In Chicago, putting ketchup on a hot dog is considered a culinary capital crime. But Heinz is on a mission to change all that with their latest marketing stunt - ketchup dispensing billboards that let Chicagoans "Smack for HEINZ" and reclaim their right to top their dogs however they please.
As is apropos for April Fools, we bring you a boss level prank that Heinz Ketchup is pulling on Chitown residents. According to NBC 5 Chicago, Heinz Ketchup is installing a series of "ketchup relief stations" across the windy city, targeting restaurants that dare to not serve this beloved condiment. These interactive billboards will allow passersby to literally "Smack for HEINZ" by tapping a lever that gives you free packets of the good stuff.
You see, in Chicago, putting ketchup on a hot dog is considered sacrilege. The locals prefer to top their dogs with classic Chicago-style frankfurter toppings like mustard, relish, onions, and peppers. Heinz is encouraging Chicagoans to rebel by giving a master class in trolling and placing the condimeent dispensers outside ketchup-shunning eateries so they can swoop in and save tomato-loving customers with their sweer and tangy goodness.
This isn't the first time Heinz has pulled a prank to promote their ketchup in Chicago. In 2017, they introduced the sneakily named "Chicago Dog Sauce," which was just regular ol' Heinz ketchup in disguise.
As far as we're concerned, eat what you like, how you like - don't ever let the ketchup haters keep you from snacking the way you prefer; we don't even care if you like mayo on your links...oh wait...ok, maybe that's too much. Never mind.