With summer just around the corner, foods perfect for the hot weather are in everyone’s mind, which means it’s time for people to wheel out their grills and get ready for their next barbecue get together. Whether preparing for a small family gathering, dinner for two, or a big Fourth of July celebration, hamburgers and hot dogs are the essential part of summer BBQ. And with this plate, you’ll have the perfect place to put your hot dogs.
I am, of course, talking about the chunky hot dog plate going viral on TikTok. Its cute design can hold three hot dogs and their toppings without spilling over. While somewhat impractical, it is nevertheless super fun.
What is the viral hot dog plate?
Made with ceramic, the chunky pink plate has three perfectly-shaped dips to place hot dogs. It’s perfect for people sick of having their hot dogs and toppings fall over on their plates. It’s made by designer Gustaf Westman, who is known for funky-shaped dishware, including the chunky star plates. The hot dog plates can be snagged on gustafwestman.com for a whopping €85, which equals $96.95. To put this number farther into perspective, you can buy about 96 hot dogs in New York City for this price.
What are people saying about it online?
Across TikTok, people have differing opinions on the plate. Influencer Jordan Myrick, @jordanmyr1ck, shared a photo of the plate with the caption. “I can’t buy this if it’s just for hot dogs so how else could I use this?” They included it in a roundup of items they want their followers to influence or deinfluence her from purchasing. Alongside the plate were other impracticalities like expensive purses, showing how they’re beautiful but unnecessary and hardly usable.
Another influencer, William Conrad, @williamconrad, used the plate to make a hot dog flight. In each slot was a different type of hot dog. The first was a Chicago dog with a poppy seed bun, yellow mustard, relish, tomato, pickles, sport pepper, and celery salt. The second was a Coney dog with onion, chili, and yellow mustard. The third was a Swedish dog with hot honey mustard, pickled cabbage, and crispy fried onions.
Across both videos, users had mixed reactions. Some people pointed out how it is a “recession indicator” with consumerist ideals. Others adore the idea and want to buy it as soon as possible.
TikTok has been a powerhouse for consumerism and this seems to be the cherry on top. Of course, there’s no reason to buy this expensive plate unless you eat three hot dogs every other day or so. Even then, a Costco paper plate does the job fine. Whether it’s with a cheap disposable or expensive designer plate, as Jennifer Coolidge’s Paulette in Legally Blonde 2 said, “it makes me want a hot dog real bad.”