Puyallup Walmart location to gain celebrated hot dog chain

Hot dog lovers in the Puget Sound area know the struggle. Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog chain, has a cult following but barely any locations in Washington. If you want a Chili Cheese Dog, you have to drive to Everett or Fife.

That is about to change. You can soon grab a chili cheese dog while you shop for paper towels.

Wienerschnitzel announced in a press release this week that it is opening a new location inside the Walmart Supercenter in Puyallup at 10 31st Avenue S.E. The Pierce County location is expected to open in the coming weeks and will be only the second Wienerschnitzel inside a Walmart anywhere in the country.

Unlike some fast food outposts inside retail stores, the Puyallup Wienerschnitzel will not be a scaled-down version. It will offer the full menu, including fan favorites like the Chili Cheese Dog, Junkyard Dog, Chili Cheese Fries, Jalapeño Poppers, and Tastee Freez soft-serve desserts.

Mother-son team brings decades of Wienerschnitzel experience to Puyallup

The Puyallup Wienerschnitzel will be operated by Domenic and Sharon Baker, a mother-and-son franchise team with deep roots in the brand. The Bakers have owned and operated the Wienerschnitzel in Everett since the late 1990s and expanded with a second location in Fife in 2020.

The new Walmart location will be their third location in Washington.

Why is Wienerschnitzel opening inside Walmart stores?

The Puyallup opening is part of Wienerschnitzel’s push into what the company calls “non-traditional” locations, placing restaurants in high-traffic retail environments where customers are already shopping.

“For families and shoppers on the go, convenience matters,” said Doug Koegeboehn, Wienerschnitzel’s Chief Marketing Officer, in the press release. “Our second Walmart location in Puyallup fits naturally into people’s routines, making it easier to enjoy a quick, satisfying meal without an extra stop.”

The first Wienerschnitzel inside a Walmart opened recently in Tempe, Arizona. The company has announced plans for six total Walmart locations nationwide, with additional stores coming to Alamogordo, New Mexico; Reno, Nevada; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Bakersfield, California.

Wienerschnitzel expanding beyond traditional restaurants

The Walmart partnership is just one piece of Wienerschnitzel’s growth strategy. The company says it is also pursuing locations in airports, theme parks, food courts, travel plazas, convenience stores, and military bases.

The chain has also expanded into grocery stores, with its Original Corn Dogs now available in more than 500 stores across California and Nevada, including Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Albertsons, and Vons.

Where to find Wienerschnitzel in WA

Wienerschnitzel currently operates 340 franchised locations across 13 states, with more than 50 additional units in development nationwide. In Washington, locations include Everett and Fife, with Puyallup joining the list soon.

The chain was founded in 1961 with a single hot dog stand in Wilmington, California, and now serves more than 120 million hot dogs annually.

No exact opening date has been announced for the Puyallup Walmart location, but, according to the press release, it is expected within the next few weeks.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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