Texas engineer collects 5,000 condiment packets, including 400 Taco Bell designs
Eric Thompson, a computer engineer from Texas, has curated an archive of over 5,000 condiment packets. His collection, which includes hundreds of Taco Bell designs, serves as a historical record of packaging design and advertising.
Why it matters
This story highlights the intersection of consumer culture and niche hobbyism, demonstrating how everyday disposable items can be preserved as cultural artifacts.
Most people tear open a condiment packet, squeeze out the last drop and toss the wrapper without a second thought. Eric Thompson sees something beyond: a tiny piece of design, advertising and everyday history. Across his Texas home, thousands of these disposable packets have been transformed from fast-food leftovers into a meticulously organized archive. Meet Eric, a 39-year-old computer engineer from Helotes who has amassed roughly 5,000 single-serving sauce packets, turning an ordinary dining accessory into an unusually detailed collecting hobby.According to a report by the San Antonio Express-News, Thompson's collection spans ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, barbecue sauce, honey, jelly, seafood sauces, vinegar and numerous Asian condiments. Even Whataburger's small, box-shaped ketchup tubs have earned a place in the archive. Around 3,100 individual designs have been cataloged in his online Condiment Packet Archive, where packets are organized by brand, color, date and flavor.
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