Big Mac sauce lovers, rejoice — the creamy, savory spread that normally adorns each double patty burger will be available in dipping cups starting next week. And while we appreciate the legacy of such a sauce, there are unequivocally better dressings to spice up nuggets and fries of any fast food chain — but what are they? And what makes then so great? Is it a creamy texture, bright flavor, balance, or a combination of everything? We wanted to see how the sauce gets made and find out the best fast food dipping sauces. Honorable mention goes to the Wendy’s chocolate frosty that you definitely dip your fries in. Let’s rank the best fast food dipping sauces across all the chains we know and love.
6. McDonald’s Big Mac Sauce
While it’s getting a dipping cup resurgence, it may be too little, too late for this classic burger condiment. Big Mac Sauce simply can’t compete, whether it be because of its simplicity or its lack of accessibility up till now. The elusive recipe was officially introduced in 1968 by franchise owner Jim Delligatti, who was searching for the perfect sauce to top his new three-bun, two patty creation. We certainly respect this sauce’s history, but it hasn’t offered us enough versatility — or, frankly enough flavor — to place it higher on this list.
5. Wendy’s Barbecue Sauce
Barbecue sauce is a classic condiment for a reason, and Wendy’s version of this smoky, sweet yet peppery sauce is hard to beat — that is, the old version. After the recipe was changed in 2019, campaigns to bring back the old, beloved formula ran rampant, even sparking online petitions. If it were up to us, we would put the original Wendy’s barbecue sauce high up in this ranking, but in the interest of staying relevant, the new, much more vinegary version of this classic sauce is our benchmark. Unfortunately, some things do change.
4. Burger King’s Honey Mustard
Sweeter than its competitor’s versions of the same variety, the Burger King Honey Mustard is an improvement in this sauce’s texture and flavor. The light, gentle twang of this sauce is the perfect addition to the chain’s oh-so-savory Chicken Fries or even just their regular potato kind. Though it may seem nothing special compared to the others on the list, we can assure you that it’s a classic sauce done right. The gentle touch of acidity in this version perfectly balances out its sweetness in a way no other brand does — after all, it is made by the King.
3. Chick-fil-A’s Polynesian Sauce
McDonald’s Sweet and Sour, make room. Chick-fil-A’s rendition of sweet and sour is a perfectly balanced dip with a more exotic flavor profile inspired by the sauces of many Asian dishes, such as the pu pu platter. Polynesian sauce adds a bit of bite and tang to the traditional sweet and sour flavor; combined with any of the chicken chain’s menu items, Polynesian sauce offers the perfect complexity of flavor that other brand’s attempts tend to fall short on. Introduced as an original sauce in 1984, it’s easy to see why Polynesian sauce has stuck around.
2. Raising Cane’s Sauce
Everything is best when it’s simple, and everything at Raising Cane’s is simple and amazing. The sauce is no exception and is sometimes the reason people go. Just a few dips of chicken into this tangy, creamy sauce and you will understand the hype around this chicken chain. Want to make an east version at home? Try our copycat Raising Cane’s sauce recipe.
1. Chick-fil-A Sauce
One of the most iconic dipping sauces out there, Chick-fil-A Sauce is a bonafide classic for dipping. Perhaps this is because it feels like a combination of many of the other sauces on this list, as food blogger Burger Beast called it a “smokey honey mustard.” Whether it’s being complemented with the chain’s signature Waffle Fries, Nuggets, or Chick-n-Strips, the tangy, hickory flavor of this sauce, along with its sweeter notes, combines perfectly with any item on the menu. The all-around zing of this dipper simply cannot be beat — we can see why it’s the brand’s signature sauce.