On Friday, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) hoped to silence the debate once and for all by issuing a statement that declared the hot dog is not a sandwich but in a league all its own.

That’s 20 billion nationwide each year, per the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, or at least 2 billion pounds’ worth — more than 3,500 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans spent $2.4 billion last year on hot dogs and another $2.74 billion on sausages.

Chestnut won in 2023 with a healthy lead of 13 hot dogs. At this year’s contest, however, competitive eating’s biggest star will not be participating. After agreeing to a sponsorship deal with ...

The average American eats nearly six hot dogs each month. That’s 20 billion nationwide each year, per the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, or at least 2 billion pounds’ worth — more than 3,500 ...