The sight of these golden arches, signifying a McDonald’s restaurant, triggers an almost Pavlovian response for many Americans. McDonald’s isn’t just about fun food; the chain gives you so many options, especially for dipping sauce.
Looking for a complete list of sauces at McDonald’s? Are you interested in walking down memory lane with those who have been abandoned? Or maybe you’re wondering what kind of flavors they get in the world? Either way, I’ve got you covered!
Complete list of 9 current sauces at McDonald’s in 2024
1. Tangy BBQ
A standby in most restaurants, fast food joints and the like, McDonald’s tangy barbecue sauce is a favorite of many children.
Each small container only has 45 calories, but they contain nine grams of sugar, so you can limit consumption to one or two, especially with kids.
Additionally, Wide Open Eats ranks it as the least favorite of all sauces.
2. Sweet and sour
McDonald’s Sweet N Sour sauce is on a whole new level. That said, it’s the perfect accompaniment to these warm, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside chicken nuggets.
Therefore, Sweet N Sour sauce tops many lists as the best sauce offered by McDonald’s.
Additionally, the sauce isn’t high in calories, with only 50 per jar, but it is high in sugar, with ten grams in this small container.
But if you love it and don’t go to McDonald’s often, then go for it – indulge in it to your heart’s content.
3. Honey Pack
Of course, since the only ingredient is honey, the sugar content is high, at 11 grams per punnet. But it’s only 50 calories and there’s no fat.
4. Hot mustard
McDonald’s Hot Mustard Sauce is good enough to inspire countless home-made dupes (just Google it and you’ll see).
Although it is less sweet than some of the other sauces (only six grams), it has two grams of fat and 50 calories.
Additionally, some recognizable ingredients include distilled vinegar, mustard seeds, egg yolks, turmeric, and paprika, but it has its share of additives and preservatives.
Yet people love it. Check out this Reddit thread, where the OP opines that the sauce isn’t spicy enough for their liking, but they otherwise find it tasty.
If you think hot mustard sauce isn’t spicy enough, try adding a pinch of sriracha or Frank’s Red Hot!)
5. Creamy Ranch
If you live in certain parts of the United States, ranch dressing is life. People will eat it with everything from hot wings to carrot sticks.
For example, just 1.5 ounces contains over 200 calories and 22 grams of fat! However, the trade-off is that there are only 1.5 grams of sugar.
With this, McDonald’s describes its Creamy Ranch as having « a savory onion and garlic flavor. »
The Wide Open Eats author is a fan, saying, “This was the first time I dipped a nugget in it, and I really liked it!” »
6. Ketchup
Although McDonald’s is no longer affiliated with Heinz except in the Pittsburgh (where it is manufactured) and Minneapolis markets, you can still count on quality flavor.
That said, the ingredient list for McDonald’s ketchup in much of the country is very simple: tomato paste, distilled vinegar, and high-fructose corn syrup are the first three.
Despite the high-fructose corn syrup, each packet contains just two grams of sugar and just ten calories, and no fat.
While ketchup has very few bells and whistles, McDonald’s ketchup is excellent, with a nice robust tomato flavor (and no weird chemical-type aftertaste).
7. Mustard
McDonald’s mustard is just as bland, but that’s its strength.
Not as flashy as hot mustard, regular mustard packets contain zero calories, zero grams of fat, zero grams of sugar, and ten milligrams of potassium.
Plus, the ingredient list is short and sweet:
- Distilled vinegar
- Water
- Mustard seed
- Salt
- Turmeric
- Paprika
- Spice Extraction
If mustard is your thing, this is a good one; order extras and keep them handy the next time you go camping!
8. Zesty Honey Mustard
Another McDonald’s sauce that has inspired copycat recipes online, tangy mustard, is « hot » like Dijon but tempered with sweetness (from honey).
Additionally, this sauce has 60 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 4 grams of sugar, with a longer ingredient list that starts with water and sugar.
Additionally, there is distilled vinegar, mustard seed, and honey, but a host of preservatives like sodium benzoate and xanthan gum.
While most people dip their chicken nuggets in tangy honey mustard, this hearty recipe suggests trying it on sandwiches as well.
9. Spicy Buffalo
McDonald’s Spicy Buffalo Sauce isn’t the best option – despite only 60 calories per mini pot, there are seven grams of fat – although it doesn’t contain much sugar or carbs.
