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Library/Moment/McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce
Grade B22 sourcesHIS-01345

McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce

Moment · 2017 · Niche

38Editable slideCertificate

McDonald’s promised 20 million cups after fans queued for sauce and stores ran out.

Justin Roiland

@JustinRoiland · Apr 2, 2017

Help make this happen. Not like there's anything more important to worry about change.org/p/anyone-who-l…

3.8K83
Post · @JustinRoiland on X

McDonald's

@McDonalds · Apr 2, 2017

.@RickandMorty McNugga Lubba Dub Dub. 👀

26.4K378
Post · @McDonalds on X
Clip · Binging with Babish on YouTube
Clip · Binging with Babish on YouTube
An original 1998 Szechuan sauce packet with a Mulan McNuggets box
AdamL212
McNuggets and Szechuan sauce from the 1998 Mulan promotion
@JustinRoiland on X
Pro tip: Always check your DMs, from the sauce's return campaign
The One Club / We Are Unlimited, Golin and DDB
Binging with Babish recreates the Rick and Morty Szechuan sauce
Binging with Babish on YouTube
Rick at the McDonald's drive-thru in the Rick and Morty episode
The Daily Dot
The 2018 Szechuan sauce packet
Nation’s Restaurant News

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion35Breadth70Velocity0LongevityNo data yet38

Numbers

Seed to observed peak
6 months
Apr 1 ’17 to Oct 7 ’17
Platforms
8
Started on TV
Origin
Mixed
Food & beverage

Mechanics

  • Fandom mobilisationPrimary
  • Scarcity drop
  • Real-world spectacle
  • Resale market
  • Press loop

How it spread

Trace the origin

A Rick and Morty joke prompted fan petitions and recipe videos. McDonald’s gifted sauce, then staged a limited return that ran short and drew protests. It apologised and announced 20 million cups for a wider return.

Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum.

Google searchesJan ’17AprMayAugOctNovMar ’18DecDec ’19Dec ’20Dec ’21Observed peakTVOpen webXYouTubeRedditRetailPressAudio
TVOpen webXYouTubeRedditRetailPressAudio

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. April 2017

    Adult Swim seed · Apr 1 ’17

    Adult Swim aired a Rick and Morty episode in which Rick demanded the discontinued sauce.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. Gabriel Cohen platform jump · Apr 2 ’17

    Gabriel Cohen published a petition to restore the sauce at 01:53 UTC.[3]

  3. Justin Roiland platform jump · Apr 2 ’17

    Justin Roiland shared Cohen’s petition and asked followers to help make it happen.[4]

    McNuggets and Szechuan sauce from the 1998 Mulan promotion

  1. owner response · Apr 2 ’17

  2. platform jump · Apr 4 ’17

Join free to see the other 13 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

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Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 12 sourced numbers and 22 sources. Start with a free account.

Join freeGo Pro
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Food & beverage
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

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