How did a raunchy cartoon about aliens and time travel convince McDonald's to re-release
a promotional sauce from 20 years earlier?
And why did someone trade a car for a single container of this infamous dipping sauce?
McDonald's first released its Szechuan Sauce for the 1998 premiere of Disney's "Mulan".
Based on a Chinese legend, the film tells the story of a young woman who disguises herself
as a man to replace her father in a battle against the invading Huns.
The promotional tie-in was a limited-time offer that came as a part of the Chicken McNuggets
Happy Meal, which also included Mulan toys.
The release of Szechuan Sauce was a part of a strategic partnership between Disney and
McDonald's.
Earlier the same year, McDonald's sponsored a part of the newly opened Disney's Animal
Kingdom.
The franchise also had kiosks in various Disney parks across the U.S.
The campaign only lasted between June 17, two days before "Mulan" was released, and
July 2 when it was promptly replaced by promotions for another Disney creation, "Armageddon."
"I have been drilling holes in the earth for 30 years and I have never, never missed a
depth that i have aimed for."
While "Mulan" ended up stealing the hearts of children across America and bringing in
$54.2 million in the first two weeks after release, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce attracted
its fair share of controversy.
In particular, the sauce was heavily criticized for its advertising campaign, which many called
out for being racist.
Yasmin Tayag wrote for Inverse,
"The last thing Asian-Americans need is a sauce to obscure the diversity of their cultures
in the same shade of faceless, nationless, Western-approved brown."
Equally disheartened, the publisher of A. Magazine, Jeff Yang, called the Szechuan Sauce
campaign "the equivalent of a drive-by mooning."
So what parts of the advertising campaign were found to be so problematic?
Suna Chang from Entertainment Weekly zeroed in on what she believes to be ethnic stereotyping,
such as a headband-wearing Ronald McDonald enacting karate moves.
According to a McDonald's press release, Szechuan Sauce "has a savory and slightly sweet taste
profile with hints of soy, garlic, ginger, and mild vinegar notes."
While the condiment's name implies that it's inspired by Szechuan cuisine, many have questioned
this culinary connection.
Szechuan, which is one of China's 34 provinces, has a culinary tradition characterized by
hot peppers and heavy spice usage.
So how does the Szechuan Sauce measure up to the real thing?
Tom Ryan, former SVP of menu management at McDonald's told Mic,
"Remember, it had to be relevant for kids, so you couldn't do anything spicy, even though
the name was Szechuan."
Perhaps this explains why Michael Walsh, who reviewed the sauce for Nerdist, never mentioned
any hints of spice, instead noting that it held a pleasing balance between salty and
sweet, with a significant hint of ginger.
After its brief release in 1998, Szechuan Sauce went off the radar for almost two decades.
However, the condiment experienced a revival after it was mentioned on Adult Swim's animated
sci-fi satire "Rick and Morty" on April Fool's Day 2017.
The premiere episode of season 3 saw main character Rick rambling about his penchant
for the condiment.
"In 1998, they had this promotion for the Disney film Mulan where they, where they created
a new sauce for the McNuggets called Szechuan sauce and it's delicious!"
In no time, the geeky gag had fans of the show begging McDonald's to re-release the
nugget sauce.
Whether out of a sense of nostalgia or curiosity, a Change.org petition to bring back the condiment
attracted more than 45,000 signatures.
Viewers also implored the franchise to re-release the sauce on social media.
Spurred by the free advertising, McDonald's succumbed to the hype, bringing the sauce
back to participating restaurants for one day on October 7, 2017.
The October 7, 2017 re-release of McDonald's Szechuan Sauce was a debacle.
On the day of the condiment's release, "Rick and Morty" enthusiasts stormed McDonald's
outlets across the country in the hope of tasting the sauce.
The demand was so overwhelming that many outlets ran out of the sauce almost instantly.
"That's my series arc, Morty, if it takes nine more seasons, I want my mcnugget dipping
sauce Szechaun sauce, Morty."
The huge difference between the supply and demand outraged "Rick and Morty" aficionados,
some of whom were told that certain stores only received 20 containers of the sauce,
as Thrillist reports.
Some fans even staged mini-riots.
McDonald's was quick to respond with an apology, tweeting,
"The best fans in the multiverse showed us what they got today.
We hear you & we're sorry not everyone could get some super-limited Szechuan."
The fast food franchise also made a promise to release the sauce again, which happened
in 2018, when 20 million packets of Szechuan Sauce became available at the chain's locations
across the country.
The popularity and scarcity of McDonald's Szechuan Sauce have driven some of the condiment's
fans to shell out top dollar for just a taste.
Ahead of the sauce's 2017 re-release, a fan who won a 64-ounce bottle of the condiment
auctioned it — as well as a Pelican camera case — on eBay, attracting bids of over
$15,000.
The eBay post was not a one-off.
Another packet of McDonald's Szechuan Sauce, released in 1998, sold on eBay for $14,700
in 2017.
The listing stated,
"I just bought a really old car, while cleaning it I found a packet of this sauce."
McDonald's Szechuan Sauce is currently selling on eBay for a far less eye-popping $9.99 per
container, with the post referring to it as a "collectible item."
When McDonald's re-released its Szechuan Sauce on October 7, 2017, 23-year-old Rachel Marie
got up early and headed to her local McDonald's.
However, instead of devouring the dipping sauce she purchased, Marie had other ideas.
She posted a picture of the unopened sauce on Pin Nation, a Facebook group that also
happened to include fans of "Rick and Morty."
She told Business Insider,
"There was actually a large response with some nice pins.
But if I could get a car, I thought, why not ask?"
And so she did.
It wasn't long before she was offered an early 2000s Volkswagen Golf Mk4.
While the transaction hadn't been verified by Business Insider, both the seller and buyer
confirmed that the trade did take place.
In fact, the buyer of the condiment contacted Business Insider via Facebook Messenger telling
the publication that he, quote, "just needed me some friggin sauce!!"
"Wow, this sauce is f**king amazing.
You said it was promoting a movie?"
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