As the Fourth of July is mere days away, it seems prudent to contemplate the state of the hot dog. Yes, now is the time to consider its place in American culture and muse upon its continued relevance. It just so happens that the hot dog has fallen on hard times as of late, and some question whether it will ever make a full return to its glory days of old.
Hot Dog Cold Streak
In 2012, Americans spent over two and a half billion dollars on hot dogs. That’s enough money to send your kids to private school. Yet this staggering sum is less than what we spent on hotdogs the year before that, and the year before that year. In fact, hot dog sales are down a full three percent from last year.
It seems that the dog days of summer may be giving way to a more diversified selection of barbecue-ready treats. There are a number of theories behind the dwindling dog sales. The most prevalent of these is the rising cost of beef products. As the price of beef goes up, the price of franks goes up as well. Because hot dogs are considered to be a cheap food item, this rise in cost may be making consumers contemplate whether they’re worth the extra cash.