# Ketchup on a hot dog, why bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817 "2003-11-01T09:22:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crazy\_grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@crazy\_grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazy_grady)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/1 "2003-11-01T09:22:59Z")
I have been reading this board for awhile and I have read that a hot dog should never have ketchup on it, only mustard. Why? I hate yellow mustard. Isn’t the way one makes a hot dog a matter of taste? A hotdog to me has ketchup, pickle relish and onion on it. But in Chicago, I would be a communist. Oh well. So maybe we can debate cuisine of hot dogs and hamburgers. (PS On a Hamburger, it’s mayonaisse, onion, SWEET pickle, lettuce.) ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/2 "2003-11-01T10:58:08Z")
You put mayo on a hamburger? 😕 :eek: :mad: You are sick man, just sick. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/3 "2003-11-01T11:04:35Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/4 "2003-11-01T11:23:52Z")
**Cecil Adams** on [Why is there no ketchup on a properly made hot dog?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_095.html) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/5 "2003-11-01T12:10:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > **You put mayo on a hamburger? 😕 :eek: :mad:** Why is this so strange? Isn’t there a mayo-based sauce/dressing on a Big Mac? ---
**Author:** ![missing\_link](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@missing\_link](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missing_link)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/6 "2003-11-01T12:49:15Z")
Just for the shocking value: I eat my fries with mayo and ketchup.Plus I couldn’t possibly imagine eating a hot dog with mustard. On the other hand I am a furriner, so what do I know 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/7 "2003-11-01T13:26:04Z")
I sometimes eat fries mayo with (curry) ketchup and chopped onions. What? I’m Dutch. We call it ‘special’. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/8 "2003-11-01T13:29:22Z")
I read Cecil’s article. So, ketchup “takes the edge off” the taste of the hot dog. Hot dogs. Which could contain cow asses and noses. You’re right. I’ve been a fool to want to take the edge off that! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/9 "2003-11-01T13:57:45Z")
Hot dogs with ketchup are fine. You can’t “take the edge off” a frigging hot dog, it doesn’t HAVE an edge. Mayonnaise on a hamburger, however, is not a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/10 "2003-11-01T14:14:14Z")
I have been known to put mayonnaise on my hotdogs 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Snuggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Snuggles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snuggles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/11 "2003-11-01T14:23:00Z")
On my hotdogs I put ketchup, pickle relish, mustard, and cheese On my burgers I like the same, + lettuce. Sometimes I will substitute the ketchup for tomatoes if they are available. I don’t like mayo at all, so I’d never put it on my hamburgers! yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/12 "2003-11-01T14:34:04Z")
The expression “there’s no accounting for taste” means that tastes are things we develop as we go along and there are wide variances in what people like on their food. Those who have to have their tastes dictated to them are not experimental. Whatever tastes good to you tastes good to you, regardless of the official pronouncements of anybody. If it tastes good to you, that’s the only rule you need. You don’t need extra reasons. Another related expression: “that’s why we have salt and pepper.” ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/13 "2003-11-01T15:09:28Z")
You’re all missing the point: A hot dog is merely a delivery vehicle for spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut Anything else is blasphemy. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/14 "2003-11-01T15:49:33Z")
I’ve always been a mustard/onions/kraut guy, but don’t knock the magic of the West Virginia hot dog, with chili and cole slaw in addition to the mustard and onions! No ketchup for me, please, and certainly no mayo. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/15 "2003-11-01T16:41:56Z")
> [@](#): > > A hot dog is merely a delivery vehicle for spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut > [@](#): > > Why? I hate yellow mustard Everyone who has any taste hates yellow mustard, you need the spicy brown type, it’s a totally different condement. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/16 "2003-11-01T16:51:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kanicbird \* > \*\*Everyone who has any taste hates yellow mustard, \*\* :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/17 "2003-11-01T17:09:58Z")
Ketchup (plain, not one of the sauces) on anything is a travesty. It’s the worst dumbing down of the taste buds in gastronomical history. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/18 "2003-11-01T17:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*Why is this so strange? Isn’t there a mayo-based sauce/dressing on a Big Mac? \*\* I think that’s Thousand Island dressing. However Whoppers at Burger King do. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/19 "2003-11-01T18:12:51Z")
Ketchup is evil. Pure and simple. The only thing it’s good on is the equally evil ‘meatloaf’. And the hotdog is a delivery vehicle… but for chili and onions, not mustard and kraut! (not that there’s anything wrong with that) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817/20 "2003-11-01T18:29:59Z")
Yeah, ketchup is just a corn-syrup sweetener, meant for the kiddies before they devlop a palate beyond “sugary = good.” If you want tomato flavor, use a sliced tomato. Especially during the prime tomato-bearing months. And I like mayo on a hamburger. Along with mustard and dill pickle and raw onion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-a-hot-dog-why-bad/210817.md?page=2)