From the Odyssey to Kobayashi: A brief history of the hot dog

A mystery meat timeline

Yum!
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

It's hard to overstate how much Americans enjoy their hot dogs. The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council says that last year on July 4, Americans ate 150 million hot dogs — enough to stretch from D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, we collectively consumed around 8 billion hot dogs.

So where do the meaty treats originate? Many have tried to lay claim to each step of the hot dog's journey, from the creation of the sausage to the idea to put the sausage in a bun to the addition of condiments. Here are some highlights from the delicious journey of one of our favorite snacks:

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Carmel Lobello is the business editor at TheWeek.com. Previously, she was an editor at DeathandTaxesMag.com.