McDonald’s Is Reviving A Fan-Favorite Dipping Sauce
McDonald's legendary Szechuan sauce is making a comeback! But only for a limited time, find out how to nab your packets.
This article is more than 2 years old
McDonald’s is bringing back a fan-favorite sauce for a limited time only. The franchise’s Szechuan Sauce, a popular dipping choice in 1998, was discontinued before the 2000s. Since appearing on an episode of Rick & Morty in 2017, the sauce has gotten widespread attention from millennials and gen z-ers, pushing the fast-food chain to bring back the sauce.
The Szechuan Sauce first debuted in 1998 as a part of Mulan’s release in theaters nationwide. The dipping condiment instantly took off, impressing fast-food lovers and reeling in unyielding business. After many years of McDonald’s not offering the product, it’ll now have a brief comeback starting March 31st. But, you’ll have to act fast to obtain this unique sauce. The Szechuan Sauce will only be in McDonald’s for a few days or until the supplies run out.
The craze surrounding McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce started in 2017. Though the condiment was well received in the ’90s, new interest was sparked after a Rick & Morty episode was released. In the episode, the primary characters time travel to 1998 and go to McDonald’s, immediately requesting as many packets of Szechuan Sauce as the workers can hand over. The episode created new interest and intrigue around the discontinued sauce for many millennials and teens who hadn’t heard of the item.
Soon after the Rick & Morty episode was released in 2017, fans crafted a petition for McDonald’s to rerelease the Szechuan Sauce. The widespread media attention pushed McDonald’s to give out the condiment for one single day in October 2017. Many fans of the show, and the fast-food franchise, swarmed stores across the country demanding Szechuan Sauce. The heightened customer demand galvanized McDonald’s to promise its customers a future release of the coveted condiment. This March will be the first time Szechaun Sauce has appeared in stores since 2018.
Though the Szechuan Sauce is making a return, it’ll be only available on McDonald’s online ordering app. The condiment will be included as an option for Chicken McNuggets, alongside other dipping favorites like Creamy Ranch, Honey, Honey Mustard, Spicy Buffalo, Sweet ‘N’ Sour, and Tangy BBQ. One free packet on any sauce is included with your order, but the extra sauce will be charged accordingly. Since there will only be limited amounts of Szechuan Sauce, the McDonald’s app will only allow a maximum of five packets.
For those unfamiliar with the McDonald’s Szechuan craze, the fanbase is exceptionally adamant about getting their hands on the rare condiment by any means necessary. People finding expired, 20-year-old packets have made a fortune selling them on eBay. One seller found an ancient packet in a car they’d just purchased, earning a whopping $15,000 from an eager bidder. Other packets have sold more regularly for $500, which is still an outstanding price for a small tincture of sauce.
The hype around McDonald’s limited-edition sauce has pressured the franchise into this upcoming limited release. This might be the final time the fast-food chain will sell the Szechuan Sauce as a dipping option, so make sure to purchase an order of Chicken McNuggets this coming March.
