Hot dogs and hamburgers are time-honored American fare, and Five Guys is a popular spot to enjoy both, but their hot dogs look a little different from the standard. If you've ever ordered a dog from this burger chain, you've noticed that the sausage itself is split lengthwise down the middle, and this practice isn't just for show.

Five Guys told a curious fan on Instagram that "Cutting the hot dog allows us to ensure even cooking throughout and achieves a caramelization." Some customers also like the slit because it creates room to load up on toppings, while others think a split hot dog looks too strange; however, culinary experts say Five Guys has the right idea.

Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert of "Queer Eye" fame, says that splitting hot dogs does indeed create a tastier exterior helps and keeps condiments in place. Recipe developer Ann Taylor Pittman agrees, adding that when you butterfly your hot dog, "you're basically doubling the surface area, you get lots more opportunities for char.”