I recently worked with a client who has worked in hospitality for over 30 years. She’s seen it all—the good, the bad, and the shockingly entitled guests. As we chatted, she shared how frustrating it can be to deal with hotel guests who constantly ask for “extras”—things like dental kits, extra towels, or slippers. I could tell she was struggling with how she personally felt about the exhausting requests.
Then she said something that made me laugh out loud:
“I don’t want to be the ketchup lady.”
Naturally, I had to ask, “Wait—who’s the ketchup lady?”
She told me about a time she ordered a hamburger and politely asked for extra ketchup. The woman behind the counter looked at her like she’d just requested the moon. Her body language screamed, “No ketchup for you” like Seinfeld’s soup Nazi episode!
We laughed together, but the truth in it stuck with me.
So many of us have been the ketchup lady at one point or another—assigning unnecessary meaning, stress, or offense to things that don’t actually matter.
Whether it’s someone asking for help, asking for clarification, or asking for more than we feel like giving… we can get so bent out of shape over the smallest requests.
We make it personal. We judge their motive. We roll our eyes, posture up, and act as though generosity is a threat.
But here’s the thing: it’s just ketchup.
Or slippers. Or an email. Or a follow-up question.
What if we stopped seeing people’s requests as an inconvenience, and started seeing them as opportunities to serve or show grace?
What if the moment someone asks for something extra, we paused and asked ourselves:
- What story am I telling myself about this?
- Am I assigning meaning where there is none?
- Do I want to be generous… or do I want to be self-righteous?
- Am I being the ketchup lady right now?
Because let’s be honest—no one aspires to be the ketchup lady. She’s tired. She’s bitter. And she’s guarding condiment packets like they’re bars of gold.
You and I were made for more than that.
Let’s be the ones who give freely, serve lightly, and laugh often.
And if someone asks for extra ketchup? Smile and say, “Absolutely.”
If you found this funny or helpful, please share with your community and colleagues, let’s spread the “no ketchup ladies” message!
As always, I’m cheering for you!
