Ranked: the greatest fast food sauces of all time

Sauces that steal the show

For some, sauces and dips might be little more than an afterthought – but for us, and many others, they’re essential. The right condiment can elevate a fast food meal from ordinary to unforgettable. Whether it’s a classic dip that pairs flawlessly with crispy golden fries or a bold, spicy sauce that kicks things up a notch, here we reveal the greatest fast food condiments of all time.

What's your go-to sauce? Discover which dip or condiment we've ranked as the greatest of them all.

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each condiment in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

35. Special Garlic Dip, Papa Johns

Papa Johns' Special Garlic Dip is a fast food icon in its own right. This little tub of buttery garlic sauce has been winning hearts since the US-based chain first fired up its ovens, and there are now thousands of locations worldwide. Velvety smooth and creamy, with a bold garlicky punch, it’s the go-to dip for crusts and pizza slices alike. It’s joined by a lineup of other favourites on Papa Johns' menu, including Tomato & Herb and Hot Buffalo.  

34. Adobo Ranch, Chipotle

When it comes to condiments, Chipotle has long relied on its signature salsas and guacamole to do the heavy lifting. But in June 2025, the chain finally spiced things up with its first new dip in five years: Adobo Ranch. For fans, it was well worth the wait. This bold, smoky upgrade to classic ranch combines tangy buttermilk with adobo chillies, garlic, lime and herbs, striking just the right balance of creamy and spicy. Best of all, it’s made fresh in-house every day. 

33. Peri-Peri Sauce, Nando's

Nando’s Peri‑Peri sauce isn’t just a condiment – it’s a global obsession. Born in South Africa in 1987, Nando’s has spread across the UK, the US, Australia and beyond, bringing its fiery flair to fans everywhere. Its signature sauce blends African bird’s eye chillies with lemon, garlic and herbs, creating a tangy, spicy kick that’s seriously addictive. Whether you go for mild Lemon & Herb or brave Extra Hot, it turns chicken (and pretty much anything else) into something unforgettable. It’s no wonder this zesty staple has earned cult status around the world. 

32. Special Grade Garlic Sauce, McDonald's

McDonald's USA launched a brand new dipping sauce for its McNuggets in summer 2024, inspired by the cult favourite Black Garlic Sauce from McDonald's Japan – and it quickly caused a stir among fans. This limited-time, app-only sauce was developed as part of a partnership with the popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen, and the packaging featured eight unique lid designs depicting characters from the show. According to McDonald's, the sauce itself had ‘notes of garlic and soy sauce, balanced with a slight tangy sweetness’. 

31. Groovy Sauce, Sonic Drive-In

Sonic made the headlines when it released Groovy Fries: crinkle-cut fries with deep grooves that are perfect for dipping. However, it’s the chain’s accompanying Groovy Sauce that has fast food fans hooked. A mouthwatering combination of creamy ranch, herbs and sriracha, it’s so good that you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.

30. Buttermilk House Sauce, Jack in the Box

Perfect with crispy chicken and golden French fries, a pot of ranch is a must-order for many fast food fanatics – and American chain Jack in the Box’s version, known as Buttermilk House Sauce, is a crowd favourite, all thanks to its ultra-creamy texture and herby flavour. One taste of this rich, slightly tangy dip is enough to make you want to stock up on it by the bucketload.

29. Fire Sauce, Taco Bell

Taco Bell offers a variety of lip-smacking hot sauces, each with its own flavour profile and level of heat, running the gamut from mild to the extremely fiery Diablo Sauce. But the one spice lovers rate the most is Fire Sauce: a medium-hot condiment that’s ideal for those who like a significant kick. Fans praise the sweet and subtly smoky flavour and say it works with pretty much everything on the menu. It’s so popular that you can even buy it by the bottle.

