The Hands-Down Best Fast Food Signature Sauce (And It's Not Even Close)

Let's be honest. Can you really claim to be a true fast food restaurant without a signature sauce? McDonald's has its Big Mac Sauce. Chick-fil-A has the Chick-fil-A sauce, and Arby's has its Arby's Sauce. Many other chains have their takes on a classic ranch, Thousand Island, sweet and sour, or a burger and fry sauce. There's no shortage of sauces in the fast food world.

That said, which ones are the best? We set out to answer that question when we ranked 19 fast food signature sauces from worst to best. There were some not-so-great options on the list. The three worst sauces in the rankings were Popeye's Sweet Heat, Chick-fil-A's Polynesian Sauce, and Carl's Jr.'s Classic Sauce.

At the top, our reviewer thought the Oklahoma-based chain Braum's offered an excellent dipping sauce. The runner-up sauce went to Sonic's Jalapeño Ranch. But at the top, and the best sauce of the 19 that Chowhound ranked, is Whataburger's Spicy Ketchup.

Despite not being a huge fan of ketchup, our reviewer loved Whataburger's take on this sauce. It contains tomato, vinegar, sugar, and jalapeño and has a slow-building heat that doesn't overwhelm you at once. The jalapeño, and a small hint of black pepper, blends well with the sauce's natural sweetness.

According to our reviewer, "The warmth spreads across your mouth and slides down your throat." Ultimately, Whataburger's Spicy Ketchup is an "everything sauce" — meaning it's perfect on a burger and great for dipping fries, chicken fingers, or almost anything else. With a delicious option like this as part of its overall sauce game, it's no surprise that Whataburger is one of our top regional fast food chains in America.

And if you want to get your hands on it, hopefully you live near one of Whataburger's nearly 1,140 locations in 17 U.S. states. Though the chain has been expanding rapidly over the last several years, its heaviest presence remains in Texas, the Midwest, and the Southeast. Sadly, the northern U.S., West Coast, and Northeast currently don't have any Whataburger locations. But they have their own standout chains, like In-N-Out, Culver's, and Friendly's, with their own delicious sauces as well. Don't just take our word for it, though. You have to try this sauce for yourself. So if you're ever near a Whataburger, this fast food chain and its spicy ketchup is worth the stop.