UPDATE 1-Burger King to add hot dogs to permanent menu in U.S.

(Adds background, Twitter (N:TWTR) reaction)
By Subrat Patnaik
Feb 10 (Reuters) - Hot dogs will hit the permanent menu at
Burger King restaurants in the United States this month, in one
of the chain's biggest menu updates in years.
Burger King is going back to its fast-food roots with the
new menu item after its salads and healthier offerings struggled
to tempt diners.
The burger chain, a unit of Restaurant Brands International
Inc QSR.TO , had Twitter sizzling after its announcement, on
Wednesday but at least some did not relish the idea.
"Not that I ever go to BK anyway but wow that sounds like a
precarious idea, eating that," wrote Brendan (@BrendanTweets).
However, others were licking their lips in anticipation of
the Feb. 23 addition to Burger King's permanent menu.
"I pray that the Burger King selling hotdogs news is real.
Best news of the day," tweeted Mike (@Leftfieldmike).
Ronnie Vaughan (@Vaughanr16) agreed, tweeting "As a big hot
dog guy, @BurgerKing adding them to the menu is an A+ move."
Hot dogs are an American favorite for baseball matches and
summer barbecues but Burger King, best known for its Whopper
burger, says its version will be available in all seasons.
Fast food chains are engaged in a war of menu innovation to
win the loyalty of diners.
Rivals McDonald's Corp MCD.N and Wendy's Co WEN.O have
also experimented with healthier menus to compete against the
likes of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (N:CMG) CMG.N and Panera Bread Co
PNRA.O .
Extending its breakfast menu all day helped McDonald's win
back customers in the last quarter, with Dunkin' Donuts DNKN.N
admitting the intense competition has hit its sales.
The Classic Grilled Dogs will be available for $1.99 and the
Chili Cheese Grilled Dog for $2.29, Burger King said in an
emailed statement.