28. BBQ Sauce, Zaxby’s

Fast food joint Zaxby’s, famed for its crispy Chicken Fingerz, offers a stellar array of sauces, from Zax Sauce to Honey Mustard. However, for many, it’s the chain’s tangy BBQ sauce that’s hard to beat. It’s both sweet and smoky, with a thick texture and a hint of spiciness. Dip and dunk everything from crinkle fries to crunchy chicken into this sauce, and we guarantee you won’t regret it.

27. Honey Dill Sauce, Mary Brown's

Canadian fried chicken chain Mary Brown's offers a regular honey mustard dip, but it's the brand's signature Honey Dill Sauce that those in the know ask for. This classic combo of mayo, honey and dill was invented at Mitzi's Chicken Finger Restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada by accident, when the owner was trying to recreate a dish he'd eaten in another restaurant. It's since become a Canadian staple, especially for dipping chicken, and Mary Brown's sells bottles of its own version.

26. Patty Melt Sauce, Whataburger

Slathered across Whataburger’s bestselling item, the Patty Melt, this sauce is seriously delicious. Perfect for those who love a little fiery heat with every mouthful, it’s creamy and peppery in equal measure. The fast food chain’s sauce is so popular that, rather than keep its recipe top secret, Whataburger sell bottles of the stuff, allowing fast food lovers to enjoy it in their own homes. Fans say that it’s great as a dipping sauce for onion rings, fries and chicken tenders.

25. Barbecue Dipping Sauce, Wendy's

This dip might have appeared nearer to the top of this list, had Wendy's not (allegedly) tweaked the recipe in 2019. In fact, the supposed recipe revamp caused such an uproar that more than 8,000 people signed an online petition to bring the old recipe back, and the company was bombarded with complaints on social media. Some disgruntled customers think the new version is too watery and sweet, and say that they miss the tang of the original.

24. Spicy Supercharger Mayo, KFC

This condiment is only available to KFC fans in the UK and Ireland, but it's a good one. Supercharger Mayo is used to give a kick to KFC burgers and wraps, and you can also get pots of the dip to coat your nuggets or wings. The fiery condiment is so popular that the chain started selling bottles of the stuff in stores in 2019 – though, unfortunately, it's since stopped.

23. Honey Mustard Sauce, McDonald's

Honey mustard is a classic dip choice, and lots of fast food joints have their own take on it. However, McDonald's didn’t add the sauce to its menu until 2011. When the company introduced chicken McNuggets in the 1980s, one of the dip choices was plain honey – a simple sauce that's still officially on the menu. These days, though, it's overshadowed by its tangy honey mustard sister, which features a blend of zesty Dijon mustard, sweet honey and a hint of spice.

22. Polynesian Sauce, Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A's namesake sauce might get the most attention, but this alternative offering has a devoted following. The US fried chicken chain describes its Polynesian Sauce, which was added to the menu in 1984 (pre-dating the iconic Chick-fil-A sauce), as a ‘sweet and sour sauce with a strong, tangy flavor’. When the company surveyed its restaurants, it found that the dip was especially popular on the East Coast of the US.

21. Szechuan Sauce, McDonald's

If you've tasted McDonald's Szechuan Sauce, consider yourself lucky; it's only appeared on the menu a handful of times. The bold, tangy dip, with ‘hints of soy, garlic, ginger and mild vinegar’, was originally released as a limited-edition offering in 1998, as part of the company’s Mulan-themed Happy Meal. It reappeared in 2017 and 2018, and for a few days in 2022. You never know – it could pop up again sometime soon.

20. Spicy Ketchup, Whataburger

Ketchup is the ultimate fast food condiment and, while many would say you can't improve on perfection, US chain Whataburger has given it a good go. Whataburger Spicy Ketchup made its debut on menus as a limited-edition sauce in 2012, and it was such a hit that it became a permanent fixture a year later. If you're looking to pep up your fries with something just a little fiery, this is the condiment to go for.

