# The ketchup poll
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 3, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068 "2011-09-03T16:15:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/41 "2011-09-04T04:44:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Really? I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had pad thai with ketchup (then again, I don’t eat a lot of pad thai.) It’s usually fish sauce, tamarind juice, and chile peppers, ain’t it?
It’s common to just use ketchup instead of tamarind (+ sugar) to give the cooking sauce more body. You’d be surprised how similar it tastes, after it’s fried–but tamarind is lighter and tangier. (And put the chile on after as garnish by individual taste.)
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/42 "2011-09-04T06:26:54Z")
I like ketchup a lot, **but** only on burgers, hot dogs, sandwich steaks (cube, shave) and fries. I’m a little horrified when I think about it on eggs or french toast.
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/43 "2011-09-04T06:57:57Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> My test for whether a fry is truly great or not is whether it needs ketchup. That said, I will usually put some sort of condiment on the fry anyway (malt vinegar being my favorite), but never a crazy amount unless the fries are sub-par.
Thinking towards Monday, “Honey, I know you like poached eggs for dinner, but how about over easy with the yolks soaking into the hash browns as you walk through the door?”
Thing Two will still use ketchup, but it’s what she likes.
I couldn’t cook a parrot, but onions, tates, and eggs? It’s what I do.
Okay, 350 on either side for about 18 minutes. You won’t enjoy it, but the parrot will no longer be contagious.
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### Author:  [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/44 "2011-09-04T07:04:37Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> I’m for it for obvious but limited uses, with one proviso: if it isn’t Heinz it’s a food crime. The rest are pretenders.
More than you know. More than you ever wanted to know:
[http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004\_09\_06\_a\_ketchup.html](http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_09_06_a_ketchup.html)
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### Author:  [@Fourtyfold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fourtyfold)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/45 "2011-09-04T08:46:50Z")
Ketchup is best with potatoes IMO, (although not as good as butter and salt) I don’t use it much for anything else. Hellmanns is my prefered brand.
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### Author:  [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/46 "2011-09-04T11:58:50Z")
I always put ketchup on hamburgers, never mustard.
Yet I always put mustard on hot dogs, never ketchup.
Am I weird, or is this normal?
(On french fries, I sometimes put ketchup, sometimes mustard.)
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/47 "2011-09-04T14:07:31Z")
The older I get, the less I use ketchup.
It still needs to go with burgers and fries, though. At least a little bit, most of the time.
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### Author:  [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/48 "2011-09-04T16:16:33Z")
I don’t like ketchup, but I wouldn’t scrape it off of a fast food hamburger or a meatloaf. Sometimes I use BBQ sauce where another person might use ketchup (e.g. mixed into a pot of Kraft Dinner).
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### Author:  [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/49 "2011-09-04T20:17:40Z")
Short of cereal or ice cream you could put ketchup on anything. And I may be convinced to try ketchup ice cream.
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/50 "2011-09-04T21:10:03Z")
Ketchup has its place. I don’t tend to use it all the time, but sometimes a burger with ketchup tastes pretty good. Same with fries. And I agree that when it comes to ketchup, it’s got to be Heinz.
> [@Enderw24](#):
>
> And I may be convinced to try ketchup ice cream.
I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but you could try some [ketchup-flavored potato chips](http://www.walmart.ca/Grocery/Snacks/Chips-Popcorn/Lays-Kettle-Cooked-Ketchup-Potato-Chips). 🙂
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### Author:  [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/51 "2011-09-04T21:39:28Z")
Only on hot dogs and burgers, because I don’t like them much and ketchup masks the flavor (sometimes I am at cook outs and the only food options are burgers and hot dogs). I don’t have ketchup with anything else for the same reason - ketchup masks the flavor.
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### Author:  [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/52 "2011-09-04T21:41:02Z")
Ketchup on fries.
That’s about it, IMO.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/53 "2011-09-05T04:24:03Z")
> [@amarone](#):
>
> Only on hot dogs and burgers, because I don’t like them much and ketchup masks the flavor (sometimes I am at cook outs and the only food options are burgers and hot dogs). I don’t have ketchup with anything else for the same reason - ketchup masks the flavor.
I’ve found that I can overcome this by using a very, very small amount. I’m talking leftover on the plate as you’ve finished it. You can still taste it, but it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor.
I personally do like those things you mentioned, but sometimes I get a bad hamburger. My favorite thing to do in these situations is to put on a thin layer of ketchup with a thin layer of mayonnaise. The combination is the flavor of the gods, giving all the tastes (while only very lightly sweet) and overpowers things that even ketchup alone can’t.
Because, honestly, ketchup by itself just doesn’t taste that good. Even if you can’t taste the food under it, just having it there makes the ketchup more palatable. Adding mayonnaise, though, makes it perfect.
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### Author:  [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/54 "2011-09-05T04:47:00Z")
I like it well enough on burgers and fries and sometimes as a dip for those ruffled chips but it has to be Heinz. It’s just something I don’t go any cheaper on, especially when the price difference isn’t that significant. Even better is the organic Heinz. I don’t care about organic anything but I had this and it was just SO good I can’t go back to regular.
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### Author:  [@Bordesley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bordesley)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/55 "2011-09-05T12:59:07Z")
It has to be **H.P.** Simply the best, better than all the rest…
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### Author:  [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/56 "2011-09-05T20:17:54Z")
Ketchup goes with hot meat loaf only. And once it’s cold, as in a sandwich, it gets mayo. It just does.
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### Author:  [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)
#### Post date: [September 5, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/57 "2011-09-05T21:19:44Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> I’m for it for obvious but limited uses, with one proviso: if it isn’t Heinz it’s a food crime. The rest are pretenders.
Yeah, but you have to make sure WHERE it was made if you are out of the USA. Eygpt Heinz makes nasty ketchup. Ick
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### Author:  [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/58 "2011-09-06T00:43:20Z")
I only use ketchup on hot dogs, fries, and tater tots. Then again the only other thing I’ll put any sorts of condiments on is sausages/wursts, which must have yellow mustard. And condiments only go on fries if they’re bland or have started to cool down; vinegar can go on from the start, but how often do you see restaurants with vinegar anymore?
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### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/59 "2011-09-06T00:46:00Z")
What I use Ketchup on:
1.Burgers/Hot Dogs
2.Fried Potato dishes
3.Eggs
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### Author:  [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ketchup-poll/595068/60 "2011-09-06T00:58:51Z")
For the first time in my life I have a bottle of ketchup in my fridge – have had it for six months or so. Going through a tater tot kick a while back, before I decided I didn’t care for them. It’s OK, don’t use it for anything, though – a few weeks ago I put it on something.
Oh, wait – it’s fine on hamburgers! That’s what I used it on recently. Good stuff! I rule!
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