# Ketchup On A Chicago Dog. Is it Legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055 "2014-12-12T20:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/81 "2015-01-28T19:42:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I somehow missed that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone ever put ketchup on fish before. Doesn’t help – still tastes like fish! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/82 "2015-01-28T19:45:04Z")
> [@OffByOne](#): > > Doesn’t help – still tastes like fish! So it doesn’t hurt, either. FTR, I don’t put anything on fish except a little salt, precisely because I don’t want the flavor to be altered. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/83 "2015-01-28T20:44:33Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/84 "2015-01-28T21:02:30Z")
Friends of mine fostered some kids from Columbia last summer. The 12ish year old daughter wanted to make dinner one night. They gathered together all the ingredients but were stumped looking for “everyday sausage.” Granted there were language issues, it was hours roaming far and wide through several stores before she finally recognized hot dogs. No word on if ketchup was involved. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/85 "2015-01-28T21:07:15Z")
> [@alindallas](#): > > I’m allergic to mustard. :eek: You poor poor child of a hateful God. You have my condolences. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/86 "2015-01-28T21:11:19Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Fine, fine, I’ll agree to stop putting ketchup on my hot dogs (Nathan’s or Hebrew National only, thankyouverymuch) - so long as you all stop calling anything that is prepared from a dead cow “barbecue”. “Barbecue” is pulled pork, period. And it exists in its true form only east of Goldsboro, North Carolina and south of Moncks Crossing, South Carolina. You were doing a bad job faking BBQ knowledge even before you referred to Moncks Corner by the wrong name. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/87 "2015-01-28T21:18:03Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Agreed Hey Hey Paula. Since moving to the Bay Area, I haven’t been able to find a good dog. I did goto [Ivy’s](http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2014/08/15/ivys-building-a-better-hot-dog-for-the-neighborhood) last summer when I visited The Folx. Damn near gorged myself. > > You people have no idea how good you have it. What’s Up Dog in SF has some pretty good hot dogs, as does the Pampered Pup in Alameda. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/88 "2015-01-28T21:30:29Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > {snip}- so long as you all stop calling anything that is prepared from a dead cow “barbecue”. “Barbecue” is pulled pork, period. And it exists in its true form only east of Goldsboro, North Carolina and {unreadable gibberish} Sir, you’re going to go far in this organization with original thinking like this. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/89 "2015-01-29T17:48:26Z")
There are a number of different ways I enjoy hot dogs. - Mustard (brown, not yellow), onion, pickles - Sharp cheddar, onion, hot sauce - Salsa (very rarely) - Chili and cheese - Chicago style (with the sport peppers please) I have not put ketchup on a hot dog since I started elementary school, and I would not eat a hot dog that was served to me with ketchup on it, for the reasons others have stated (it overpowers everything else, including the hot dog). But I don’t care what other people put on theirs, and am not sure why anyone else does. _You_ putting something I don’t like on _your_ food does not affect me or bother me one whit. Enjoy your ketchup, soy sauce, cole slaw, mayo, mushrooms, or hell, put beef gravy or fluffer nutter on it for all I care. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/90 "2015-01-29T23:16:09Z")
> [@Anthony\_Smith](#): > > **Ketchup On A Chicago Dog. Is it Legal?** > > Most serious Chicago Dog eaters say it is a Cardinal Sin to put ketchup on a Chicago Dog. The reasoning behind that is they say that the Tomato Slices are all that is needed for Tomato Content. > The act is also frowned upon when even put a plain Dog. > Some say children are exempt this from this Unwritten Rule. > > \*\*I say NO. \*\* > It is illegal to put ketchup on a hot dog. > > But I have a work aroud to that. What I do is put ketchup on the side of a paper plate and Dip the Dog in it. I surely did not put Ketchup “On” the Dog. > What I did do is Put the Dog on the Ketchup and some stuck to it. when I picked it back up. > **What do you think?** A basic problem here is that you’ve used ‘hot dog’ and ‘chicago dog’ interchangeably. One is generic and one is specific, one of the two is always the other, but not vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/91 "2015-01-30T02:46:02Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Traditional Aus Tomato Sauce (like “White Crow”) was Pepper piperaceae. And it went on (heavily pepper) meat pies. Huh?:dubious: I know that the American Ketchup was sweeter than Tomato Sauce but I’d hardly call it overly peppery, nor would I consider a 4&20 overly peppery. Otherwise, I don’t get the love for Mayo. That goes on lettuce-end of story. Mayo does not go on meat or on any cooked vegetable. Tomato Sauce on the other hand is the natural accompaniment to many foods such as a Hot Dog, meat Pie, chips (fries). The only thing you wouldn’t put tomato Sauce on was a Chiko Roll or a Dim Sim. (Fried Dim Sims with Eta BBQ Sauce is what gods eat) ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/92 "2015-01-30T20:42:25Z")
I grew up in Chicago. I enjoy a Chicago Dog… _ **WITH KETCHUP!** _ _pause for gasps of horror_ Why can’t everyone just eat what they like and mind their own business. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/93 "2015-01-31T15:03:04Z")
Can’t mind my own business… When I am _Emperor of Both the Known and Unknown Universe_, those who put ketchup on **any** hot dog will be amongst the first against the wall, including my wife and daughter. They’ve been duly warned. They’re only hope is that they are at the end of my very long list of those who will be amongst the first against the wall. As for mayo on a hot dog - definitely first batch of those against the wall. The day is approaching. REPENT! ---
**Author:** ![alted315](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@alted315](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alted315)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/94 "2015-01-31T15:26:55Z")
( in my best Homer Simpson) mmmm chili slaw dog ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/95 "2015-01-31T15:57:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I somehow missed that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone ever put ketchup on fish before. Bahhh… I put ketchup on my fish tacos covered in Velvetta cheese all the time… ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055/96 "2015-01-31T17:15:43Z")
Some people (you know who I mean…) would put ketchup on tomatoes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-chicago-dog-is-it-legal/707055.md?page=4)