19. Regular Ranch Dip, Wingstop

When you're indulging in some super-spicy chicken wings, you're going to need something to bring down the heat. That's where Wingstop's Regular Ranch Dip comes in. The dressing, made with buttermilk, mayonnaise and ranch seasoning, is a favourite among customers of the wing chain, who praise the sauce’s subtle garlic kick. Some have said they love it so much, they'd take a bath in it – which led Wingstop to create a ranch-scented soap in 2023.

18. Nacho Cheese Sauce, Taco Bell

Order nachos at Taco Bell, and they'll arrive covered in this deliciously creamy sauce. You can also get it as a side, so you can dip your fries, quesadillas or tacos into the molten, cheesy goodness. Basically, pretty much everything is improved by the addition of this delicious dip, which the chain describes as 'warm, melted, cheese gold'.

17. McRib Sauce, McDonald’s

One of McDonald’s most prized limited-edition menu items, the McRib is hard to beat (and, often, to find). Launched in 1981, the barbecue-flavoured pork sandwich has been discontinued and reintroduced across the globe multiple times. Whenever it lands back on the menu, queues quickly form, and it's all largely thanks to the tangy barbecue sauce slathered across the pork patty. The fast food giant even went as far as releasing jug-sized cartons of the stuff for Christmas 2024 in the US.

16. Zesty Sauce, Burger King

It might sound like it should be a zingy, citrus-flavoured dip, but the main ingredient in Burger King's Zesty Sauce is actually horseradish. While it's perhaps not the most obvious accompaniment to onion rings or fries, it totally works; in fact, it's one of the most delicious dips on offer at the fast food chain. In 2019, a global shortage of horseradish meant the sauce was hard to come by for a while.

15. Blackened Ranch Sauce, Popeyes

Beloved chicken chain Popeyes put a new spin on an old classic when it introduced its Blackened Ranch Sauce. The creamy, smoky, slightly spicy dip is so good that you could happily just scoop it out of the pot with your finger. We recommend pairing it with some tasty chicken tenders or crispy wings, though.

14. Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce, McDonald’s

The perfect match for crunchy, golden McNuggets (and introduced at the same time), McDonald’s Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce features a slightly surprising, rather sophisticated-sounding blend of apricot and peach, with a scattering of savoury spices mixed in. The result is a pleasingly fruity dip that leaves just a hint of lingering heat behind. A hit from the start, the dip remains on the menu to this day. 

13. Horsey Sauce, Arby's

We mean no disrespect at all to this US fast food chain’s signature Arby’s Sauce (a tasty mix of barbecue sauce and ketchup) when we say that Horsey Sauce reigns supreme as king of the dips here. The mayo-based condiment has just the right amount of horseradish, and it matches perfectly with the brand’s beloved roast beef sandwiches – though it works as a dip for fries, too. 

12. Guacamole, Chipotle

Sure, you can get guacamole in your burrito or salad bowl, but Chipotle's take on the avocado dip is so good that you'll want to get a pot on the side, too. Chipotle hand mashes its creamy, chunky guac from scratch each day using Hass avocados, red onion, jalapeños, coriander, lime juice and salt. The result is a taste sensation that’s particularly delicious when served with the brand’s signature lime tortilla chips.

11. Cane's Sauce, Raising Cane's

American fast food chain Raising Cane's (which was named after its founder's dog) specialises in chicken fingers, and its house condiment – Cane’s Sauce – is legendary. The company says the creamy mayonnaise-based sauce is ‘tangy with a little bit of spice and full of flavor’. Fans speculate that there’s ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in there somewhere, but the exact recipe is strictly guarded. The general manager of each franchise is told the recipe orally (it’s never written down) and sworn to secrecy.

10. Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Culver's

Midwestern fast food chain Culver’s is loved for its frozen custard, golden cheese curds and ButterBurgers, but fans also adore its Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce. The signature sauce is made from a creamy mix of sharp Wisconsin Cheddar and fresh dairy, and it's served hot. The family company particularly recommends pouring the sauce over its beef pot roast sandwiches or chilli cheese fries. 

