Bill Gates, the man who built a tech empire and ran global philanthropy, became the talk of the town for something far more relatable-grabbing a classic New York street hot dog. A billionaire was found in Times Square, casually making his way to have a snack from the local vendor. The internet couldn’t get enough during this particular moment.
Photojournalist Elder Ordonez captured him in this now-viral below video, dressed casual in all black trousers, a blue sweater, and signature specs, waiting patiently by a street cart. Among the customary mayhem of Times Square, Gates was able to melt into the crowd as he ordered a hot dog-smiling and chatting with the vendor, watching the iconic snack being prepared. After ordering, Gates takes a big bite and later poses for photos with the vendor, well impassive to the throng of onlookers and camera phones recording the moment.
The video quickly made its rounds through social media, where people were in stitches at the view of a man known as one of the wealthiest in the world just enjoying something as common as a street hot dog. Comments went from light humor to calling him down-to-earth.
“He’s just like us! Who knew Gates was a frankfurter fan?”
one tweeted. Others speculated on his condiment of choice, with some arguing over whether he took mustard, ketchup, or something classier, such as truffle aioli.
“Does Bill Gates even do ketchup?”
joked another.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Gates has indulged in a modest pleasure on foreign soil: If memory serves, one viral image captured him drinking chai from a street vendor somewhere in India. That it delighted multibillionaire Gates with some local, mundane experiences is evident.
While this hot dog moment stole the internet’s attention, Gates was in New York for a bigger cause, the Goalkeepers 2024 event annual powerhouse brought together by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It brings together leaders and change makers to accelerate progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. But even as the weight of his trip involved such a lofty purpose, this instance of street food lightness showed Gates can balance the solemnity of changing the world with simple, relatable pleasures.
But then to see Gates, arguably one of the most influential people on the face of the planet, snacking on something so quintessentially New York spurred discussion on the relatability of billionaires. Scenes like this blur the line between wealth and everyday life-a reminder that even those with unimaginable fortunes can take pleasure in something as simple as a hot dog off of a street cart.
“It was such a breath of fresh air to see billionaires like Gates thoroughly enjoying the simple things in life,”
commented one on Instagram.
“It reminds us that no matter how much money or power you have, there is just something about a New York hot dog that hits the spot.”
While this particular video allowed for a lighthearted and humorous moment, it also managed to lead into the broader perception of Gates as a philanthropic and public figure. Over the years, Gates has worked hard to reshape his image from that of a tech mogul into that of a humanitarian, giving a great deal of both time and wealth to finding solutions for some of the world’s biggest problems, including eradication of diseases and climate change. Whether sipping chai in India or grabbing a hot dog in Times Square, such small humanizing moments-mostly random-help him connect better with the public and somewhat disarm the image of a billionaire through the complex intersection of power, wealth, and social responsibility.
