It Is Officially OK To Put Ketchup On Your Chicago Hot Dog
By Anthony Todd in Food on Apr 6, 2016 3:00PM
Ketchup on hot dogs is one of those irrational Chicago food fights that certain people get very, very passionate about. You're not a real Chicagoan if you put that red slop on your encased meats, rages the Chicago Dog loyalist. Well, they can shut up, because ketchup is officially OK again.
While there is no "Chicago Hot Dog Bureau" to make these sorts of policies, Portillo's is about as close as it comes. And they've released a video that endorses ketchup.
Their new video (below), which uses the power of math to point out that there are 128 possible topping combinations on a Chicago hot dog, also says (and we gasped when we heard this) "While ketchup doesn't come standard, we'll add it if you like." Note that it does not say "but we'll make fun of you," "but we'll throw it at your face," or "and if you ask, you're not a real Chicagoan."
Moral of the story? Put whatever you want on your damn hot dog, already.