Try Dipping Your Big Mac In This McDonald's Sauce For A Different Kind Of Bite

Someone once said the sauce makes the dish. That may not apply to everything, but the right sauce can elevate almost any meal to another level. What would eggs Benedict be without hollandaise? What would a Chicago-style hot dog be without mustard? In the world of fast food, McDonald's Big Mac is famous for its sauce, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. People on social media have discovered that a little sweet and sour is the perfect partner for a Big Mac.

Multiple TikTok videos show people trying this pairing for the first time, and comments are mostly positive, with some claiming they've been eating their Big Macs this way for years. One TikToker called it the "best combo ever." Sweet and sour sauce is a perfect accompaniment for a hamburger because it rounds out the flavor profile in a way few other sauces do. The burger is already savory with strong salty and umami notes. Sweet and sour provides just what the name suggests. Both flavors contrast and complement the savory parts of a Big Mac. If you love McDonald's Sweet 'N Sour sauce this much, you might like this copycat we found.

If the balance of sauce to burger is correct, then this combo could really offer a nuanced and surprising flavor punch that has the kick of sour, the interplay between salty and sweet, and then that savory umami bite of the beef. Factor in the softness of the bread, the lettuce crunch, and the subtle creaminess in the Big Mac sauce, and this hack is hitting on multiple levels. Plus, you can elevate your Big Mac further with a steamed bun.

The sweet and sour burger hack has spread beyond McDonald's. Burger King fans have tried it with Whoppers and have enjoyed it just as much. Others recommend trying a Wendy's Jr. Cheeseburger dipped in sweet and sour. When we ranked McDonald's dipping sauces, Sweet 'N Sour didn't score top marks, but clearly, it has fans.

Some people have tried this hack and found the mixture too sweet. But it's worth remembering there are two ways to try it. You can put the sauce on the burger, but many fans don't do it that way. It's not meant to go on the burger the way ketchup or Big Mac sauce would. Instead, the point is to dip. You keep the burger as it comes from the restaurant, and add sweet and sour afterward. Why would that make a difference? Because you're controlling how much sauce you get in each bite. Just like dipping a Chicken McNugget, you can choose a little sauce or slather it and take a huge bite.

In 2021, McDonald's partnered with rapper Saweetie to introduce the Saweetie Meal, which included a Big Mac, fries, four-piece McNuggets, Sweet 'N Sour sauce, and BBQ sauce. She recommended remixing the meal by putting fries and sweet and sour on the burger in a commercial promoting the idea. The Saweetie Meal is long gone, but it looks like she may have started an enduring trend.