Hungry? How About 150 Million Hot Dogs in a Day

July 4, 2007 Special to ABCNEWS.com — -- Flag waving must make people hungry. This year Americans will spend more than $275 million on hamburgers and hot dogs as they celebrate their nation's Independence Day. Add in buns, beer and all manner of snacks, and Fourth of July celebrations will set Americans back $2.5 billion.

Check out Forbes' frank assessment of the top July 4th sellers.

Sure, the Fourth falls on a Wednesday this year, but don't expect the midweek timing to put a damper on the celebration. According to the National Retail Federation's 2007 Independence Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (conducted by BIGresearch, a consumer research firm based in Worthington, Ohio), 88.5 percent of Americans will partake in the holiday festivities this year, up slightly from the 87 percent who joined in last year.

"It's the all-American thing to do," says Pam Goodfellow, an analyst with BIGresearch. "The weather is nice, and it's a good reason to get together with your family and friends."

The first organized Fourth of July observance was celebrated in 1777 in Philadelphia. Most of the elements of future Fourths were already in place, including parades, parties and fireworks. Music was provided by a band composed of Hessian prisoners of war, captured by George Washington's troops at the Battle of Trenton some six months earlier. Over the years, more Independence Day traditions accrued, including baseball games, hot dogs and ice cream. Some traditions, such as listening to speeches and reading the Declaration of Independence aloud, gradually withered.

Today there's no better -- or at least more popular -- way to celebrate than with a barbecue. The NRF estimates 61 percent of partygoers will partake in a cookout, complete with burgers, dogs and booze. Poised to benefit: food and drink suppliers like Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch. After all, the nation will spend $1.1 billion on food and another $429 million on drink this Independence Day, says BIGresearch.

And of course, you can't barbecue without a fire. Americans will spend $274.2 million this year on charcoal and lighter fluid for their grills, according to BIGresearch.