non refrigerated ketchup always tastes funky unless it's the kind that's packed with a large enough buttload of preservatives that they no longer have to put "refrigerate after opening" on the bottle.
Some might put them in the fridge when they close or even have many extra so that they can be rotated in and out. But, given the frequent state of ice machines in restaurants, it wouldn't surprise me if the way condiments are handled is less than ideal.
Though, on the other hand, if it's not resulting in a bunch of cases of food poisoning, maybe it serves as immune system training that just gives you an ick feeling when you realize what's been going on this whole time.
Many places use those individually sealed packets, too. Ketchup bottles usually say "refrigerate after opening", so those things are probably fine, other than maybe plastic content.
There’s two very distinct brands of white people: The “I like boiled meats because browning it makes it too spicy” brand, and the “if it’s not making me cry and shit bloody fire, it’s too bland” brand. There is no in between.
Growing up, our ketchup came in plastic bottles with that little aluminum seal between the nozzle and the bottle. Our rule was it stayed in the pantry until the seal came off, then it went in the fridge.
To your roommate's credit, we are "my brother got sunburns in winter" white.
I'll fight you on this. Gatekeeper anything by saying it should or shouldn't be used by a demographic will limit the amount of positive interactions you'll have in your life.
Ketchup is pretty meh to me and my opinion is that, for the most part, anything you put ketchup on is just going to taste like ketchup. So my rule of thumb is that if its dry as fuck or tastes worse that ketchup, add ketchup. Otherwise don't cause it's just going to make it taste worse.
Gatekeeping is dumb though, but I appreciate your desire for a pointless argument.
It has its uses but they are rare. Hamburgers and fries is really about it. Maybe chicken nuggets. I don’t even bother keeping any in the house it’s so rare I use it.