Elon Musk has built rockets, changed the electric car industry, shaken up social media, and become part of global political discussions. But none of that prepared the internet for what recently caught everyone’s attention: the way he eats French fries.
A single photo went viral. It shows Elon Musk on a private jet, sitting casually with Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Donald Trump Jr. They are eating fast food, and on the table are McDonald’s fries.
What made the photo so popular wasn’t who Musk was with or the fact that he was eating fast food at 30,000 feet. It was how he handled the ketchup.
Instead of dipping fries one by one, Musk poured ketchup directly into the container, covering all the fries at once. This small action sparked a huge online debate. Screenshots of the moment spread quickly, with people joking and arguing whether this was clever or chaotic.
“Elon putting ketchup straight into the box—pure chaos,” one person wrote. Another said, “This is crazy. What’s next, eating fries with a spoon?”
Reactions were mixed. Some mocked him, others admired the efficiency. In today’s world, even small habits of billionaires can become a big deal online.
Musk is already famous for his unusual habits. He is currently the richest person in the world, with a net worth of around $315.7 billion. People are curious not just about what he builds, but about how he lives, speaks, jokes, and even eats fries.
At 53, Musk is known for contradictions. He dreams about Mars and AI, but also enjoys McDonald’s on a private jet. He breaks rules in business and ignores social norms. Many saw the ketchup-in-the-box move as a symbol of this: unusual, unapologetic, and logical in its own way.
The photo came at a time when Musk’s public role was growing. Donald Trump recently appointed him to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, aiming to reduce bureaucracy.
The department’s acronym, DOGE, also reminded people of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency Musk has joked about and promoted. This made the online reaction even more playful.
For some, Musk’s way of eating fries became a metaphor. “This is how someone who wants to eliminate inefficiency eats fries,” joked one user. Others disagreed, saying dipping fries gives better control of ketchup. The debate grew detailed, with diagrams and mock studies.
Most people, though, found it funny. “Elon is always thinking outside the box—even if it’s a fry box,” one comment read.
Musk has always ignored public scrutiny. He rarely explains himself or defends his actions, which makes people more curious. Is the ketchup move deliberate? Efficient? Just a habit? A joke? No one knows.
In today’s media, small details like how someone eats fries can get as much attention as big decisions. Elon Musk shows that even tiny moments can become culturally important.
Love him or hate him, Musk has a way of making small actions feel meaningful. Even a box of fries can become a symbol.