Did Padres Curse Themselves by Changing the FTD Burger Name?

Hodad’s, a beloved San Diego establishment known for its mouthwatering burgers, has found itself at the center of an unexpected culinary controversy. Last winter, during a visit to one of their two locations, I sought my favorite burger from Petco Park, only to find it missing from the menu. When I described the burger to the server, her eyes lit up with mischief as she recognized it immediately. “The F— the Dodgers burger,” she said, her smile revealing the playful spirit behind the name.

In San Diego, the FTD burger had become an inside joke among fans. Even if diners were unaware of what FTD stood for, the burger—topped with cheese, onion rings, pickles, mayonnaise, and barbecue sauce—was a hit. But when the Dodgers visited last month, a fan shared a photo of the menu board, revealing the meaning behind the FTD abbreviation. Jomboy Media followed suit, with a post that garnered 1.6 million views, bringing the burger into the spotlight.

Shane Hardin, co-owner of Hodad’s, initially welcomed the attention. “When I first saw that, I thought, ‘Oh, sweet, Jomboy, cool. We’ll get a little bump,’” he said. However, that excitement quickly turned into concern when he received a call from Delaware North, the company managing concessions for the Padres. They informed him that the burger name had become a topic of discussion.

“And I’m like, ‘Cool, great, let ‘em talk, there’s no profanity anywhere,’” Hardin recalled. Yet, the Padres and Delaware North took a different view. They removed “FTD” from the menu boards at Hodad’s stands, replacing it with a series of less catchy alternatives, including “For the Dads” and “Faithful till Death.” The Padres declined to comment on the decision.

Despite the change, Hardin remains more amused than irritated. The FTD burger originated during the 2022 playoffs when the Padres requested a special menu item. “We go, ‘OK, without us ever saying what it meant, can we call it the FTD Burger?’ They said, ‘Oh, yeah, ha ha, that’s funny, go for it,’” Hardin recounted. The burger has retained its original recipe, despite online theories about its representation of the Dodgers’ World Series titles.

“Dude, I don’t keep track of what the Dodgers have,” Hardin stated bluntly. Yet, he expressed surprise at the Padres’ decision to alter the burger’s name. The Padres have embraced their rivalry with the Dodgers, selling “Beat L.A.” shirts and even displaying memes of Clayton Kershaw in their stadium. It seems odd that the organization would suddenly prioritize decorum.

“I was under the impression that FTD was just kind of a fun ‘if you know, you know’ sort of thing,” Hardin said, noting how fans often display signs featuring the abbreviation. “At the end of the day, Hodad’s is a little rough around the edges. But we’re still a family place.”

Hardin isn’t harboring any resentment toward the Padres. He appreciates his place in the ballpark and the relationship he has with the team. “I love being there,” he said. “The relationship is great, honestly.” Interestingly, after the announcement regarding the burger’s name change, sales surged. “That first homestand after that news broke, we sold 50% more of that burger each game. I’ll take that,” he added.

As the Dodgers return to Petco Park this Friday, the Padres find themselves nine games behind their rivals. In baseball, curses are often taken seriously, and the fate of the FTD Burger may weigh heavily on the team’s performance moving forward.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.