Many Americans are divided over the argument of whether the family cookout star hot dog or the lunchtime classic bologna is a better item. While both these items are made of emulsified meat products, here are the major differences between these two polarizing food items.

Sean Hofherr, the owner of Illinois butchery Hofherr Meat Co. says that “the only difference between our hot dog and bologna recipes remains: the size of the casing”. Store-bought brands of these items use different types of ground meats such as chicken, pork, beef, or turkey in their final product, although it’s common for brands to use a combination of these meats.

Although hot dogs and bologna are made of the same product and in the same way, they taste different because of the way in which each one is spiced and blended before funneling them into casings and cooking. Hot dogs have a distinctly smoky flavor, and while American bologna mimics that taste, its casing has been stripped from it before being sold.