And don’t let the « spicy » moniker put you off – true buffalo sauce fans will tell you it’s not that hot (to appeal to the masses, no doubt).
However, tasters approved of the overall flavor and found it quite tasty.
There are a few off-menu sauce tricks at McDonald’s that you can try if you’re looking for flavors that aren’t quite represented by the list above.
First of all, who doesn’t like dipping their fries in the sauce that comes out of a Big Mac? Did you know you can just ask for a side of Big Mac sauce?
Because it’s a special request, you can’t order it with the app, but if you go through the drive-thru or inside to order, try to give it a chance.
Plus, it’s the same with the tartar sauce that comes with Filet-O-Fish (which is in restaurants all year round).
Ask for a side or two when talking to someone face to face (or over speakerphone).
Discontinued sauces at McDonald’s
There are quite a few discontinued sauces at McDonald’s, including sauces that the company puts in restaurants, removes and sometimes brings back.
That said, Delish has a full list of discontinued sauces, including:
- Hot Mustard (it is not available in some markets)
- Sweet pepper: 2014
- Chipotle Barbecue: 2014
- Mulan Szechuan Teriyaki: 1998
- Spicy Italian: 1989
- Green Chili Salsa: 1988
- Mesquite barbecue: 1988
- Teriyaki: 1986
McDonald’s is constantly innovating and creating new sauces, and customers can’t wait to see what the fast food chain comes up with next!
International sauces at McDonald’s
With tens of thousands of restaurants around the world, you didn’t think McDonald’s served the same dishes in India as in the United States, did you?
No, indeed, and while some menu items certainly translate no matter where you are in the world, McDonald’s also tailors food to specific countries and regions.
For example, here are four examples of sauces that McDonald’s has developed for its international consumers:
- Yuzu Seven Spice Mayo, Japan: Part of McDonald’s Japan’s burger lineup to celebrate the country’s « Moon Viewing, » this delicious-sounding sauce comes with fries.
- Ebi Shrimp Tempura Sauce, Japan: Another Japanese offering, Ebi Shrimp Tempura Sauce tops the “panko breaded shrimp” patty, mustard and lettuce.
- Black Pepper Sauce, Malaysia: Black pepper sauce is smothered on Malaysia’s Prosperity Burger, which is remarkably similar to the American McRib.
- Sauce, Canada: As part of its poutine menu, McDonald’s had to offer gravy to pour over fries, along with the required cheese curds, of course.
- Creamy Tomato Mayo, India: Part of the McAloo Tikka burger, Creamy Tomato Mayo is the perfect topping for a sandwich reminiscent of samosas.
What is the most popular sauce at McDonald’s?
Tastes vary, of course, but overall, McDonald’s Sweet N Sour and Honey Mustard sauces seem to be the most popular.
For Sweet N Sour, Devil’s Advocate gave it a rating of 9.25/10; TFM.com placed it first and Wide Open Eats second.
And for Honey Mustard, Devil’s Advocate gave it a perfect 10/10, TFM.com placed it third, and it took first place at Wide Open Eats.
If you’ve never had either before, this is your sign to head to McDonald’s and grab some chicken nuggets for dipping.
Extra sauce at McDonald’s is free! Gone are the days of paying 25 or 50 cents for extra containers of sauce.
With this you can ask the person who takes your order or access the Condiments section if you are using the app.
There you will see all the condiments offered by McDonald’s (not just sauces); and you can add as many as you want in as many different flavors.
Plus, it’s especially great if you have a favorite guy!
Is Big Mac sauce the same as Thousand Island dressing?
A common question, and although the two are quite similar, they are not the same.
For example, Lemon Tree Dwelling explains that Thousand Island dressing is ketchup based, while Big Mac sauce is French dressing based.
However, the two are close, so if you’re in a hurry, you could probably swap one for the other, and it wouldn’t make much difference.
Check out recipes this commenter posted on a Quora thread, showing how Big Mac Sauce and Thousand Island Dressing are similar but not identical.
To learn more, you can also read our articles on McDonald’s ketchup, what is Big Mac sauce and McDonald’s biggest burger.
Conclusion
McDonald’s currently offers a range of nine different sauces, all tasty in their own way.
But, in true innovator fashion, the world’s largest and most popular fast food chain never rests easily on its laurels. You can bet that McDonald’s will be releasing something new very soon.
Visit Les Gourmandises for more information.
