So this argument isn't so one sided I thought I'd chime in. Keep in mind I'm originally from NY. In NY people will order their hot dogs from the hot dog carts with mustard, ketchup, or mustard AND ketchup on their dog(s). Along with sweet onions and/or sauerkraut. There are times I like ketchup on my dogs. There are times I don't. I have gone to Gene & Judes many times and never seem to miss ketchup on my dog there. I often have ketchup on my fries. Sometimes I don't. I often like ranch dressing or ailoi. It depends on my mood and the fries. Imagine Belgian frites with no dipping sauce?? And what is ketchup but a dipping sauce, albeit a rather common and mundane one? The fries at Gene & Judes are such that I don't really miss ANY sauce. And I've been known to finish off a bag of McDonald's fries without ketchup on the way home in the car. But sitting at the table I'd usually dip them in some ketchup.
So I'm am definitely in the PRO camp, which to me means if you like ketchup use it and enjoy it and everybody else can mind their own business. I know some people that bring a little thing of hot sauce with them everywhere, or fancy sea salt. Should they be told to refrain because of someone else's opinion?
I think the ANTI ketchup people need to chill on the "Soup Nazi" vibe. No one is EVER going to make you put ketchup on your fries (or dog) at Gene & Judes so why be upset if they'd like to have some for themselves?
And as some have pointed out ketchup wouldn't be so common across the country and the world, if people didn't like it. Alot. On alot of things. With hot dogs, burgers and fries being perhaps at the top of the list. So just because you don't want ketchup on your dogs, burgers or fries doesn't mean the rest of us who choose to (from time to time) are wrong or out of step. Perhaps you are....
I'm sure Heinz thinks you are.
--Dirk--
Dirk van den Heuvel