Why does McD never include Ketchup in a drive thru bag unless you ask for it?

Question

Is it calculated that if ketchup packs are not given away, they will save on millions of dollars? At what point did this practice became an acceptable?

Answer 1

I don't know
maybe so that you have to turn around and go through the drive thru again to get the ketchup packets but then you decide to order something else while you're there...ka ching.

Answer 2

You're absolutely correct - it's to save on costs. The same reason why the Fish Fillet sandwich at McDonald's only comes with half a slice of cheese. Even though most McDonald's locations are independently owned franchises, they're rigid about conformity to their "corporate standards," which really do get as detailed and nit-picky as to dictate ketchup protocol. Since they give away ketchup for free, it's always a complete loss for them - so they can save money by making it a little bit harder for a customer to get his free condiments.

As to your second question, this practice became acceptable as soon as it became apparent that people were willing to keep paying for food without automatic free ketchup. Their business doesn't seem to be hurting any. If it's really an important issue to you, only patronize fast food places that automatically give you ketchup. If there are enough people like you, free market factors will take care of it.

Answer 3

It's just to save money and resources. Most people used to take a handful never use more than 1 or 2. If you want ketchup, just ask them for ketchup. Being wasteful isn't near as acceptable as it used to be, and that's a good thing.

Answer 4

This started over 10 years ago it seems. It was practiced at selected restaurants for awhile and then widely adopted. Since then many fast food restaurants will not automatically put ketchup in your bag. Unlike McD's though, many will ask if you want ketchup instead of you making the request.

Answer 5

Because they think it is a lot of work to give you ketchup in the drive thru bag. Some things you have to ask for.

Answer 6

Its because they figure that if you want it with your food then you'd ask for some. This way it doesn't just get wasted and it saves them some money. All those ketchup packs add up ya know : )

Answer 7

Everything costs money and it is a waste to give something that won't be used. If we gathered up all the food that is not eaten at any restaurant we probably could feed the entire group of third world countries for a year.

Answer 8

To save themselves money. Some airline saved over a million dollars in a year by taking one olive out of their meal.

Answer 9

A) Who beverages a snowstorm? B) Ritters does not simply by fact there upload is it is so thick you are able to turn it the different way up and not something falls out and which will possibly no longer rather paintings with a lid. C) this is not any longer called a snowstorm at ritters

Answer 10

They think that if people don't want the ketchup, they're going to throw it away at home. They just give it to the people that want it because they don't want it to go to waste.