Fast food lovers know the pain of losing their favorite sauces. While some sauces make a comeback, others disappear forever, leaving fans searching for alternatives online.
From McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce to Taco Bell’s Baja Sauce, many of these flavors built a cult following before being discontinued. Let’s take a nostalgic look at 15 fast food sauces that fans still crave today.
1. Szechuan Sauce
Restaurant: McDonald’s
What Happened: Originally introduced in 1998 as a promotion for Disney’s Mulan, this soy, garlic, and ginger-flavored sauce gained legendary status. After a Rick and Morty episode reignited interest, McDonald’s briefly brought it back in 2017 and again in 2022 for app users. Despite fan enthusiasm, it remains elusive.
2. Diablo Sauce
Restaurant: Taco Bell
What Happened: Known as one of Taco Bell’s spiciest sauces, Diablo Sauce disappeared from restaurants but is still available in select retail stores. While Taco Bell offers other hot sauces, fans miss the fiery kick Diablo provided.
3. S’Awesome Sauce
Restaurant: Wendy’s
What Happened: This creamy, tangy, and spicy sauce launched in 2017 with Wendy’s chicken tenders. Although the tenders didn’t last, the sauce gained a fan following. However, a legal battle over the “S’Awesome” name led to its quiet discontinuation.
4. Kicker Hot Sauce
Restaurant: Domino’s
What Happened: Domino’s introduced the Kicker Hot Sauce to spice up its chicken offerings. It closely resembled Frank’s RedHot sauce but was later swapped for a more traditional buffalo sauce.
5. Jack’s Spicy Good Good Sauce
Restaurant: Jack in the Box
What Happened: This sauce blended mayonnaise and honey for a mix of tangy and sweet flavors. While the original Good Good Sauce is still available, the spicy version was discontinued in 2024.
6. Hot Mustard Sauce
Restaurant: McDonald’s
What Happened: A longtime McNugget dipping sauce, Hot Mustard Sauce disappeared from many McDonald’s locations but still pops up occasionally. Some believe McDonald’s is testing a possible comeback.
7. Baja Sauce
Restaurant: Taco Bell
What Happened: This creamy, tangy sauce was a fan favorite for tacos, chips, and salads. Despite disappearing from Taco Bell restaurants, it is still available in bottles online—often at inflated prices.
8. Finger Lick’n Good Sauce
Restaurant: KFC
What Happened: KFC discontinued this sauce in 2020, along with its famous “finger lickin’ good” slogan, due to concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was replaced by the smoky KFC Sauce.
9. Buttermilk Ranch Sauce
Restaurant: Chick-fil-A
What Happened: A simple but beloved ranch sauce, Chick-fil-A discontinued it for unknown reasons. A Change.org petition now exists to bring it back.
10. Mambo Sauce
Restaurant: McDonald’s
What Happened: A Washington, D.C. staple, Mambo Sauce was introduced nationwide by McDonald’s in 2023 alongside a Sweet & Spicy Jam Sauce. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long on the menu.
11. Fire-Roasted Sauce
Restaurant: Taco Bell
What Happened: Introduced in 2010 alongside Verde Sauce, this smoky chipotle-flavored sauce was removed while Verde Sauce remained. Unlike Verde, Fire-Roasted Sauce has never returned.
12. Marinara Sauce
Restaurant: Zaxby’s
What Happened: Zaxby’s served Marinara Sauce as a dipping option for their fried cheddar bites before replacing it with ranch. The switch left many cheese lovers disappointed.
13. Creamy Sriracha Sauce
Restaurant: Wendy’s
What Happened: As part of the sriracha craze, Wendy’s introduced this creamy, spicy sauce. However, it was later replaced with Ghost Pepper Sauce, which had a different heat profile.
14. Mighty Hot Sauce
Restaurant: McDonald’s
What Happened: Introduced alongside Mighty Wings, this extra-spicy dipping sauce failed to gain traction. Both the wings and the sauce were eventually discontinued.
15. Lava Sauce
Restaurant: Taco Bell
What Happened: Originally featured in Taco Bell’s Volcano Taco in 2008, this fiery cheese sauce developed a cult following. It briefly returned in 2024 in India as part of the Cheesy Lava Taco, but its future availability remains uncertain.