Zack's Hot Dogs

I ordered the Zack’s famous hot dog and cheese combo. Originally comes with 1 hot dog for the price of 9.45 and I added on another for 3.95. This was my first time coming here and I honestly would’ve paid more for the beef hot dog seeming how what I believe is pork was just regular. Nothing really amazed me about the hot dog other than it being a decent hot dog. Fries were hot and fresh and perfectly salted. Customer service was amazing, my waitress helped walk me through the menu and the food came out nice and fast. I feel like they boil there hot dogs here instead of grilling them which is probably why I wasn’t too impressed, but the food was still good. The sweet tea had the right amount of sweetness to it as well. All together I’d probably come back

How sad that the one of the oldest institutions in Burlington has been ran down by money hungry owners. Been sitting here for 15 minutes after ordering at Lunchtime on a Saturday. No one’s even working the line, waitress is running around like a chicken with her head cut off. I assume the cook is stuck running the register, and no food going out. With a toddler, doesn’t bode well to bringing the family back. With years of visits, this is without a doubt the worst Zack’s has ever been. Then it got worse. The orders kept getting taken and still no food. We saw multiple tables walk out in that time. After 30 minutes we got our hotdogs followed 10 minutes we got our sides. Zacks was better with the simple menu. All these extras have taken it far from its glory days.

It's a hot dog. But the staff was attentive and helpful. Had 2 dogs chili, slaw, mustard. Tasty and enough. Others had the fries and said they were good as well. Not sure it's a multiple visit place, but if I'm back in town and looking for good dogs - I'd be back.

I got two regular Dawgs with chili,cole slaw,onions, ketchup and mustard. With some Zack's secret hot sauce on the side. I mean the hot sauce is mildly flavored to say the least but a little spicy so yeah. The food was exceptional. I didn't like the price $3 dogs is a bit much for me(I'm very cheap so if you aren't this doesn't apply to you but if you know you know)

Good spot for a quick meal. Food is decen, service is fast and friendly. They take cards for payment now so for me, its less hassle to go there for a meal.

Update 2024 - July 4th. I loved this place but unfortunately I won't be back until Harold Owen, Mayor Pro Tem resigns. He does not respect freedom of speech, religion, press, or assembly on a traditional public forum. He also does not respect the rights of homeless veterans. Once he is removed from office, I will immediately return. This is not a reflection of Zack's but unfortunately due to city government that makes me uneasy to travel to. Saw an ad in Our State Magazine and had to try it. Travel through this area all the time but never venture off the interstate. I was impressed. The atmosphere speaks to a hot dog joint. Counter service and many locals that stop by. The service at the table was 4 Star. Not complaining, but the biggest issue is that they were out of several items. The truck was unloading when we left, so perhaps they were back in stock later. I'm first to say that I would go back again. The sauces are unique and please the palate with different combinations. Homemade chili is one of the best I've ever had. Definitely can compete with others for sure.

Family has been going for 30+ years. This place has turned into a joke….let me explain: Used to be familiar friendly faces. With speed, knowledge, and great food (the basics - dogs, burgers, and fries) - and ran like a 1960’s diner. Today it’s been bought and sold multiple times, all the familiar face are gone, the food is terrible, and they are trying to offer a menu that’s bigger than the Cheesecake Factory. Just today 1/2 the dining room was closed off, only 3 people were working and the service and food itself were awful, first time I’m ever seen folks sending back food because it was wrong…. Time to move on, this nostalgic Burlington favorite closed years ago when the old owners sold up ❤️👌

Absolutely disgustingly good hot dogs. 1st dog was amazing hit the spot 2nd weiner was good 3rd meat pipe was alright 4th throat rocket was rough, that was not a good idea

Service was insanely fast! The building itself reminded me of a Steak and Shake with the 50s diner look. I appreciated how many options you could get with your hot dog, and I went a bit wild (hence the pickles). I always prefer a pork dog so I was happy to find that Zack's uses pork. I also tried Zack's hot sauce and that was fire! It reminds me of Texas Pete but a bit more of a barbecue-style sauce. The fries weren't my favorite, but I also am not generally a fan of crinkle fries. They don't salt them, but they provide salt for you to use if you want it. I enjoyed them with Zack's hot sauce though. Cheap meal and a great place to go if you're looking for a hot dog!

