A NO DEAL MEAL - The other day I pulled into the McDonald's drive-thru at 67555 East Palm Canyon Drive in Cathedral City.
Nothing unusual.
I ordered a two-cheeseburger meal with medium fries and a medium drink, paid with my credit card.
She closed the window, and I thought maybe I should double check the order.
So I looked inside the bag.
There was no ketchup.
No big deal, I thought.
They probably forgot.
So I waved at the server asked for a ketchup packet or bbq sauce to go with the fries that had come with my meal.
The response caught me completely off guard.
"That'll be 20 cents."
I actually thought I had misunderstood.
I hadn't.
Not only wasn't ketchup automatically included with an order of French fries, but if you wanted some afterward—even after purchasing the meal—you had to pay for it.
Twenty cents.
Now, let's be clear. This isn't about twenty cents.
It's about what twenty cents represents.
French fries and ketchup have been inseparable for decades. They practically define the fast-food experience. Most customers naturally assume that when they order fries, ketchup comes with them.
Apparently, not anymore.
To be fair, McDonald's restaurants are largely independently owned franchises, and many owners set their own policies on condiments. Some charge for extra dipping sauces like barbecue sauce or ranch dressing. But charging for ketchup after selling a meal that includes fries feels like crossing a line many customers never expected.
Businesses today face rising costs. Food prices are up. Labor costs have increased. Insurance, utilities, and supplies all cost more than they did just a few years ago. No one disputes those realities.
But there is another cost that doesn't show up on a balance sheet.
Customer goodwill.
For decades, businesses understood that a few inexpensive extras—napkins, straws, condiments, refills—were simply part of taking care of the customer. They weren't viewed as profit centers.
Today it seems every interaction has become another opportunity to generate a little more revenue.
We've become accustomed to paying extra for checked luggage, assigned airline seats, hotel parking, resort fees, service charges, ticket-processing fees, and delivery fees.
Now we're paying for ketchup.
Individually, each charge seems insignificant.
Collectively, they send a different message.
The customer isn't someone to delight.
The customer is someone to monetize.
Perhaps this is simply the economics of doing business in 2026.
Or perhaps companies should remember that loyalty isn't built one transaction at a time—it's built one experience at a time.
I have no idea whether this is the policy at every McDonald's or just this particular franchise in Cathedral City. If it's a local decision, perhaps management believes it's justified.
But here's a suggestion.
If someone orders French fries, include a couple of ketchup packets.
It's a tiny gesture.
Yet sometimes the smallest gestures create the biggest impression.
(Jim Hampton is the Publisher and Editor of CityWatchLA.com. With over 40 years of experience in radio broadcasting, marketing, and content creation, Jim helped launch CityWatch online with founding editor Ken Draper more than two decades ago. He continues to guide the platform’s mission to provide independent news and opinion on Los Angeles government, policy, and civic life.)
