Fast Food Sauces People Love so Much They Secretly Hoard Them
Plenty of people have a stash of fast food sauce packets tucked in a drawer or glove box. They aren’t just for fries or nuggets, either. A squeeze of hot sauce can liven up a pot of chili, and that leftover garlic dip works surprisingly well tossed with pasta. Here are 15 sauces fans say deserve a permanent spot in the kitchen as much as in a takeout bag.
Big Mac Special Sauce, McDonald’s
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The world knows it as the flavor that holds a Big Mac together, but the sauce works almost anywhere mayo does. It’s a creamy combination of mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, and spices. People spoon it onto wraps, mix it into egg salads, or use it as a potato salad shortcut.
Chick-fil-A Sauce
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What began as a happy accident in the 1980s has since become one of America’s favorite bottled sauces. Chick-fil-A Sauce combines honey mustard, barbecue, and ranch into a smoky-sweet condiment. At home, fans whisk it into macaroni salad, drizzle it over roasted veggies, or brush it onto baked chicken. Because supermarkets sell it in squeeze bottles, this sauce often ends up being more than a dipping companion.
Cane’s Sauce, Raising Cane’s
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Raising Cane’s doesn’t overwhelm customers with a long sauce menu: it has one, and it’s enough. Beyond chicken fingers, people use it in coleslaw or as a dip for raw vegetables. Cane’s Sauce is peppery, tangy, and creamy, rumored to contain mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire, and black pepper.
Peri-Peri Sauce, Nando’s
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Chilies, lemon, garlic, and herbs: that’s the base of Peri-Peri, which was first mixed in South Africa. Nando’s turned it into a signature on grilled chicken, but the sauce didn’t stay there. Bottled versions travel everywhere. People splash it onto eggs, stir it through pasta, or soak shrimp in it before grilling. It is tangy and spicy at once.
Fire Sauce, Taco Bell
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Taco Bell fans know Fire Sauce as the middle ground between gentle heat and mouth-burning spice. The smoky edge means it works with more than just burritos. People use it to brighten chili, add flavor to grilled corn, or stir it into sauces. Even though Taco Bell bottles it now, most fans still reach for the familiar packet.
Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Culver’s
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Unlike generic nacho cheese dips, Culver’s Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce uses actual sharp cheddar and dairy. That authenticity makes it a favorite for pouring over baked potatoes or broccoli. At the restaurant, it tops chili cheese fries, but at home, it shows up at backyard cookouts on hot dogs and pretzels. Culver’s Midwestern roots give this sauce credibility.
ShackSauce, Shake Shack
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ShackSauce adds tang and spice to Shake Shack’s burgers, but plenty of fans smuggle extra portions home. The company won’t reveal the real recipe, though a close version includes mayo, ketchup, mustard, cayenne, and pickle brine. Its balance of creamy, sweet, and acidic makes it useful for potato wedges, grain bowls, and pasta salads.
Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce, McDonald’s
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When McDonald’s rolled out Chicken McNuggets in 1983, this was the dipping sauce that came with them. The mix of apricot, peach, and warm spices gave it a brighter, fruitier kick than the usual sweet-and-sour you’d find in a takeout carton. At home, it ends up doing more than dressing nuggets—brushed on ribs before they hit the grill or tossed into a pan of stir-fried vegetables, it works like a quick glaze with a sharp, sweet edge.
Garlic & Herb Dip, Domino’s
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Domino’s intended this as a companion for pizza crusts, but people quickly found other uses. The creamy, garlicky dip can be turned into a sandwich spread, a base for potato salad dressing, or a topping for baked chicken. Sales have been so high in the UK that Domino’s once reported enough consumed to fill Olympic pools.
Horsey Sauce, Arby’s
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Arby’s Horsey Sauce has been around since the 1970s, which pairs mayo with horseradish. The sharp bite makes it an excellent addition to mashed potatoes or deviled eggs. While it’s marketed for roast beef, fans use it wherever they want creaminess with a little heat. Few fast food sauces balance subtle spice and smooth texture as well as this one, which explains why packets often go home with customers.
Blackened Ranch Sauce, Popeyes
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Ranch dressing has long been a reliable dip, but Popeyes added smoky seasoning to make it stand out. Beyond chicken tenders, fans fold it into coleslaw or use it as a salad dressing. The smoky kick turns plain dishes into something richer, and it’s creamy enough to double as a spread. Limited availability in some regions only makes people hoard it when they find it.
Hot Mustard Sauce, McDonald’s
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McDonald’s Hot Mustard made its debut in the 1980s and vanished in 2014 before returning in select spots. Fans scoop up as many packets as possible because its availability is unpredictable. The tangy, spicy blend works well as a glaze for pork or a dipping sauce for egg rolls. That scarcity, mixed with its sharp bite, has made it a prized ingredient for creative cooks.
Special Garlic Dip, Papa Johns
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Papa John’s garlic dip is legendary in its own right. Customers drizzle it on pizza crust, sure, but they also melt it over popcorn, stir it into pasta, or brush it onto garlic bread. The sauce is velvety and buttery. The brand even sells it in larger containers, which is proof that its popularity has moved far beyond pizza night.
Spicy Ketchup, Whataburger
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In 2012, Whataburger gave ketchup a twist by blending in red jalapeño puree. The heat is mild, but enough to stand out without drowning the tomato flavor. Fans buy it by the bottle now, drizzling it over eggs, stacking it on burgers, or stirring it into barbecue sauce. What started as a Texas-only hit has spread far beyond, with plenty of kitchens keeping a bottle on hand for that extra kick.
Gravy, KFC
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KFC’s gravy, made from chicken drippings and a seasoned mix, is famous on mashed potatoes but doesn’t stop there. People pour it over fries, bake it into casseroles, or use it as pot pie filling. Even the simplified recipe has earned die-hard loyalty.