Oscar Mayer Brings Back The Hot Dog Straw ... Kind Of
When New York Nico posted a video of a baseball fan using a hot dog as a straw at a Yankees game on August 22, 2022, it quickly went viral. "Still beats those stupid paper straws," commented one Instagrammer. Over nine billion people searched for 'hot dog straw' on TikTok, with many posting videos trying it out themselves. Now, exactly a year later, Oscar Meyer has announced the limited-time release of a real Hot Dog Straw.
"Oscar Mayer is commemorating this key moment in hot dog history by showing fans they don't have to take food rules so seriously — because nothing is as fun and enjoyable as a delicious hot dog," Kraft Heinz Company said in its press release. Besides looking exactly like a cooked Oscar Mayer hot dog, the Hot Dog Straw is made out of food-safe silicone so that it also feels like one. The company has a web page available for pre-orders, although they don't say when the straws are expected to ship to customers.
While many would laugh at the notion of using a hot dog straw, fans were already reporting that the straws were sold out within 10 minutes of Oscar Mayer posting about them on Instagram.
It's a reminder to not take things to seriously
In 2021, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council surveyed participants and found that 62% of people believe a baseball game is where hot dogs taste the best, and 57% say beer is their favorite drink to pair with their hot dog. Still, using it to drink beer is a notion that hadn't crossed many people's minds before seeing it done on social media. Not that people haven't tried many unusual foods to make edible straws, such as Twizzlers, veggie straws, and even Slim Jims.
When the video was first released, some were confused as to the reasoning for using the hot dog. "[They have] a straw right there," commented one person. "Well, the games are shorter now, so you see, [They have] gotta eat and drink at the same time now," joked another.
While many got stuck on the "Why?" Oscar Mayer answers that question with, "Why not?" Oscar Mayer Associate Director Kelsey Rice hopped on board this line of thinking when she explained in the press release that "we hope it brings a friendly reminder that we don't need to take enjoying a delicious hot dog seriously. Some things are just meant to be fun."