Newly released poll results show that 57 percent of Americans say hot dog on a bun is NOT a sandwich compared to 33 percent who believe it IS. Meanwhile, 10 percent remain undecided. The polling was conducted online among more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older in May 2016 by Harris Poll on behalf of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC).

The epic debate has dominated social media at times in 2016. The polling reveals that Americans age 18-34 (64 percent) and 35-44 (61 percent) are more likely than their older counterparts age 65+ (44 percent) to believe that a hot dog is not a sandwich. In fact, Americans over the age of 65 (44 percent) are the only demographic group where more say a hot dog is a sandwich (50 percent) than is not. Southerners (62 percent), Northeasterners (58 percent) & Westerners (58 percent) are all more likely to agree that a hot dog is not a sandwich than Midwesterners (49 percent).

“It is clear Americans recognize the hot dog for what it is: a cultural icon that is a category unto itself,” said NHDSC ‘Queen of Wien’ Janet Riley. “The people have spoken, and we hope this new data will help settle many of the heated debates that are still ongoing today.”

In late 2015, when the social media debate was at its peak, the NHDSC officially declared that the hot dog is not a sandwich, saying “Limiting the hot dog’s significance by saying it’s ‘just a sandwich’ is like calling the Dalai Lama ‘just a guy.’” The NHDSC also developed a list of a dozen reasons why the terms hot dog and sandwich are not interchangeable. The online debate has persisted with celebrities, politicians, professional athletes and Americans of all ages weighing in with their own take.

With such large scale discussion of this important issue, the NHDSC is taking its message to one of the most passionate hot dog cities in the country at the fourth annual Chicago Hot Dog Fest, presented by the Chicago History Museum this Friday-Sunday in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. There Riley will debate Museum historian Peter T. Alter about whether a hot dog is a sandwich on Friday, August 5 at 4pm CT with the audience declaring the winner.