Why Does Sonic Like Chili Dogs So Much? An Investigation

Throughout Sonic’s long 31-year history, the Blue Blur has almost always been seen with a chili dog in his hand. It’s been mentioned several times that he loves chili dogs and that they’re his favorite food. But…why? Why does Sonic enjoy chili dogs so much, and where did he first start liking them? Sonic’s been eating chili dogs for a very long time and hasn’t ever been seen eating much else—so where did this come from?

Sonic’s history with the great dogs of chili

Sonic saying he loves chili dogs, and then following through and eating said chili dogs, has been established several times throughout the series. In Sonic and the Black Knight’s opening, Sonic is first seen falling from the sky—while still, like a chili dog boss, holding two chili dogs in his hands. And in the 20th-anniversary title Sonic Generations, Tails gives Sonic an extra-special chili dog for his birthday. The chili dogs have even been collectibles in a number of games—including the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Sonic Unleashed, where Sonic can visit different hotdog vendors and receive special chili dogs if he completes a certain number of missions at each vendor. Chili dogs are almost always seen where Sonic is. But what’s the deal? Why not pizza? Or corn dogs? Why is his heart so set on chili dogs?

The childhood trauma that cemented Sonic’s chili dog love

So, Sonic was first seen enjoying chili dogs during the SatAM Sonic television show that aired in 1992. And he explains his love of chili dogs stems from a traumatic event from his youth. Sonic recalls going to a certain chili dog joint all the time as a child, but when Robotnik seized control of his hometown, all the chili dog places shut down, leaving poor Sonic without any chili dogs to munch on.

And even earlier than that, there was more context to the tragedy, the Sonic SatAM Story Bible, released in 1992, cites Sonic’s love for chili dogs. According to the script, Sonic’s Uncle Chuck made chili dogs and Sonic enthusiastically delivered them. And then, according to Sonic…

Uncle Chuck opened 5 more chili stands, business was happenin’ and I was scorchin’ the asphalt! But then Butt-nick and all his techno-junk came along and wrecked everything. Uncle Chuck helped me escape into the Great Forest, but he was caught by the swatbots and turned into a robot. Even worse, so was Muttski. Uncle Chuck works in one of Butt-nick’s factories, and Muttski is a guard dog somewhere. Someday I’ll find ’em, change ’em back to normal, and we’ll be a family again.

Predating all comics, TV shows, and video games, this is the earliest instance in which Sonic has been mentioned to love chili dogs—and ever since then, it’s been a prominent feature of his character.

And Sonic will likely continue to chow on chili dogs for as long as he’s around—almost every form of media the character has appeared in has shown him eating or looking at the food in some capacity. And I get it, admittedly, I kind of want one myself having spent so many minutes writing the words “chili dogs.” Seriously, can someone grab me a chili dog?

(featured image: Sega)