Bowl of pink, creamy sauce
Why Fast Food Special Sauce Is Always The Same Thing

NEWS

By HILARY WHEELAN REMLEY
Many burger joints and fast
food places, like Shake Shack, McDonald's, and In-N-Out Burger, offer a special sauce that is almost always a variation on the Thousand Island dressing.
That’s because Thousand Island dressing consists of ingredients most restaurants have handy (mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, ketchup, and relish), and it allows for infinite tweaks.
For example, McDonald's special sauce, or Big Mac sauce, doesn't include tomato but uses mustard, whereas In-N-Out's sauce doesn't use mustard but adds ketchup, vinegar, and sugar.
Regardless, each version provides a tangy, creamy kick. Be it burgers, sandwiches, fries, onion rings, or seafood salads, the versatile sauce can enhance anything you pair it with.