Question asked by patrons of most (if not all) restaurants, in Texas at least, that serve salads, any breads, or items that can be dipped or dunked, regardless of the meal or cuisine being served.*
"Being a fine Southern gentleman, Finnegan Lane considered butter a dipping sauce, rather than a mere garnish, and he felt the exact same way about ranch dressing, honey mustard, sour cream, and even mayonnaise on occasion. And I agreed with his assessment one hundred percent, being a fine Southern lady myself."
-- Jennifer Estep
The answer, of course, should always be,
Of course you can!
When delivered (either brought to the table or placed in the to-go bag or even actually delivered), to be considered a proper side it should be of at least four ounces (half a cup), not a meager one or two ounces such as would come if one had asked for the Ranch on the side, or for extra Ranch. No. Even better would be a full cup, such as with a large pepperoni pizza or an order of chili cheese fries built to share. Kind of that whole bowl of cold salad dressing soup with a lettuce and tomato garnish that some people eat, equivalent to over-sauced pasta for instance, #iykyk.
Common patron courtesy includes a willingness to pay for such generosity, especially if this cultural phenomenon is made on premises. Don't begrudge an establishment for attempting to stay in business by charging extra for extras. One could just stay home and do their own dishes, couldn't one? Or buy and bring that inferior bottled product along with them, although that might be considered a little gauche.
*Admittedly asked far less often at breakfast or with desserts but not unheard of, unfortunately. Similar questions are presumably asked elsewhere about other sauces and such.
Inspired by a question on Reddit
SQ '24