Most Americans can agree on iconic American foods that we all know and love like hot dogs, burgers, and fries. But, when it comes down to what condiments to put on these classics, Americans are completely divided. We’re nitpicky and particular when it comes to sauces to slather on our sandwiches, dip our fries in, or add to our favorite recipes. Some of these condiment controversies are rooted in regional preferences, but for most Americans, their favorite condiments are a hill that they are willing to die on. Here are 10 condiment controversies that divide us.
1. The Best Mayo
Mayo has captured the hearts of most Americans. It’s a favorite condiment in cities like Seattle, Kansas City, Dallas, Nashville, and Charlotte. But what brand of Mayo is better divides many Americans. If you’ve had Duke’s mayo it has a very distinct taste. While Hellman’s is a little more neutral, Duke’s is tangier. The taste difference can be attributed to each mayo’s ingredients. Hellman’s uses whole eggs, white vinegar, sugar, and lemon juice, a classic combination. Duke’s only uses egg yolks with apple cider vinegar. Texture is also a distinguishing feature. Duke’s is definitely thicker than Hellman’s. So which one is better? Personally, we are team Hellman’s especially because it’s light and lemony. But this is an ongoing and heated debate. People in the South tend to favor Duke’s, while Northerners often prefer Hellman’s.
2. Ketchup or A1 on Steak?
When it comes to steak, there’s a wrong way and a right way to eat it. In our opinion, if you need to smoother your steak in ketchup it probably isn’t cooked well. A1 sauce on the other hand can enhance the flavor of meat. A1 is made with tomato paste, raisin paste, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, and other ingredients. It’s tangy, a bit sweet, and not too overpowering. Of course, does an excellent cut of steak really need any condiments at all?
3. Frank’s Hot Sauce or Cholula?
For many cities like Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, LA, and San Diego, hot sauce is their favorite condiment. Two of the most popular hot sauces Frank’s and Cholula each have a loyal following. Frank’s hot sauce ranks lower on the Scoville scale than Cholula. Cholula is made with arbol and piquin peppers, garlic powder, vinegar, salt, and spices. Frank’s RedHot contains aged cayenne red peppers, distilled vinegar, salt, water, canola oil, paprika, and garlic powder. We love the blend of peppers that Cholula uses that gives it a unique flavor. Frank’s of course is a classic, but isn’t hot enough.
4. Relish, Mustard, or Ketchup on Hotdogs?
Is there a right way to eat a hotdog? If you asked different regions, you would get very different answers about the right toppings for hotdogs. For example, Sonoran dogs which are popular in Arizona are wrapped in bacon and topped with beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, mustard, mayo, and jalapenos. Chicago dogs are topped with minced raw onion, sweet relish, peppers, a pickle spear, halved tomato slices, yellow mustard, and celery salt. While these hot dogs have all the bells and whistles, the classic options are ketchup, relish, or mustard. Instacart found that 21% of Americans hate relish, especially younger generations, and 17% hate mustard. Do you prefer one or do you smother your hot dog with all three toppings? Personally, we think only mustard belongs on hot dogs.
5. Marinara or Ranch on Cheese Curds?
A Wisconsin favorite, cheese curds are great for dipping. Both marinara sauce and ranch are popular accompaniments. Some Midwesterners prefer ranch because it compliments the mild cheese flavor better than marinara. But a perfectly crispy fried cheese curd goes great with marinara sauce. Maybe the more sauces the better applies to cheese curds.
6. What to Dip Fries in?
Fries are the perfect vessel for dipping. Of course, there is the classic ketchup, but what about mayo on fries? 34% of Americans love Mayo on their fries. We think it’s pretty gross, but some love the fatty goodness of mayo on fries. Apparently, it’s also very popular in Belgium and the Netherlands. So really mayo was the original dipping sauce. We would much rather dip our fries in a Wendy’s Frosty than have a dollop of mayo.
7. BBQ Sauce or Buffalo Sauce?
According to research conducted by Instacart, 11% of Americans hate BBQ sauce. BBQ sauce was first commercially produced in 1909 long before buffalo sauce hit the market. But for some reason, many Americans prefer buffalo sauce, especially on their wings. Buffalo chicken wings were created in 1964 at a bar in Buffalo, New York. Maybe American’s love of buffalo sauce correlates with our obsession with hot sauce. One thing is for sure though regardless if you like BBQ or buffalo sauce on wings, you have to dip it in bleu cheese. Don’t you agree?
8. Ranch with Pizza?
For us, pizza should stand alone. But, some Americans are obsessed with dipping their crust. Ranch seems like the only appropriate condiment, but there are other favorites. When it comes to dipping, about a quarter of Americans say they typically have marinara sauce with their pizza, and 23% have garlic butter. 22% say they dip or add ranch dressing to their pizza, and 12% have it with hot sauce.
9. Ketchup on Eggs?
Many Americans love ketchup on their eggs for its flavor punch. However, many Americans feel like slathering their eggs in ketchup is a faux pas. Only one in four diners say that ketchup on eggs is acceptable. Many polls are close to a 50/50 split on this issue that has been going on for decades. Because of the criticism from onlookers, some people only use ketchup on their eggs in private! It seems like this is a guilty pleasure for many that isn’t socially accepted. We say, squirt away – the more ketchup on eggs the better!
10. Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter?
According to the National Peanut Board, women and children prefer creamy peanut butter while men like crunchy peanut butter better. Based on their data, people on the East Coast prefer creamy while the West Coast prefers crunchy. From a nutritional standpoint, crunchy peanut butter is usually better for you and has less sugar. However, for us creamy is the best option. It’s much more versatile than its crunchy cousin.
Which Condiments Reign Supreme
While some of these condiment controversies may be surprising, almost everyone has an opinion on what is the right way to eat our favorite dishes. It’s either a love or hate relationship with many condiments. Preferences are also changing through generations. Gen X and Boomers say that they hate hot sauce with a passion, while Gen Z can’t stand relish and mustard. Will these controversies continue to divide our palettes? What’s your take?