Eat This Now: Long franks at Ding Dong Dogs
Ding Dong Dogs // photo by Cory Swieczkowski
Baseball games, barbecues, and dive bars. The humble hot dog has enthralled Kansas City from Kauffman Stadium to the late New York Dawg Pound. While it never became a mainstay of the city’s cuisine, it has survived through various street vendors and sporting events. Now, the quintessentially American casual food has found its home at the southmost streetcar stop. Just east of UMKC’s campus, Ding Dong Dogs stands as the unapologetic dog pound caging these fine all-beef wieners.
Ding Dong Dogs // photo by Cory Swieczkowski
Step into Ding Dong Dogs and find yourself transported to your imaginary Chicago-based uncle’s basement. I’ve always dreamed of slamming beers, downing dogs, and admiring blurry printed jpegs of Chicago’s finest athletes.
It is a charming, inviting Frankenstein of everything midwest: picnic tables perfect for a Saturday in the park, miniature all-wood bars to serve drinks, and open games with your chance to beat the owner in foosball for a free dog.
It’s the mishmash of seating, games, and decoration that makes it a premier casual hangout spot.
If you have been inundated with social media riding for the local dog shop, it’s in part due to the commitment of the man behind the dogs, Matt McLain.
Since opening in September 2025, he has built the restaurant into a community staple. Sourcing local ingredients, becoming a partner for the KC Current and UMKC, and even giving the best deal in town for UMKC students (a hot dog, toppings, fries, and a soda for $10).
The response has had social media accounts rushing to join in on the fun.
I’ll let the dogs do the rest of the talking:
Chicago dog // photo by Cory Swieczkowski
BANG. A no-nonsense Chicago dog ($7)—mustard, sports peppers, celery salt, a pickle spear—fastball down the middle.
Roo-up dog // photo by Cory Swieczkowski
The Roo-up dog ($12) presents Ding Dog Dog’s Kansas City-inspired combo: pulled pork, pickled red onion, sports peppers, and BBQ mustard—a pile of local charm on a bun.
This evening’s meal was paired with their homemade mac and cheese ($6), fries ($4), and heartburn (free).
Is Ding Dong Dogs the first step of a decades-long unspoken tradition of what will make up our own regional hot dog? Although certain publications and hastily made infographics have claimed the reuben dog as the KC regional staple, I have yet to see evidence of a city-wide consensus. Yes, The Brick features a “Kansas City reuben hot dog”, but even the selection at Kauffman Stadium seems split on what our mainstay should be–both the Slugerrr dog and KC dog show possible variations.
The Chicago dog, Detroit Coney dog, and New York-style dog have all had their time in the limelight. It’s time for us to seize our own tubular meat identity and join the hot-dog newcomers, the Seattle dog and the Sonoran dog. The Roo-up dog is a step in the right direction, but time will tell if it makes its mark on the lineup of regional hot dogs.
Ding Dong Dogs is at 320 E 51st St, Kansas City, MO 64112.
