When you think of a recession, you probably think of rising grocery prices, high unemployment, and inflation. But one food reviewer says there's one unexpected telltale sign: Hotdogs.
In a video with over 238,000 views, foodie influencer Katlynn Millions Mansfield (@millionsofreviews) claims an impending recession can be spotted by looking at high-end restaurant and bakery menus.
"See what they all have in common right now. They're doing things with hotdogs," she says.
The caption reads, "There are multiple restaurants putting caviar in hot dogs for Valentine's Day. DON'T PISS DOWN MY BACK AND TELL ME ITS RAINING HOTDOGS!!!"
The food reviewer points to a recent hotdog menu item at Milk Bar, a bakery chain.
"Milk Bar is doing things with hot dog buns. Cheapest thing there is. Hotdogs. That means we're poor guys," she says in the clip.
However, viewers point out that Milk Bar's hot dog menu item -- dubbed the Hot Dog Bomb -- is a part of the chain's Chicago opening celebration.
"Milk Bar is using hotdogs to celebrate its Chicago location because it's a huge staple in Chicago! Don't get me wrong, it doesn't sound great, but I don't think they are doing it bc we/they are poor," a viewer suggests.
"Milk bar is doing 'things' with hot dogs because a new storefront is opening in Chicago...," one commenter writes. But another pushes back, saying, "But the popularity and success of it at other locations, and the way it may be adopted by competitors, hints to customer habits trending cheaper."
Other viewers say they've noticed hotdogs at other high-end restaurants.
"I just saw a wagyu hotdog on a menu last night," one writes.
"Ok yes because Bacchanal Buffet had a wagyu hotdog with seaweed on it, was yucky," another says.
On the subreddit r/Hotdogs, some posters have leaned into the fancy hotdog trend in recent months. One says they purchased a $39 caviar hotdog from The Bar Room at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, N.Y.
Experts at NerdWallet suggest that the United States is not in a recession despite soaring interest rates and inflation. The traditional definition of a recession is two back-to-back quarters of economic slowdown. The last recession was at the beginning of 2022 when the economy shrank by 1.6% and then 0.6% in the first two quarters.
However, commenters say they're still concerned about the economy.
"In my town, 2 cinemas closed, there were barely any people in the shows, so now there is just 1, a fancy one, the luxury of going to the movies is gone, money must be saved," one writes.
"One time a professor told me to look at how the stripper business is doing because if they're doing bad the U.S. is too," another suggests. A viewer responds, "Strippers been telling y'all for the last year, and no one listens."
"Suddenly nobody's buying from my online shop... or anyone's online shops from the looks of it," a third adds.
The Daily Dot reached out to Mansfield via email and Instagram direct message. We also emailed Milk Bar for further information.