I can put up with questionable food choices: Pineapple on pizza? Okay. Pickles with peanut butter? Maybe. But, I have to draw a line at inaccuracy. Everyone has their limits. Stop putting ketchup on hot dogs! 

First of all, it is pure food science. The taste of a frank in a bun is one of savoriness, not sweetness. The seasonings in a frank – such as paprika, garlic, and coriander – create a taste that is more salty than sweet. Mustard enhances such flavor. On the contrary, the sugar-sweetness (sometimes high fructose corn syrup) in ketchup masks the flavor of the pig in its blanket and makes it something it is not.

Second is the guidance from none other than the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC). According to the NHDSC’s “Hot Dog Etiquette” page (where, for example, they mandate that eaters use their hands to eat a dog, never utensils), the council has a strict no-ketchup policy. To quote the NHDSC: “Don’t use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese, and chili are acceptable.”

Finally, the Americanization of the hot dog/sausage. The Frankfurter was first developed in Germany in 1487, before Columbus traveled to America. It is debated where/when the idea of putting the dachshund sausage between a bun originated. Nonetheless, many point to German vendors living in New York circa the 1860s. Original dogs were served with either horseradish, sauerkraut, or mustard. However, in 1876, Heinz came out with a new condiment: Catsup – originally made with tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices. The problem there? Sugar. According to the American Heart Association, Americans consume “2-3 times the recommended amount [of sugar]”. In our gluttonous country, we feel the need to sweeten everything we eat. Conversely, smarter nations such as Germany opt for something that is not filled with sugar or corn syrup: mustard.

Ketchup on the dog should be left in one’s past where things such as only ordering chicken tenders remain. Barack Obama would agree. When asked by the late, great Anthony Bourdain on his show “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” whether ketchup on a hot dog is acceptable, Obama replied “No… It’s not acceptable past the age of eight.” I rest my case.