First it was the cheese. Now it’s the ketchup.
After taking heat for changing the cheese sauce for its fries at The Potato Patch, Kennywood now finds itself embroiled in a ketchup kontroversy — yes, it’s the great Heinz vs Hunt’s debate, which for Pittsburghers, is really no debate at all.
A local Twitter user, @jmonroe111, said he brought his own Heinz ketchup to Kennywood after the West Mifflin amusement park changed its ketchup vendor.
It is hunts becuase cost less in food service. I was there saturday and knowing this brought my own packets if heinz for my grandson’s fries which i was eating also
— Jim (@jmonroe111) May 21, 2019
Kennywood had been using Heinz, but changed to Hunt’s sometime in the last few months, said Diana Greis with ICF Next, the public relations firm representing Heinz.
Jim explained to someone on Tuesday that Kennywood would have made the change to Hunt’s because it costs less.
“I was there Saturday and knowing this brought my own packets of Heinz for my grandson’s fries, which I was eating, also,” he said.
Heinz took notice of Jim’s loyalty on Friday.
Hey @jmonroe111, when you #onlyridewithHeinz, we ride with you. That’s why we’re giving you and your grandson a summer supply of Heinz Ketchup packets and two season passes. https://t.co/RNyILi4vsb
— Heinz Ketchup (@HeinzKetchup_US) May 24, 2019
“Hey, @jmonroe111, when you #onlyridewithHeinz, we ride with you,” the company said in a tweet. “That’s why we’re giving you and your grandson a summer supply of Heinz Ketchup packets and two season passes.”
Apparently, 150 packets is what constitutes a “summer supply,” according to Greis. The number was chosen “in honor of the brand’s 150th anniversary,” she said.
Kennywood averted a public relations catastrophe by going back to its traditional cheese sauce at The Potato Patch.
A similar outcome may not happen this time around.
“We hope our guests would be able to enjoy the great rides and family fun at Kennywood no matter what type of ketchup is offered,” said Kennywood spokesman Nick Paradise.
