Scott Alexander examines the hot dog and bun quantity mismatch as evidence that markets may not always efficiently respond to consumer preferences. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the economic puzzle of why hot dogs are sold in packs of ten while buns are sold in packs of eight. He argues that this inefficient mismatch shouldn't persist in a free market, as companies should quickly capitalize on consumer demand for matching quantities. The post uses this seemingly trivial example to question broader economic theories about market efficiency and company responsiveness to consumer preferences, suggesting that industries might fail to respond to incentives for extended periods due to factors like tradition. Shorter summary