Carla Hall Just Settled The Hot Dog Sandwich Debate Once And For All

Hot dogs are classic Americana. Yet like many things we associate with America, the hot dog's origin story takes us back hundreds of years before the birth of this nation — back to other countries altogether. No one is sure exactly which country, though. Some say that hot dogs hail from Frankfurt, Germany, which makes sense when you consider that "hot dog" is just a nickname for "frankfurter." Others say we have Vienna, Austria to thank for "wieners" (via National Hot Dog and Sausage Council).

But that's the thing about the hot dog. It's such a seemingly simple food — nothing more than a slender tube of spiced extruded meat — and yet it's managed to stir up controversy at every turn. The latest ongoing discussion is whether a hot dog is or is not a sandwich. The controversy goes at least as far back as National Sandwich Day 2015 (via NHDSC), inspiring countless great minds such as Matt Damon, Anthony Bourdain, and Jimmy Kimmel to weigh in with their respective positions (which, by the way, are "no," "no," and "no," respectively). Not even Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating champion Joey Chestnut thinks it's a sandwich (via MLB), and you'd think he'd know, right? 

Now, another great mind has offered their fresh perspective — and she's a full-fledged foodie, so whatever she says, we're inclined to accept as fact. We're talking about celebrity chef and cooking show host, Carla Hall. Here's her hot (dog) take.

The talented and incredibly esoteric Carla Hall was asked "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" by The Takeout during a recent interview. And it took her only a split-second to answer. She, too, says it's a no-go on that classification.

"Oh my gosh. Is a hot dog a sandwich? No, it's a hot dog!" she said, and then laughed. "I think of a sandwich with square bread. But wait, is a hamburger a sandwich? No, it's a hamburger! Oh my gosh. I guess my answer is no, it's not. It's a hot dog. In a bun. No, I wouldn't want sandwich fixings to be in a bun. So it's in its own category. No, it's not a sandwich. Final answer. Final answer."

Who could possibly argue with such solid logic? Consider this case closed.