Pay for ketchup in the restaurant, not for mustard: that's why

In the restaurant you paid for an extra serving of ketchup, but a serving of mustard was included for free. This phenomenon amazes the guests of many German restaurants and snack bars. In this article we explain why and whether this is the case everywhere.

Pay ketchup in the restaurant, get mustard for free

Perhaps this has already happened to you: You order ketchup and mustard extra in the restaurant. By the waiter or at the latest when you look at the bill, you will find out that the ketchup was calculated while the mustard was available for free.

• This can be seen in some restaurants, but not in all. Because there are also restaurants that either calculate both or serve an extra portion for free.
• So that mustard is always free is a myth.
• Care should also be taken when assuming that mustard is a spice. You can grow the mustard plant yourself, but the mustard in the restaurant is a preparation and is named "seasoning sauce" according to the guidelines for spices of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
• The decision whether you have to pay for the mustard is up to the restaurant.

The restaurant determines the price

For many consumers, ketchup is a sauce and mustard is a spice. This difference is often thought to be the reason that you have to pay ketchup in many restaurants, but not mustard. In fact, this does not have the slightest impact on the legal situation.

• The restaurant is free to decide for itself what is offered to you and how much the product offered will ultimately cost.
• There is no law that something must be offered for free. The same also applies to a glass of tap water.
• If you order mustard or ketchup separately, you must be told what a portion costs. This can either be noted in the menu or the waiter must tell you when ordering.
• Why some restaurants sell ketchup, but mustard is free, is unclear. One reason for this could be that conventional table mustard is a little cheaper in the purchase price.
• Extra portions of ketchup may also be required more often in the affected restaurants, but rarely mustard.