The Condiment McDonald's Customers Rarely Ask For (But Should)

A condiment is the humble commodity that can make or break your McDonald's experience, and McDonald's offers a variety. Beyond your basic ketchup and mayo, you have honey mustard, tangy barbecue sauce, spicy Buffalo, creamy ranch, and more. But by far, the dipping sauce most people are overlooking is tartar sauce.

In most people's minds, tartar sauce probably seems wedded to the chain's Filet-O-Fish, though some fans are even eagerly swapping the tartar sauce for a hearty dollop of Big Mac sauce on the iconic fish sandwich. But the tartar sauce is equally worthy of replacing sauces associated with other dishes.

One such menu item is the Chicken McNuggets, which taste great dipped in the sauce. You can get even more creative by pairing the tartar sauce with pickles and sliced tomatoes, a suggestion a TikToker revealed was a McDonald's staff member's idea. However you try it, it offers the perfect combination of umami and acidic flavors. If you prefer simpler options, hash browns from the breakfast menu or fries are also the perfect starchy vehicle for this pickle-flavored condiment.

Enhancing your McDonald's experience is more than keeping tabs on the secret menu items – any McD's meal can be made more enjoyable with a bit of creativity. If your go-to order is a wrap, the tartar sauce's vinegary flavors would complement the ranch in the chicken-loaded Ranch Snack Wrap. You could spread it inside the wrap or use it as a dip on the side.

If you're lucky enough to live near one of the international McDonald's locations that sell Loaded Fries (fries covered with several variations of sauces and cheeses, depending on where in the world you order it), the tartar sauce could also be used as an addition to the dish. Try assembling your loaded fries by layering on extra pickles first and then lathering over the tartar sauce on top of the fries. (Or, if your local McDonald's doesn't sell Loaded Fries, you can use the tartar sauce as a building block to create your own DIY version from scratch.) Keep in mind that McDonald's may charge for extra ingredients.

The chain's Filet-O-Fish burger has been revamped from its original version, but if you're looking to switch up your Filet-O-Fish experience even further, you could try mixing the tartar sauce with other McDonald's sauces and spreading them onto the sandwich for a brand new combination. Spicy Buffalo sauce is a good option for this — its heat works as a perfect pair with the tartar sauce. Spicy Buffalo sauce also has a buttermilk component that adds creaminess, and this combines well with tartar sauce's tang. When you order your Filet-O-Fish, ask for extra tartar sauce on the side so you can stir in the spicy Buffalo sauce (or whatever mix-in you choose) before spreading the entire combo onto the fish patty. This newly mixed sauce could also be used as a dipping option for Chicken McNuggets or McCrispy Strips.