Does the phrasal verb end up always have a negative connotation?

No, "end up" doesn't always have a negative connotation. It can be neutral or even positive depending on the context.

Here's how it can be used:

Negative:

* "He ended up in jail after stealing the car." (Implies an undesirable outcome)

* "We ended up arguing all night." (Implies a negative result)

* "I ended up eating the whole pizza myself." (Implies regret or overindulgence)

Neutral:

* "We ended up staying at the hotel longer than planned." (Simply states the outcome)

* "I ended up meeting my best friend at the park." (Neutral statement, no inherent positive or negative connotation)

Positive:

* "After years of hard work, she ended up becoming a successful entrepreneur." (Implies a positive outcome)

* "We ended up having a great time at the party." (Implies a positive result)

* "I ended up finding the perfect gift for my mom." (Implies a positive outcome)

The key is to look at the context and the surrounding words. Consider the overall sentiment of the sentence to understand the connotation of "end up."