There are 2 restaurants in Burlington that I've eaten at since the mid 60's - Zack's and Hursey's, several miles away. While Hursey's is still operated by the original family, this restaurant was sold in 2022, ending 94 years of same family operation. Since that time, there has been some corporate turmoil - three additional locations were opened, two of which have been closed. In addition, the original location and the Garden Road spot are now franchise operations, run by 2 different individuals! There have been some changes to the original format - breakfast is no longer offered, there have been some menu changes (for example: a chicken sandwich is now available), the wiener is now of better quality ( there is a bit of snap in the casing), the delicious french fries have been replaced by the atrocious crinkle cuts, color has been added to the logo, and a hot dog costs $4.05 now (a dog was $2.95 a year ago!), credit cards are accepted, but you will be charged a fee! What has not changed is that this is still a very good dog, with a great chili, excellent house hot sauce, nesting in a super soft bun, and the 6 ounce Coke in a bottle remains. Also, there is a different feel about this spot now - less energy, less of a family feel - I miss that!

The drive thru is always closed need to get some help or just close down-- I drive all the way up there and am disabled and can't get out of the car--this is some BS

I was in Burlington and saw the sign and said let's try it out. This place is known for there hot dogs so that is what I got which was two chili cheese dogs , the chili was very good and they offer slice cheese or block cheese on your hot dog so of course I got it when block cheese and that's something I will definitely be back to get. They don't salt the fry's which is fine with me they gave me plenty of salt packs plus the bbq sauce was very delicious. The staff was very friendly and informative and the inside was super clean everybody had gloves on.

Wish I could give them gem 10+ Stars!!! The family and I tried a new business in Burlington. Apparently this is a 96+ year business that has been established in the city for almost a year. They took over the old Steak and Shake. It's s cute 70s style vibe. We were seated immediately....not a huge crowd ! The menu has an array of items to choose from. ** They have the ol school Ne High Grape in a glass bottle!! ** Food came out pretty fast - it wasn't an extended wait but just right. My entire family devoured our food and left nothing but cheese sauce on the plates. The hotdogs topped with chili/ cheese/ coleslaw was amazing!! Fries = came with chili and cheese. Amazing!! Kiddos got strawberry milkshakes which they loved!! My husband regretted getting the hotdog and chicken wing combo. He said the wings were good but he wanted another hotdog. Cash Discount if paying by Cash!! We will return!! This is a newer location ....the original location is located downtown Burlington, NC.

Zacks has great service, great hot dogs and a wonderful history. There is no better place to get a hot dog (or two). If Joey Chestnut had eaten Zacks hot dogs he never would have even tried Impossible Meat hot dogs.

Zack's hotdogs are the best! I've been eating at the downtown location since I was a kid and it's still one of my favorite places to eat. We tried the Garden Rd. location recently and the guy at the drive through window was super nice and of course the food was delicious.

Hotdogs here at Zack's must be great to many, just didn't agree with my system. Not sure if it was the chili that day or the wiener itself but, it didn't stay down long after consumption. This was at the downtown Burlington restaurant. Since then I see they've open up 2 more sites in Alamance County Area. They do have dedicated customers from near & far. Maybe in the future I'll try again just to see if it's the same thing or different! Stay posted! Also the Restaurant was very, very dirty also. Maybe short staffed that day.

