McDonald’s Just Brought Back This ’90s Sauce, But You’ll Need A Passport To Try It

McDonald’s fans have plenty of reasons to be jealous of what other countries get to eat. From burgers with unusual toppings to desserts that never make it onto American menus, the Golden Arches has a few tricks up its sleeve overseas. Now, McDonald’s UK is giving customers another taste of its international menu, and one returning sauce has a particularly wild history.

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McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce Is Back

McDonald’s World Menu Heist is back with another collection of international favorites, including the Szechuan Sauce. 

McDonald’s originally introduced its Szechuan Sauce in 1998 as part of a promotion for Disney’s animated film Mulan. The limited-time condiment eventually disappeared, leaving it to become one of those forgotten fast-food items that people occasionally bring up when discussing discontinued favorites. Then Rick and Morty entered the picture. In 2017, the animated comedy brought the sauce back into the conversation when its character Rick Sanchez declared an obsession with finding it again. 

McDonald’s responded by bringing the sauce back for a limited release in the United States in 2017. However, the initial supply was so limited that many fans couldn’t get their hands on it. The company arranged a much wider release in 2018, giving more customers a chance to try it.

Now, McDonald’s UK has brought it back again. The sauce has a sweet, savory flavor with a mild kick from Szechuan pepper. It’s designed for dipping, so Chicken McWings seem like a pretty good excuse to grab a packet. 

Of course, anyone hoping to try it in the United States will have to wait for another release closer to home. For now, the UK version of the World Menu Heist is where the action is.

Spain’s McExtreme Burger Brings Bacon, Beef, And Crispy Onions

The returning sauce might be the most nostalgic item, but McDonald’s has plenty of other international items to tempt hungry customers.

One of the newer additions is the McExtreme, a burger inspired by Spain. It features two British and Irish beef patties, bacon, crispy onions, cheese slices, and a creamy baconnaise sauce, all tucked inside a toasted glazed sesame seed bun.

Chicken McWings From China Finally Reach UK McDonald’s

Chicken McNuggets have some serious competition on the menu. For the first time, McDonald’s UK has introduced Chicken McWings, a product inspired by the chain’s menu in China. The wings have a crispy coating and are available in several portion sizes.

Crispy chicken and a sweet-and-savory Szechuan Sauce sound like a pretty appealing combination, especially for anyone who wants to experience the returning condiment without ordering a whole meal around it.

Paprika Fries Give Regular McDonald’s Fries A Makeover

Sometimes, a little seasoning is all it takes to make a familiar food more interesting. That’s the idea behind McDonald’s Paprika McShaker Fries, inspired by the Netherlands. Instead of serving the usual salted fries, McDonald’s provides a packet of smoky paprika seasoning and a shaker bag. Customers add the seasoning, shake everything together, and get fries with a little extra flavor in every bite.

The best part is that you don’t need to order an entirely different meal to try them. The fries can be paired with a burger, chicken wings, or pretty much anything else on the menu.

UAE-Style Mac & Cheese Triangles Return To The Menu

McDonald’s has brought back its Mac & Cheese Triangles, inspired by the UAE. The crispy golden bites contain macaroni pasta with a rich gouda cheese sauce, and they’re served with ketchup for dipping.

The Mac & Cheese Triangles are a nice reminder that international menus can offer more than unusual sandwich combinations.

Two McFlurries Bring S’mores And White Chocolate To The Party

Anyone with a sweet tooth has two McFlurries to consider.

The S’mores McFlurry, inspired by Canada, combines soft dairy ice cream with marshmallows and biscuit crumbs, finished with chocolate sauce. It takes the familiar ingredients of a campfire s’more and turns them into a cold dessert.

The second option is the Twix White Salted Caramel McFlurry, inspired by Germany. This one combines soft dairy ice cream with a white chocolate and salted caramel Twix mix, topped with salted caramel sauce.

McDonald’s Has Chicken McMuffins 

McDonald’s UK has also introduced two chicken-based McMuffins inspired by menus in Singapore and Australia.

The Chicken & Egg McMuffin, inspired by Singapore, combines crispy coated chicken, egg, mayonnaise, and cheese inside a toasted English muffin. It offers a different take on the familiar breakfast sandwich by replacing the usual sausage patty with crispy chicken.

The Chicken & Bacon McMuffin, inspired by Australia, swaps the egg for bacon while keeping the chicken, mayonnaise, and cheese.

Peach Sprite Zero Adds A Fruity Twist

The Peach Sprite Zero is from Singapore, and combines Sprite Zero with peach-flavored syrup and is served over ice.

The drink offers a fruity alternative to the usual lemon-lime taste of Sprite Zero. Peach adds a sweeter flavor, making it an option for anyone who wants something different from the standard soft drink selection.

The Szechuan Sauce Pairs With Almost Everything On The World Menu Heist

McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce deserves more than a lonely Chicken McWing, especially for anyone making a special trip to try the returning 90s condiment.

Chicken McWings are the obvious first choice. Dunking a juicy wing into the Szechuan Sauce sounds like the best way to appreciate what the fuss is about. It’s also a combination that McDonald’s itself has highlighted, so there’s little guesswork involved.

For anyone who prefers beef, the McExtreme burger is another option worth considering. With two beef patties, bacon, crispy onions, cheese, and creamy baconnaise sauce, it already packs plenty of flavor. Adding Szechuan Sauce on the side could bring a sweet-and-savory contrast to all that richness. The Paprika McShaker Fries are another smart pairing, bringing smoky seasoning and a crunchy texture to the meal. They could be dipped straight into the sauce for an extra flavor boost. 

Of course, a good meal needs something to wash it all down. Peach x Sprite Zero is a refreshing choice, combining Sprite Zero with peach-flavored syrup. Its fruity flavor could offer a nice contrast to the savory wings, seasoned fries, or burger.