CHICAGO — This Fourth of July, as families and friends gather to celebrate the country’s independence from British rule, a debate of epic proportions will undoubtedly ensue.
It has nothing to do with rather republicanism is preferable to democracy, nor does it concern issues related to war or peace.
Instead, it centers on that only in America culinary dispute: hotdogs or hamburgers?
The two summer staples, given their quintessential American origins, have long been in competition with each other. And hotdogs, especially here in Chicago, have been mostly dominant.
But according to Seamless.com, which bills itself as the leading online service for ordering takeout and food delivery, the tide may be turning. In customer data provided by Seamless to MarketWired.com, the hamburger has reportedly become the patriotic food of choice, dethroning the hotdog, just as football replaced baseball as America’s favorite pastime.
Indeed, Seamless reported that sales for hamburgers spiked particularly around July 4th.
The ironically named Kate Franks, 24, of Albany Park, is one of those hamburger eaters.
“I tend not to eat hotdogs because I think the concept is gross. But they taste delicious," Franks said.
Michelle Dingsun, 22, of Rogers Park, also favors burgers but with a twist.
“I like ground meat versus totally processed meat better," Dingsun remarked, “Unless the hotdog in question is a sausage.”
Dingsun is exactly the type of customer the Eisenberg Sausage Company is looking for. Eisenberg Sausage is one of the city’s top hotdog and sausage makers.
And in an email to DNAinfo, owner Howard Eisenberg said demand for his company’s sausages generally increases right before the Independence Day holiday.
So even if the survey results are accurate, don't expect the hot dog to disappear from the picnic table anytime soon.
— By Juan Thompson, DNAinfo.com Chicago