Did y'all know "Zack's" has opened within the HollyHill Mall??? Lunch run for a great little red hot dog on 2, and some hot French fries and a cold drink, but of course there are more options (hot dogs are my fav) The service was quick, staff friendly , work areas very clean and the food made to order. Y'all help me support a great company expanding in new areas and giving us more wonderful great tasting options. Seating area within the mall for your enjoyment than of course there is shopping

I once asked for a cheese dog, but unbeknownst to me, the dog was separate. Vegetarians--you'd love this. I don't know if I'll ever recover from the betrayal of my no-dog-cheese-dog. And you'd think I'd learn from my mistake months later when I returned? You'd be wrong because I was the fool who once again, ordered a cheese dog--hold the dog. I never complained and I'm not willing to give up so I plan to return on another day in hopes of receiving my cheese hotdog just as I imagined

New owners same food. Been coming here for 20 years. The food tonight was the same as we always have. Hot, greasy and fresh.

Probably the best hot dogs I've had in NC. The chili was amazing. The fries was average but they were plentiful. The dogs reminded me of the little pink ones we bought as a kids. It was quite pack and no wear to sit which reassured me it was good. The service was very fast and they didn't even write down the order. Everything was correct and they even have coke in glass bottles. 4 hotdogs, 3 fries, 1 cheeseburger, 1 coke and 2 sweet teas was 25 bucks. So price is pretty affordable and definitely recommend.

Just stopped in for a quick bite after our ministry get together. Hot dogs, cheese dogs, fries and sweet teas. Very good.

The service here is abysmal, and no one seems to be trained to do anything right. All the young girls at night when i went up there seemingly werent taught about sanitation since they play on their phones with their gloves on, never wash their hands, ect. Its bad. I was so hungry i foolishly tried to eat my hotdog anyway and of course i got sick, Stay Away!!!!

I said this the last time we went to Zack's now I will say it again and mean it. I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN. The chili is greasy, the bun was cold and they put chopped cabbage (large pieces of cabbage) on the hot dog when you ask for slaw. I mentioned it to the server and he said thats what they use. I asked him why they called it slaw and he didn't know. Zacks was the place to go for a hotdog but not anymore.

Old fashion go a grab hot dog and savory chili dog place. Excellent service and took me back to a past time and place. Bar style stool eatery and some tables...local goodness.

Whether you relocating or just visiting, one thing is always essential....FOOD!! Today I checked out Zack's Famous Hot dogs in Burlington NC. I've been waiting to check this place out for about a month. So since it was famous for its hotdogs . I figured I would check them out. Grease and a brown paper bag means this must be good. The food was hot and fresh. The hot dog was good, over all I would rate it a 7 out of 10.

Used to be best hot dogs anywhere but not the same quality as before. Service is slow too. Miss the old Zack's.

the new uniforms are trashy, the collar shirts are nice but the pants are not, should've never changed it. they've been wearing what ever they want all these years and now it's a joke.

Mebane location: Two dogs. mustard chili onions slaw, and like the original in Burlington the chili is outstanding! Soft bun, hot stuff hot cold stuff cold a first rate dog One star off for takeout experience, new employee (1st time alone he said) and he just couldn't keep up with the three of us there. A Friday night is not the night for the new guy to learn, this is directed at management not the employee

Hotdog with chili slaw onion and mustard was good. Fries were hot and crispy. Extra points for cups of ketchup - hate opening lots of packers.

I was told "you can't come to Burlington and not get a Zack's hot dog" I came, I ate, I was not impressed. The bread was stale, the dog was tasteless and chili was meh. You can get better hot dog from Costco. They need to live up to the hype.

Great service !! The food was on point !!! Bright crips and very modern ambiance inside and outside!!!

It used to be an iconic little mom and pop joint downtown with lightning quick service. Sadly, it was bought out by investors and other locations were also added. We tried one of the new locations since we were in the area, and the person taking our order didn't even understand the menu. The food also tastes different now. Maybe changed the original products used to cut corners? Won't ever be the same.

Nothing unique about this place. The food is mediocre, at best. The service is decent, though.

It's a hot dog. I think they are overrated and more expensive since new owners took over and trying to expand. The chili smell will make the whole downtown smell in the mornings and it's not a good smell when getting to work.

Service is excellent but food not so good, maybe good after bar night...they did remake an item that was wrong.

