In a divisive 2024 election cycle, one of the most sizzling conversations many people will find themselves in this week is: Mustard, relish, or ketchup?

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), a self-proclaimed “hot dog lover,” goes for mustard and relish. But Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) goes for a simple mustard and ketchup combination (but the brand must be Ballpark).

What someone puts on their hot dogs is a decision that divides people every Fourth of July, and hot dog preferences will vary from region to region. There’s the Chicago-style hot dog, the Korean hot dog, and the Coney Island hot dog, all of which have drastically different flavor profiles. 

A Chicago-style hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. The style is a favorite of Midwest states like Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin while also traveling west to Oregon and Montana and east to Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.