One of the most divisive debates of our time is whether a hot dog qualifies as a sandwich. The question has prompted countless think pieces, expert takes and heated online arguments.
Ultimately, most people seem to think the answer is a definitive NO. When “The Takeout” surveyed a group of actors, writers, athletes, journalists, radio personalities and musicians, it found that 56 percent did not think a hot dog was a sandwich, vs. just 27 percent who did. (Some respondents leaned yes or no without picking a side, while others, probably wisely, abstained from answering altogether.)
Meanwhile, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council has also declared that a hot dog is not a sandwich, saying “Limiting the hot dog’s significance by saying it’s ‘just a sandwich’ is like calling the Dalai Lama ‘just a guy.'”
But, well — the people and the council are wrong.
Merriam-Webster defines a sandwich as “two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between” or “one slice of bread covered with food.” And what is a hot dog if not a split roll with filling inside? Moreover, the Earl of Sandwich used slices of meat in between bread to create the food that bears his name. While a hot dog is perhaps not entirely meat, it still seems to bear a striking resemblance to this very first sandwich.
As a final point, we’ll quote Jeff Mauro, host of the Food Network’s “Sandwich King”: “The definitive answer is yes! [A hot is a sandwich.] Because there is the kingdom of sandwiches and then you have the class of horizontal cased meats and under that in the phylum is hot dog. It’s between carbs. It’s handheld. It eats and chews like a sandwich and there are two independent sides.”
Sorry, folks. Case closed.
