the Neighborhood" winners for most check-ins at 15 defined Chicago regions. Those regions include the Loop, Southside, North Suburbs, Far West suburbs, and more.

The Vienna Beef Top Dog title will be awarded to the person who has the most check-ins at different participating locations. The prize package includes four premier and exclusive tickets to Chicago sports and entertainment events totaling one event every month for a year. Special access events include the 1914 Club at Wrigley Field, Chicago White Sox Scout Seats, Brookfield Zoo passes, and more. The Top Dog will also be treated to a private tour of the Vienna Beef factory, a $1,000 ViennaBeef.com gift card and, for bragging rights, a one-of-a-kind Vienna Beef Top Dog trophy and T-shirt.

"Chicagoans are proud of our hot dog heritage and there's no better way to prove it than by striving to take first place in this unique challenge, or just enjoy the fun surprises along the way," added O'Brien. "We can't wait to see people visiting the beloved Hot Dog Stands again and, in the process, find out who has what it takes to be the Vienna Beef Top Dog."

For more details on the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Stand Challenge and to sign up to participate, visit www.HotDogStandChallenge.com.