English Reference
Idiom idiom

marry the ketchup


To combine ketchup from half-empty bottles in a restaurant, in order to reduce the number of bottles.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The server needs to marry the ketchup before the lunch rush.

CONTEXTUAL

When the restaurant is quiet, the staff usually marry the ketchup to keep the tables tidy.

COMPLEX

To minimize waste and optimize storage space, the manager instructed the new employees to marry the ketchup at the end of every shift.


Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    marry off

    To successfully arrange the marriage of someone, especially a relative.

Last updated August 10, 2026