I had never heard of this place but I'm so glad I got to try it! This is the best bargain for a meal I've seen. The prices are a throwback to the '50's! The most expensive item on their menu was $4.60. If you're on a tight budget, look no further than Zack's. Zack's has that old time diner vibe. Counter seats and booths available for seating. Friendly and fast service too! I had a craving for a good hot dog. and since Zack's is known for their chili dogs and that was pretty much all that was leaving the kitchen the entire time I was there. I was in the right place. I ordered a chili dog with onions and mustard, a cheeseburger and fries plus a cheerwine to drink. The chili was meaty and a little smoky in flavor. I loved it toasted bun and all! Zack's sauce on every table made me curious to taste it so I drizzled a bit over my chili and WOW! It has a nice kick! I'm glad I didn't put too much or my tongue wouldn't have survived. The french fries weren't remarkable but they were piping hot and were a great compliment after I sprinkled a little salt and some of Zack's sauce on them. I really enjoyed the burger too! I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised for sure. Totally worth it if you want a burger while the rest of your party wants a hot dog. They do have plates and other things on the menu too if that is more to your taste. I may just have to stop in for breakfast one day.

Great food, and such friendly staff, honestly one of my favorite restaurants beside soda shop.

First time hearing about it so I had to check it out!! The food is amazing, the service is top tier, and I love the diner feel! I most definitely recommend this restaurant to anybody who loves good comfort food!

If you are from the Alamance County area, you have probably been to Zack's. Service is awesome. Food is as good as always. Looking forward to trying the new locations.

Place was busy but we sat in booth closest to cashier and waiter station. No one offered to take our order. Finally, someone,not waitstaff, took our drink orders. Ordered our hot dogs and waited and waited. Finally my husband turned to the cashier and cook and yelled from our booth "Are we ever going to get our food?" No need to ever go to Zack's downtown.

This place is a local legend, but the quality is not consistent and the price you pay now isn't much different than somewhere nicer (once you add up what it takes to really fill one up). Most people go here for the nostalgia.

What is with these reviewers that give these low class restaurants 4 & 5 stars. They are so misguided and it ruins the perspective of potential customers when they read these delusional high scoring reviews. Living in Mebane NC the majority of restaurants are casual dining like Arby's, McDonalds, Wendy's, Chick-fil-A, Cook out, Chick-fil-A, Bojangles, etc. The Blue Ribbon Diner was a 2 1/2 star business at best which I quit going there after 2 unsatisfactory meals. When they closed I was anxious for a replacement. Zack's took over the location. I thought this will be great as they had lots of tradesmen working in the building. Zack's has 2 other locations in Burlington about 15 minutes west of Mebane. Their website claims they are upscale and their food is delicious. Zack's Mebane just opened a few days ago so I took my wife there for lunch today. I don't know what the tradesmen did but everything inside is the same, even the over head fluorescent Blue Ribbon sign. The tables and booths are worn out and the floors did not look clean. I wanted to leave but my wife wanted to try their hot dogs. However when she questioned the server if they were all beef, she said they were all meat but avoided answering if they were all beef. Without a definitive answer my wife ordered her standby, a grilled cheese. I ordered the double cheeseburger with grilled onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup. I ordered the fries extra crispy because they looked like they were frozen. I ordered a soft drink. The server came by once to refill my drink and then never came back. I didn't care because it was the weakest soft drink ever. Hardly and fizz. The bun was pretty sad. I think it was a left over from the homeless soup kitchen. It was crumbly, like it had been frozen at some point and thawed a few days ago. The hamburger was mediocre at best. The grilled cheese looked like it had 2 slices of American cheese grilled on white Wonder bread.. It was sad looking and apparently not very good. I have never heard my wife complain about a grilled cheese before. They were at least 25% higher than McDonald's and Wendy's, and then they charged extra if you used a credit card to pay. My wife said as we left: "that was a costly mistake". They will never see us again. Don't waste your time or money eating at Zack's.

