# Should serving hot dogs with ketchup rather than mustard & relish be punished by death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609 "2020-02-27T17:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/101 "2020-02-28T19:38:08Z")
Never mind all that. Where’s the pie? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/102 "2020-02-28T22:51:16Z")
I eat ketchup and onions on my hot dogs. Never mustard, never relish. I’m on the Witness Protection Program. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/103 "2020-02-28T23:52:25Z")
Hi, my name is **Suburban Plankton** , and I enjoy my hot dogs with ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/104 "2020-02-29T20:11:39Z")
At CostCo: Bun. Dog. Onions. Relish. Spicy mustard. Ketchup. Kraut. Try to take that from me if you’re anxious to end your career. At La Casa Blanca: Bun. Dog. Onions. Chili. Cheddar. Cholula. Don’t even approach too close. At home: Brown rice. Pineapple sausage. Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce. Yum. If I must be executed, don’t throw me to the alligators. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/105 "2020-03-01T01:14:35Z")
I chose the non-violent poll option. I find ketchup on hot dogs to be utterly revolting, but I realize that views on this topic may legitimately differ. My ideal hot dog treatment is a good-quality mustard and a spear of a half-sour pickle. Granted, it’s all the sodium you should have for the day (or maybe the week), but it’s a nice bite. > [@carrps](#): > > Aw, you’re reminding me of Woody’s Smorgasboard\*. Which oddly enough was a burger place. You ordered your burger (indicating number of patties and type of cheese, if any) and took it to the “smorgasboard” of condiments. I always took mine to the soft serve “smorgasboard” and added chopped peanuts to my other condiments. Yum! > > - So many place I loved… long gone. ☹ I join you in remembering Woody’s. They introduced “choice” long before salad bars became common, and for a kid, the idea of being able to fix your burger exactly as you wanted it was heady stuff indeed. Hadn’t thought of that restaurant in ages. We went to the one in (or near) Westchester…I seem to remember an Alpine decor, even though that doesn’t make sense in the context. Maybe it wasn’t Alpine, but Scandinavian? That would work better than Swiss for “smorgasbord”… ---
**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:** [March 1, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/106 "2020-03-01T01:20:07Z")
I have some Boar’s Head Hot Smoked Sausage (crushed red pepper) in the fridge, along with some leftover German sauerkraut and horseradish mustard and decent hot dog rolls. Could be lunch tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609/107 "2020-03-01T05:31:45Z")
I’m shocked, _shocked_ to find such heresy in this thread, on Cecil Adams’ very own message board. I quote [the Word, full of snark and truth](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/679/why-is-there-no-ketchup-on-a-properly-made-hot-dog/). > [@Cecil Adams](#): > > Paul, I know you don’t mean to act like an alfalfa-chewing barbarian, but this is like asking why Leonardo didn’t paint the Mona Lisa on black velvet. Ketchup is destructive of all that is right and just about a properly assembled hot dog (and we’re talking about a pure beef hot dog, not one of those things you could serve with dressing on Thanksgiving). > > \ > > People get pretty emotional over the ketchup question. Mel Plotsky opened our discussion by describing the condiment as a “catchall of garbage.” Over at crosstown rival Vienna Sausage, they refer to ketchup as the “K-word.” If you go into an authentic hot dog joint and ask for ketchup on your hot dog, the counterman will pause and look you in the eye. He may or may not say, “Ketchup?” with a tone of disbelief. But you may be certain what he’s thinking: “Behold this creature that walks like a man. It wants _ketchup_ on its _hot dog_.” > > But hey, if you want ketchup, by all means get it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-serving-hot-dogs-with-ketchup-rather-than-mustard-relish-be-punished-by-death/848609.md?page=5)