McDonald's Is Releasing Its Coveted Szechuan Sauce in New Zealand

The last time McDonald's re-released its Szechuan sauce the demand outweighed supply. In the US, fans queued for hours, one person traded their Volkswagen and another paid NZD$24,000 for one measly pottle. New Zealand is about to be the only place in the world that the much-hyped McNugget condiment is available, as the global fast-food chain rolls out Szechuan sauce for a limited time.

The sauce — promoted as "a taste of the east" — was originally released in 1998 as a tie-in with Disney's Mulan. Seventeen years later it became internet famous after being name dropped in Rick & Morty, when Rick's "story arc" evolved to getting ahold of the dipping sauce, even if it took "nine seasons" or "97 more years." The show's legion of fans were keen for a taste and McDonald's responded with two brief releases in the US — mad condiment hysteria took flight.

McDonald's announced the New Zealand release of Szechuan sauce via a cryptic Facebook post teasing "the best sauce in the universe," though it doesn't appear the fast-food giant is looking to link in the live-action remake of Mulan, which is set to hit cinemas next month.

Chains across the country will be dishing out Szechuan sauce from Wednesday, 4 March, with only 200,000 servings available. To coincide with the release, Macca's is also launching a 50-piece Chicken McNuggets ShareBox.

McDonald's Szechuan sauce will be available nationwide from Wednesday, 4 March.