To marry the ketchups is an informal restaurant expression. It means combining two partly used ketchup bottles into one fuller bottle instead of leaving both almost empty.
In food service, staff may use this phrase when they are cleaning, restocking tables, or organizing condiments. The idea is simple: reduce waste, save space, and make service easier.
For example, if one bottle is only one third full and another is also low, a worker might pour them together and keep one usable bottle.
This use of marry means join together or combine. In restaurant talk, it is often used for similar items that can be mixed without causing a problem.
- “Marry the ketchups” means combine two ketchup bottles.
- It is mostly heard in restaurants and kitchens.
- It is informal, practical workplace language.
Outside food service, many people may not recognize the phrase right away, so context helps. If you hear it in a restaurant, it usually has nothing to do with marriage and everything to do with condiments.