9 Discontinued Condiments and Sauces Fans Want Back

Some people never get over losing a favorite condiment. A sauce or spread can become part of a family routine, whether it’s the ketchup the kids fought over or the dipping cup that made a drive-thru meal worth it. When it suddenly disappears from shelves or menus, fans notice right away.

Companies drop products for all kinds of reasons, including slow sales, changing tastes and tie-ins that were only meant to last a short while. Some sauces have come back after loud campaigns, but many others are still gone. Here are nine discontinued condiments and sauces that fans would love to see again.

1. Heinz EZ Squirt Colored Ketchup

In 2000, Heinz turned ketchup into a toy. Its EZ Squirt line came in kid-friendly squeeze bottles, starting with a bright “Blastin’ Green” ketchup, and later added purple and other wild colors. Children loved drawing on their hot dogs and fries, and parents loved that kids actually ate their dinner.

Pittsburgh’s WPXI looked back on the day the colored ketchup debuted. The novelty faded within a few years, and the line was discontinued around 2006. Many people who were kids at the time still say it was the most fun condiment ever made.

2. Hellmann’s Dijonnaise

Hellmann’s Dijonnaise, a creamy blend of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, arrived in the early 1990s. It became a sandwich favorite, especially on turkey, ham and egg sandwiches, and its catchy TV commercials stuck with a generation of viewers. Many home cooks also stirred it into potato salad and deviled eggs.

The product gradually became harder to find, and in 2021 Hellmann’s confirmed on social media that it had been discontinued. Fans can mix their own by blending mayonnaise with Dijon mustard and a little lemon juice. Still, many say the homemade version never tastes quite like the jar.

3. Kraft Fat Free Mayo

Kraft introduced Fat Free Mayo in 1993, right in the middle of the low-fat craze. It gave dieters a way to enjoy sandwiches and salads without the calories of full-fat mayonnaise. For many people counting fat grams, it was a refrigerator staple for decades.

In July 2021, Kraft announced it was discontinuing the product for good. The company told The Takeout that its fat-free mayo did not meet its standards and that it would focus on its full-fat version. Longtime users were left searching for a replacement that fit their eating habits.

4. McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce

McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce first appeared in 1998 as a promotional tie-in with Disney’s “Mulan.” It was a sweet, tangy dipping sauce for Chicken McNuggets, and it disappeared once the promotion ended. For years, it was a forgotten bit of fast-food trivia.

That changed in 2017, when an animated TV show mentioned it and fans demanded its return. McDonald’s brought it back for a single day in limited quantities, and crowds at some restaurants grew so large that police were called in Los Angeles. The sauce has returned only for brief limited runs since then, which keeps fans hoping.

5. McDonald’s Hot Mustard

McDonald’s Hot Mustard was a spicy, tangy dipping sauce with a cult following. It was a go-to for McNuggets fans who wanted more kick than honey mustard. Many longtime customers remember it as a permanent part of the sauce lineup.

According to Tasting Table, the hot mustard was removed from the national menu around 2015. A few franchise locations have continued to carry it, depending on the owner. For most customers, though, it’s been missing for about a decade, and fans regularly ask for its return.

6. Chick-fil-A Buttermilk Ranch

Chick-fil-A introduced its Buttermilk Ranch in 1989, and it quickly became a favorite with salads, nuggets and waffle fries. Fans described it as thick, tangy and perfectly seasoned. For many families, it was the only ranch they wanted.

In 2016, Chick-fil-A replaced it with a garlic and herb ranch, now called Garden Herb Ranch. The Daily Meal explains why the beloved buttermilk ranch was discontinued, and one disappointed customer even started a petition to bring it back. The newer version has its own fans, but many still say it isn’t the same.

7. KFC Finger Lickin’ Good Sauce

KFC’s Finger Lickin’ Good Sauce was a creamy dipping sauce named after the chain’s famous slogan. Customers paired it with tenders, nuggets and fries. It had a smoky, slightly sweet flavor that some fans considered underrated.

In 2020, KFC paused its “Finger Lickin’ Good” slogan because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fox Business reported that the chain ditched the sauce and replaced it with a new signature dip simply called KFC Sauce. The replacement is similar, but loyal fans still notice the difference.

8. McDonald’s Sweet Chili Sauce

McDonald’s Sweet Chili Sauce launched around the 2010 Winter Olympics and became a hit with McNuggets lovers. It offered a sweet, mildly spicy flavor that was different from the usual barbecue and sweet-and-sour options. Fans liked it on burgers and fries, too.

The sauce gradually disappeared from North American menus a few years later. It made a short comeback in 2021 as part of a celebrity meal promotion, then vanished again once the deal ended. Fans who discovered it during that brief return have been asking for it ever since.

9. Taco Bell Lava Sauce

Taco Bell’s Lava Sauce was a spicy, cheesy sauce that starred on the chain’s Volcano Taco and Volcano Burrito. It had a bright orange color and a creamy heat that fans couldn’t find anywhere else. The Volcano menu disappeared from regular menus in the early 2010s.

Fans never stopped asking for it, and Taco Bell listened, at least for a while. In 2023, Nation’s Restaurant News reported a limited-time comeback of the Volcano menu, complete with Lava Sauce. Once the promotion ended, the sauce went away again, and fans are still waiting for a permanent return.

Why Companies Drop Beloved Sauces

Most condiments disappear because of sales numbers rather than flavor. A product may have passionate fans, but if it doesn’t sell enough nationwide, it often loses its spot on shelves or menus. Limited-time sauces are also designed to create buzz, so they’re often meant to leave from the start.

Sometimes the backlash works. Fast-food chains have brought back old favorites after social media campaigns, and new sauce launches like a McDonald’s sauce can still get people talking. Much like the little rituals of the ’80s and ’90s, these flavors bring back strong memories.

Make Your Own Copycats

If you’re missing a discontinued sauce, a homemade copycat can come surprisingly close. Dijonnaise is as simple as mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, and many sweet chili and hot mustard copycats rely on ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Online fan communities often share recipes that they’ve tested and tweaked for years.

It also helps to let companies know what you miss. Brands do pay attention to social media requests, petitions and customer service messages. Which discontinued condiment or sauce would you bring back if you could?