I just got done reading my usual blogs, and would normally go to bed now, but I have to stay up waiting for Hubby's laundry to be done so I can bring it upstairs so that he will have clothes to wear to work tonight, so here I am, writing about the current economy and it's effects on ketchup.
That's right, ketchup. You see, we went out to dinner the other night (a rare treat these days). Hubby chose one of our favorite places; Sizzler! Our kids LOVE the salad bar, and quite frankly, so do I. I realized just how much my oldest is growing up when we had to pay for his salad bar because he is no longer "three and under". Oh well, I guess it was inevitable. At least the little one still eats for free.
Anyway, I ordered the endless popcorn shrimp along with the salad bar. Most people will probably think this is weird, but I don't like that fancy shrimp sauce they serve. I like my shrimp with lemon juice and ketchup. Which is where the state of the economy comes in. When our waitress brought out the shrimp, I asked for more lemon wedges and a bottle of ketchup. She reached down into her apron and. . . voila! pulled out a bottle of ketchup.
To my horror, it was a plastic squeeze bottle of Western Family ketchup! I'm not even kidding. Western Family ketchup at the Sizzler. What a disappointment! Not that I'm against generic brands in general. Most of our groceries bear names such as Western Family or Shur Savings, but I expect more from a fairly expensive sit-down restaraunt. What happened to the glass bottle of Heinz? I woudn't mind if they tasted the same, but the fact is, they don't. Call me picky, but ketchup is one of the few things I will pay extra for because the name brand tastes better . . . a lot better. I guess everyone is hurting from the current state of the economy.
But I didn't let it ruin my night. The shrimp was still delicious, and the selection of fresh fruits and veggies on the salad bar more than made up for the ketchup disapointment. It just goes to show that EVERYONE is making changes to save a buck or two.
Oh, and if you want to know more about ketchup read this blog post. And in case you're really bored, have a lot of time on your hands, or just want to know a lot more than anyone should know about ketchup (and mustard), read the entire article.
