Temperatures Tuesday will only reach into the mid-20s, but that’s not expected to stop people from lining up to get their free hot dog from iconic Chicago joint The Wieners Circle, thanks to Bears’ head coach Ben Johnson and his shirtless ways.
The giveaway, scheduled to begin late in the morning Tuesday, comes after the restaurant promised free hot dogs if Johnson were to take his shirt off during a postgame victory celebration. After the Bears’ 24-15 Black Friday victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, it happened.
“My 2-year-old was watching the TV screen back at home,” Johnson explained Monday. “She’s pointing at the screen, ‘No shirt, no shirt.’ My wife had no idea what was going on. That’s about how it went. I think anytime you get a chance to feed the city, you want to do it. So, man of the people.”
“I figured the sooner the better because I’m not in the weight room very much anymore so this thing keeps getting a little bit worse as we go along in the season,” Johnson added. “It was good. I hate to draw attention away from our players but the intent was to bring up the city of Chicago and hopefully it gave them a little excitement because they’re a big part of this journey as we’re going through the season, also.”
The infamous Lincoln Park restaurant, at 2622 N. Clark St., will start handing out the free hot dogs — one per customer — when doors open at 11 a.m., organizers said. They’re prepared to give away as many as they can, while supplies last.
In September, The Wieners Circle gave out thousands of free hot dogs after quarterback Caleb Williams threw four touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. Fans waited in a line for hours that stretched down blocks.
“You can get that free hot dog all you want, but you’d better tip me,” Wieners Circle manager Evelyn Morris said at the time.
A Chicago institution will give away free hot dogs this week thanks to Caleb Williams, and Patrick Fazio has the details.
After that, the restaurant posted a poll, hinting what the Bears would need to do in order for another giveaway to take place.
Which is most likely to win Chicago more free hot dogs? A bears win including a…
— The Wieners Circle (@TheWienerCircle) October 22, 2025
There’s no shortage of excitement in Chicago for the Bears. In the span of a year, the team went from firing former coach Matt Eberflus the day after an embarrassing Thanksgiving loss at Detroit, to taking out the defending champions on the road on Black Friday.
They’ve gone from finishing last in the division to securing a winning season with five games remaining. Chicago hasn’t finished above .500 since the 2018 team won the NFC North at 12-4. And with Carolina beating Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams (9-3), the Bears moved into the top spot in the NFC.
Next up, the Bears will take on the rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday, Dec. 7.