The Unexpected Condiment You Should Try On Your Hot Dog

Sausage has been consumed by humans across history, from Homer in the 9th century B.C. to more familiar roots in Vienna and Germany, where the Frankfurter debuted in 1487 (via National Hot Dog and Sausage Council). The hot dog we know and love at ballparks today has more recent origins, widely being attributed to the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition as well as hot dog distribution at ballparks. While the exact origins of the name "hot dog" and the idea of putting this sausage on a long skinny bun cause debate among historians, there's no doubt that people love this fast food. During the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs (via National Hot Dog and Sausage Council). That's 818 hot dogs every second.

While the hot dog itself is universally loved, to say people are passionately divided over toppings would be an understatement. Says Chicagoan Mike Royko  "...if someone wants to put ketchup on a hot dog and actually eat the awful thing, that is their right. It is also their right to put mayo or chocolate syrup or toenail clippings or cat hair on a hot dog. Sure, it would be disgusting and perverted, and they would be shaming themselves and their loved ones. But under our system of government, it is their right to be barbarians," (via WTTW News).

Listed up there right along with ketchup and toenails: mayo. But that's exactly what some people say your hot dog is missing.

Believe it or not, mayo has been topping hot dogs for a while already. If you love some seasoned elote, you're already eating mayo as a fast, hot, to-go food. So why not try it on a hot dog? The Takeout's founding editor Kevin Pang points out that it's already a common ingredient in the Sonoran Dog, which is a grilled, bacon-wrapped hot dog topped with mayo, pinto beans, tomatoes, and salsa verde. Japanese-style hot dogs also commonly add mayo among other more exotic items like seaweed for a unique sausage taste (bonus, mayo's great for dipping fries too). Pro-mayo Reddit users would agree. One declared that "hotdogs with grilled mushrooms, onions, bacon, ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish, and sourcream is pretty darn good. [sic]"

Another Redditor suggested that this might also be a regional thing: "When I lived in the south, I worked at a certain gas station chain that rhymes with skeetz, and when people ordered hot dogs, mayo/ketchup/bacon seemed to be the norm." Other people might side with The Takeout's counterpoint by Kate Bernot, who argues that "there are so many hot dog toppings that are superior to mayonnaise: spicy mustard, briny sauerkraut, savory chili — hell, even the sweet-tanginess of ketchup." Mayo might not be everyone's thing, but it definitely could be yours. Why not try it?