9. Chicken Fry Dipping Sauce, Burger King

When Burger King reintroduced its famous Chicken Fries in 2015, it brought in a special new sauce to accompany them. So confident was the company of the dip’s tastiness, it dubbed it ‘the sauce of all sauces’, and a social media campaign told customers to #AskForTheSauce. Though the recipe was top secret, it was believed to be made from a combination of Burger King BBQ Dip and honey mustard sauce. As predicted, it went down a storm, yet was sadly discontinued.

8. Hot Mustard Sauce, McDonald's

Hot Mustard Sauce holds cult status among McDonald's fans, not least because it's so mysterious. One of the original dips brought in to accompany McNuggets in the 1980s, the sauce was apparently discontinued in 2014, yet it can often still be found in McDonald's restaurants in certain regions of the US. If you're lucky enough to spot this tangy, spicy favourite, don't hesitate – just get dunking.

7. Barbeque Dip, McDonald's

Nearly every fast food joint offers some variation on barbecue sauce, but there's no doubt that McDonald's is the best known. Amazingly, Barbeque wasn't in the original line-up of McNuggets dipping sauces – it was added later, and it became an instant classic. In 2024, controversy ensued in the UK when the chain announced that it would be axing its regular Barbeque dip in favour of a new Sweet & Smoky BBQ Dip.

6. Gravy, KFC

KFC's gravy is nothing short of legendary. Colonel Sanders was famously obsessed with the quality of his gravy, but his recipe was so complex and time consuming that, after he sold the business, the chain adopted a simpler one. Today, the gravy is said to be made with gravy powder, water and the crackling leftover from deep frying all those chicken pieces. The Colonel might not have approved, but plenty of others do – in June 2022, a newly launched KFC in the UK sold 5,000 pots of gravy within its first eight hours of opening.

5. Burger Spread, In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out likes to set itself apart from other fast food burger chains, highlighting that nothing in its meals is ever frozen or pre-prepared. The company also chooses to refer to its famous burger topping as a 'spread' instead of a sauce. The exact recipe for the condiment, which comes in sachets and is a key component in the brand's famous Animal Style burgers and fries, is top secret; however, mayonnaise, ketchup and burger relish are thought to feature.

4. Chick-fil-A Sauce, Chick-fil-A

Can't decide whether you want to dunk your chicken in barbecue sauce or honey mustard sauce? US chain Chick-fil-A's signature dip is the tasty answer. Amazingly, it was invented by accident; in the 1980s, a Chick-fil-A employee at a branch in Virginia unwittingly mixed the chain's barbecue sauce with its honey mustard one. Customers absolutely loved the sweet, smoky taste, and the rest is history.

3. Garlic & Herb Dip, Domino's

Whoever had the idea of creating dips for pizza crusts is a genius – as is the person who came up with the recipe for this herby, garlicky dip. The creamy, tangy concoction is so addictive that in 2023, it was reported that the British public ate enough of the stuff to fill 17 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Domino's launched a vegan version of the dip in 2020.

2. ShackSauce, Shake Shack

Burger chain Shake Shack's signature ShackSauce recipe is so secret that the company didn't even publish it in its very own cookbook. Instead, it gave readers a recipe that was 'close enough' to the original, containing mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickling brine and cayenne pepper. The sauce is used on Shake Shack burgers, but you can (and should) ask for an extra pot on the side to dip your fries into.

1. Big Mac Special Sauce, McDonald's

McDonald's fans have spent years pleading for the tasty secret sauce used in Big Macs to be sold separately. The chain eventually relented, releasing limited-edition pots in the UK in 2020 and in the US in 2023. It meant customers could add the sauce – believed to be made from a blend of ingredients including Thousand Island dressing, mayonnaise and pickle relish – to other burgers, dip their nuggets and fries into it or just devour it straight from the tub.

Now feast your eyes on the greatest fast food side dishes of all time

Last updated by Natasha Lovell-Smith.