What's The Big Deal About Ketchup On Hot Dogs?

If you go on "Family Feud" and Steve Harvey asks you to name something that goes on a hot dog, there are probably two condiments that would spring to mind first. There's mustard, of course, that savory, tangy yellow sauce that zigzags its way up and down your hot dog. But where would mustard be without its good friend ketchup, rounding out the flavor profile with some welcome sweetness? Well, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, putting ketchup on one's hot dog is utterly unacceptable to anyone over the age of 18, with others (including former president Barack Obama) declaring that no one over the age of 8 should use the condiment on their dog.

It's easy to understand why our 44th president might think that. Obama, you see, spent a lot of his adult life in Chicago, and in this hot dog-loving metropolis, putting ketchup on one's Chicago Dog is seen as a major faux pas. But even outside Chicago, ketchup is controversial. The idea is that ketchup, which has a strongly sweet, tangy flavor without the complexity you might get from mustard or relish, covers up the natural flavor of the hot dog — which is, after all, what you're paying to eat. It's the same reason why the waiter at a high-end steakhouse might look at you funny if you ask for a bottle of A1 steak sauce. (In that case, you really shouldn't ask for ketchup, unless you're Patrick Mahomes.)

On some level, we understand and sympathize with the anti-ketchup brigade. If you're going to get a hot dog, you ideally want to enjoy the flavor of the actual sausage, and ketchup can certainly become overwhelming if applied too liberally. And with so many full-grown adults proudly declaring that they only watch cartoons and only read young adult novels, we completely get the satisfaction that comes with telling someone to grow up and engage with something that has even a modicum of complexity. But at the same time ... well, who cares that much?

We're reminded of other food-related questions that often get posed on talk shows and podcasts. Is a hot dog a sandwich? Does pineapple belong on pizza? These are fun conversation starters, and if you really get into it you'll end up with some fascinating food for thought. But — and we know this will make us sound sanctimonious — these are not real issues. No lives hang in the balance. We are not in 2013 anymore; we are not having late-night bull sessions between swigs of IPA and episodes of "Portlandia." The people putting ketchup on hot dogs don't genuinely deserve your contempt; there is enough of that going on already. 

Of course, most people who argue about hot dog condiments don't take it that seriously. It's just a bit of fun to bicker over — and that's fine. But there's no need to get judgmental. (Full disclosure: This writer had a Nathan's hot dog with raw onion and small amounts of ketchup at Coney Island this weekend, and it was delicious.)