It use to be good been going there the past 35 years but not anymore. the new owners are running the place into the ground way over priced and extremely greasy now the buns are always hard as a rock and the price is always different for the same thing I always get. 10 dollars or more for 3 cheese dogs is ridiculous. I guess they trying to pay for the tablets they take orders with now and all the hi tech crap they put in there now. They even charge for tap water. They should have left it like it's been for years it was always good until they bought it and tried fixing something that wasnt broken. Wont be going anymore they lost a lifelong patron. If your looking for good food at good prices I'd look elsewhere.

In business for as long as I can remember. Recipe has been the same for their hotdogs which is why I keep coming back. I always sit at the bar downtown as it's the best view for all the activity in the cooking area. Ole timey feel and fast fast service

Been eating at Zacks since I was a kid- fast accurate service, great product. Love it!

Must have been a very bad day at Zacks. While there I saw raw meat prepared on the prep board and minutes later a brockly head for a salad. The floor was filthy. Fries on the floor were walked on. The hot dogs were nothing special. The meat sauce flavorless without the "Secret Sauce" and no celery salt to be found. The chopped cabbage added texture to the dogs but that's all.

Cute little place in downtown Burlington with very low prices. I had a chili cheese dog that arrived on the plate swimming in very, very greasy chili. If I wasn't nearly weaned on hot dogs from a very young age I'd of had the chili all over me, but somehow managed to not make a mess. The chili itself was not very flavorful. The fries were pretty good, crispy on the outside and perfect on the inside. The best thing about Zack's was the table service. We had a super nice guy wait on us. I can't say the same about the guys at the take out counter! They seemed grouchy and wanted people to know what they wanted from the moment they walked in the door! Move it, people!

Sweet tea not sweet. Hot dogs gross . Chili really sweet. Fries have no flavor. And our waiter seemed impatient. He was unfocused . Our order was correct but he didn't write it down or ask us if we needed anything. Customers are your first priority . We go out to eat because we don't wanna cook after a long day! Or we are out with our families already on a Saturday! I looked forward to eating here all week!! Very disappointing.

Great as always....cant ever go wrong great staff and Owner.. Always there for you just motion of they are busy...but you will get everything you ask for mustard chili slaw onions cheese ff cheese burgers and add BACON to anything and its so good******

Good solid food and service is solid always! Nice low key atmosphere for a quick bite !

Zacks is a pure classic that deserves all the love it gets. First of all, its family owned. Second of all, their cheese fries are AMAZING! Best cheese fries in Burlington probably. Third of all, its not just the cheese fries, the entire menu is great! Juicy, perfectly cooked hamburgers, fries cooked to perfection, and hotdogs to die for! I would 100% recommend Zacks to anyone in Burlington thats hungry!!

I wanted to like this place since they stay so busy but sadly I did not. Service was good but not much to say about their 'famous' hot dogs. Hot dog was orange, mushy, and didn't taste like a hot dog. Chili didn't have much flavor. Asked for well done fries and they were not. Hot sauce was pretty good. Go to Skidds if you want a good hot dog with good chili.

Zacks has the best hot dogs. When you go inside it's like a blast from the past. It is like a classic themed dinner. The hot dogs are amazing probably the best I ever had. The hotdogs are very messy though. If you want cheap, good, messy, hot dogs than I would come here.

Gone several times, the orders are never correct. The food isn't what I used to eat in the past. The staff doesn't listen to you when ordering. Nice restaurant inside but that's it

Nasty artificial hotdogs. Very greasy. Crowded but I can't figure out why. Guess because they been around since T- Rex roamed the earth!

I ordered a chili cheese hot dot. It was flavorful and delicious! The fries were hot! My husband and I were able to split an order of fries and still have enough left over. If you go during lunch time, we still very busy. But food is fast and hot. People running the restaurant were in good spirits and kind

If you are a nasty chili-dog fan then this is the place to be! I wouldn't recommend eating here often but I do feel that it is a must try place. I will visit here again on my next trip to Burlington!