Stopped at Fry the Coop in Oak Lawn the other night for a quick dinner.  Ordered up the chicken & cheese sandwich with mild heat.  Shared a picture of my magnificent tray and endured mockery for the amount of ketchup I dispensed.  Too much?

Plenty of paper coverage so I pumped directly onto the tray instead of using the little paper cups.  What’s the right amount to use?  I usually get 4 little cups right off the bat. I believe that to be the correct amount. 5 if you really want to get ketchup-y.  I want more than enough for total fry immersion down to the last fry.  Plus, I might want to dip a sandwich in the ketchup, depending on the sandwich.  I didn’t do much ketchup dipping on this occasion because the chicken already had plenty of flavor with Nashville mild sauce + Fry the Coop’s special sauce (thousand island).  But it was nice to know the mound of ketchup was there, just in case.  Sat outside in the strip mall along 95th Street, far from the ketchup dispenser inside  If I didn’t get enough ketchup the first time, I knew I wouldn’t venture back inside.  Therefore, I went a slightly heavy on the pour.  Better safe than sorry.  I try not to waste food or condiments, but I did toss a fair amount of leftover ketchup. I don’t think it’s a major loss for the restaurant.  They’re doing gangbusters, place was packed.  Some joints are tight with the ketchup, though – begrudgingly handing you two tiny packets.  I’ll have to talk to my restaurant friends and see if ketchup self-service is a cost issue.  Until then, pump away.