"Selling Like Hotcakes" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 20/10/2020

0:00 - How to Say, “Selling like hotcakes.”
0:19 - Examples of “Selling like hotcakes.”
1:01 - Meaning of “Selling like hotcakes.”
1:44 - Origin of “Selling like hotcakes.”
3:54 - More Examples of “Selling like hotcakes.”
4:46 - Conclusion

“Selling like hotcakes.”

You’ve most likely heard someone say that something was “selling like hotcakes,” or selling really well, being snapped up off the shelves.

“I listed a few of my wood carvings online and they started selling like hotcakes!” a friend might be telling you about how her hobby is bringing in money.

Perhaps you’re at the supermarket with your family and you notice something, “Why is the toilet paper selling like hotcakes?!”

“They’re having a closing down sale at the mall and everything’s selling like hotcakes!” your friend might tell you over a coffee.

As you can see, if something is “selling like hotcakes,” it’s being purchased by consumers at a fast pace, people are lining up around the block for it, it’s disappearing off the shelves, it’s selling at a rapid clip.

You may not know it, but “hotcakes” is a synonym for pancakes, along with other names; such as flapjack, griddlecake and slapjack. Pancake is by far the most popular term for the breakfast item, however.

There are a few theories for the origin of the idiom, “selling like hotcakes,” but the most logical explanation is that hotcakes or pancakes were a popular item at county fairs, funfairs, farm exhibitions, etc.

Obviously, if you’re starting or running a small business, you want your items to “sell like hotcakes”, whether you’re selling from a shop or online.

Unfortunately, not every entrepreneur’s offerings “sell like hotcakes,” and business people often find themselves holding a lot of stock, many unsold goods that have to either be sold slowly over time or sold at a loss.

This is perhaps why the old, industrial methods of mass production are losing favour and buying directly from artisans, craftspeople and makers is increasingly popular.

“Cottage industry” production, or individuals making items at home, was the norm, the most common method of creation before the industrial revolution…

… and thanks to the democratizing effects of the internet, individuals are again taking the reins of providing for each other’s needs and wants.

There are many online platforms today from which we can find and purchase whatever our hearts desire, made by individuals rather than at factories.

“I love this small shop’s hemp cloth clothing and so does everyone else… their items sell like hotcakes!” a friend might be telling you about her favourite clothing maker.

Maybe you and your girlfriend are at a local bakery, “Look! They still have my favourite loaf; these sell like hotcakes and are usually sold out by the time we get here.”

“Condo units at our new apartment building are selling like hotcakes, so make your decision quick!” the real estate agent at the sales office might be trying to entice you.

So, the next time you notice that something is flying off the shelves, going like gangbusters, selling like there’s no tomorrow, be sure to describe it as, “selling like hotcakes”! 

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