As others have said before, they're both German. Like our rocket and automotive technology, our Interstate Highway System (from the Autobahn) and our language (English is a German dialect). The most technically American food I can think of are Hot Wings and Philly Cheese Steaks; although when you look at some of the god-awful things we've done to pizza, I don't think the Italians or Sicilian would claim those.
I'll go with the hamburger on this one. You can find a good burger everywhere. But I think the best hotdogs are in northeast America. Chicago were my favorite..........New York was good also.
I never got the saying "as American as apple pie". Apple pie is not even in the same league as pumpkin and pecan, except the mcdonalds kind that's pretty good. I think hot dog wins. One consumes it at every sporting event.
I'm going with Hamburgers but its close. In the UK they have their own hamburgers but they are more like a deepfried meatloaf patty than what we think of as hamburgers. OTOH there are many things that are eaten in Europe that are almost identical to a hotdog. Also because of McDonalds the hamburger as become a worldwide piece of America that you can get almost anywhere in the World while American Hotdogs aren't as widespread. Just to add to the discussion though I'm going to throw out another food:
Spam will be currency after the apocalypse. Expanding on your reference to McDonalds around the world. Here's an interesting list of localized menu options: McDonalds Menu Items From Around The World The shrimp burger looks interesting: The Ebi Filet-o, a fried shrimp sandwich. In Hong Kong, it’s known as the Shrimp Burger or the Little Chorizo Melt - offered in England: a 100% beef patty in a herb watersplit bun dressed with chorizo, a cheese slice made with Emmental, shredded lettuce and rich tomato sauce.
I wish we could get some of those in the US and I bet the chicken Big Mac would sell well. I would definately try the McBurbur Ayam and the Sausage and Egg Twisty. Although I did try the McRendang in Singapore (a quarterpounder with Malaysian onion curry) and it wasn't very good. On a related note last time I was in Hong Kong tried some sort of chicken casserole on rice bowl at KFC which was pretty good.
If we're going by names alone, then obviously it is the hot dog. If we're talking about the food behind the names, the hamburger is more uniquely American.
Food historians would agree it is the hamburger; being a fatty, I knew this, but I double checked--and you can too--on wikipedia.
I voted for hamburgers because I have to be drinking a beer to stomach a hot dog. I know too much about the hot dog making process. And it's much easier to make a fancy burger (there was a thread about this recently). But my liking burgers better doesn't make them more American. I think that when you think of lunch options more Americans will go for the burger before they go for a hot dog. Not always, of course. In Chicago there were some good hot dog spots. But think of how many Americans stop at McDonalds or Burger King every day. No hot dogs on the menu. Hot dogs are more common for July 4th or Alabama Ice House situations. BTW, I believe apple pie is considered quintessentially American in part because other cultures apple pie is a little different (less sugar and cinamon, lower crust, etc.), in part because it is eaten across the entire US (pecan pie, while eaten in the North, is more Southern), in part because it is appropriate year round but mostly because it's been around the longest and has become the most widely offered pie. almost every other pie is regional or seasonal. Apples are one of very few fruits that are available year round (although best in the fall). Bananas, I'll admit, are also available year round but the ones most of us eat aren't even grown in the US!
