# What happened to the condiment dispensing machines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243 "2018-07-20T00:09:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/21 "2018-07-20T18:58:16Z")
> [@](#): > > I used one at a dairy Queen last week. I think our McDs has one. I am always wary about how long the catsup or mustard has been in those things. I’m not, given how often the ketchup machine is empty at the Wendy’s I go too (often enough that that’s less time than it takes me to go through a bottle of ketchup at home). Indeed, more than once (over a period of 10 years), it’s been entirely empty with no bag of ketchup in it at all and they had to go get a bag. I see them at that Wendys and at the Arbys I go to all the time. Don’t really get condiments anywhere else, so don’t pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/22 "2018-07-20T20:04:20Z")
Long Johns silvers still has them. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/23 "2018-07-20T20:49:59Z")
There are 2 main reasons for their decline, both economic: - the maintenance cost of those machines. They have to be kept filled, and be cleaned constantly. People take longer to fill the little paper cups than to just take a packet, which slows down your traffic. (Also, the paper cups ain’t free. And they have no brand advertising on them, unlike the packets) Also, people tend to take more ketchup or whatever than when in packets. People leave a mess around them, which attracts insects, and more mess. - they are of no use to take-out customers, and that is a growing part of the business. Since you have to have the packets for take-outs, why not use them for dine-in customers, too and have one less item to stock, fill, clean up, etc. That’s why you still see them at places like CostCo, Five Guys, Arbys, etch – places where there is more dine-in customers vs. take-out. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/24 "2018-07-20T20:59:33Z")
You can often find them in the restrooms of seedier locations. Oh, wait. You said condomENTS. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/25 "2018-07-20T21:30:54Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Fuddruckers, CostCo, McDonalds (catsup only), Arby’s, and the **various Spring Training and Chase Field ballparks** around here. I was going to mention ballparks. Pumps for the semi-liquids and cranks for the onions and relish. Every ballpark I’ve ever been to is rife with them. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/26 "2018-07-21T21:27:52Z")
Burger King and A&W restaurants (at least the ones I frequent) in Canada have ketchup pumps. A&W also got smart and made their ketchup packets about 2x~3x as big as most. [![](https://lh3.ggpht.com/-vN9txjSKPmU/T2r85r6CoiI/AAAAAAAAHzo/cYwAzrykT70/s1600-h/IMG_2813%25255B3%25255D.jpg) ](https://lh3.ggpht.com/-vN9txjSKPmU/T2r85r6CoiI/AAAAAAAAHzo/cYwAzrykT70/s1600-h/IMG_2813%25255B3%25255D.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/27 "2018-07-22T00:28:57Z")
Heinz has also developed a “[Squeeze it or dip it](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/heinz-0-95-oz-dip-squeeze-ketchup-packet-case/125992339.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI99aR0rmx3AIVE73sCh1_OQybEAQYASABEgItT_D_BwE)” packet for ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243/28 "2018-07-22T00:59:23Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Fuddruckers, CostCo, McDonalds (catsup only), Arby’s, and the various Spring Training and Chase Field ballparks around here. > > The ones I have seen refilled they drop in a big bag of relish, catsup, or mustard which then gets sucked dry so about the only place worrisome would be the dispensing tube after the pump lever, especially the very end of the nozzle. Phew. Thanks for sharing this. It’s nice to know its in bags. I usually squirt the first bit into a napkin (heh) to get rid of the dried ketchup gristle and such anyway. Was always worried about what happened inside the container. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-condiment-dispensing-machines/818243.md?page=1)