Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A basic ingredient in McDonald's Big Mac hamburgers, a sort of Thousand Island dressing (now called Big Mac sauce by the company).

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word special sauce.

Examples

  • Many burger joints and fast food places, from Shake Shack to McDonald's and In-N-Out Burger, have a house sauce. However, this special sauce is almost always some variation on the same thing: a pink, creamy sauce that is, in essence, a spin on Thousand Island dressing.

    Why Fast Food Special Sauce Is Always The Same Thing - Chowhound Hilary Wheelan Remley 2023

  • “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun!” Get the idea? This 1974 Big Mac advertisement established the term "special sauce"—or so McDonald’s claims. I can’t find any evidence to the contrary.

    What Is Secret Sauce, Anyway? Is It Special Sauce? Emma Laperruque 2018

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.