The Chicago hot dog and deep-dish pizza are two classic members of the city’s culinary canon.
But how about combining them into a “Chicago Dog Deep-Dish Pizza,” just as Lou Malnati’s and Portillo’s have done for a monthlong experiment in honor of National Hot Dog Day?
Some people are saying, “No thanks.”
“It’s like square peg, round hole,” says Kevin Wencel, 52, who was eating a classic deep-dish at Lou Malnati’s at 805 S. State St. on Wednesday.
“I’m like, get your dog off my pizza, man! I like a Chicago dog. And I like what we just ate. But when you put them together, it’s gross,” said Wencel, who traveled from Minneapolis for a conference.
The hot dog pizza launched Wednesday at 21 sit-down Lou Malnati’s locations. On top of a Lou’s deep-dish crust sits Chicago dog essentials: mustard, relish, white onions, tomatoes, pickles, sport peppers and celery salt.
It’s not the first time the food chains have tried combining Chicago classics. Last year, they made Italian beef deep-dish pizza meal kits that were available to buy online.
Tom Lacock, 48, was visiting Chicago from Cheyenne, Wyoming, with his family on the day of the launch. To celebrate his birthday, they decided to go to Lou Malnati’s in South Loop. But they chose a normal deep-dish pizza instead of the Chicago Dog.
“Here’s the shame of the thing: I’m a ketchup with mustard hot dog guy,” Lacock said. “But it’s kind of cool to see two Chicago institutions getting together.”
He grew up east of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and traveled frequently to Chicago when he was a kid. Even though he loves Vienna Beef hot dogs, Lacock said he would “probably not” order the hot dog pizza.
The Mills family traveled up from Evansville, Indiana, to try a deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s. While looking at a slice of the pizza, Marcella Mills, 51, said she thought it looked “very good, it looks very appetizing. I’ve never really seen a pizza like that before, though, so it’s gonna be good to try, if I can.”
Although they didn’t end up ordering the hot dog pizza fusion, they said they would be open to trying it.
“What’s wrong with pizza and hot dogs, right?” said Doug Mills, 57.
The limited-time pizza will be available while supplies last, or up until 30 days from the launch. It can be ordered for dine-in, carryout or delivery from the chain’s full-service locations and is available in only the small deep-dish size.