Ketchup shortage hits restaurants, fast food chains across the U.S.

America’s favorite condiment is the latest shortage to hit restaurants and fast food chains as a result of high delivery demand and increased take out during the pandemic, a new report suggests.

Gone are the days of shared ketchup bottles at tables, now replaced by individual packets at many restaurants across the country. Current health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises restaurants to "avoid using or sharing items that are reusable such as menus, condiments and any other food containers" to curb the spread of the virus. More specifically, the CDC suggests the use of "single serving condiments." America’s most widely used ketchup brand, Heinz, which holds the majority of market share in the U.S., told the Journal it plans to increase its production by around 25%, at over 12 billion packets per year. The brand said it couldn’t keep up with orders for its ketchup packets. To combat this, restaurants have reportedly scrambled to find alternatives for the tomato sauce spread. Chains like Texas Roadhouse and Long John Silvers reportedly were in short supply with some employees having to run to big box stores to buy other brands.