McDonald's Buffalo ranch sauce is now available at stores nationwide.
America’s fast-food chains are always in a constant battle to have the industry’s buzziest items on their menu. Just when we got used to the excitement from McDonald’s droppings its Gold Sauce, KFC brought back its honey BBQ sauce. Then Jimmy Johns brought back the Picklewich, and, of course, now all the chains are offering holiday menus.
Sauces, more than anything, are becoming increasingly popular this year. McDonald’s Buffalo ranch sauce is its latest offering in a space dominated by competitors like Chick-fil-A and the fast-growing Raising Cane’s.
The chain describes its new Buffalo ranch sauce, which launched in stores nationwide on November 3, as “a blend of tangy and bold buffalo sauce, balanced by cool and creamy ranch,” with flavor notes of buttermilk, garlic and onion.
I had to see if we had a worthy new competitor in the fast-food sauce wars.
What does the McDonald’s Buffalo ranch taste like?
The new sauce can be added to any McDonald’s menu item, but the chain specifically recommends these four combinations:
- Buffalo Ranch Snack Wrap: A McCrispy fried chicken strip topped with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and Buffalo ranch sauce, all wrapped in a flour tortilla.
- Bacon Buffalo Ranch McCrispy: A McCrispy fried chicken fillet on a toasted potato roll, topped with thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, crinkle-cut pickles and Buffalo ranch sauce.
- Bacon Buffalo Ranch Deluxe McCrispy: A Bacon Buffalo Ranch McCrispy that’s also topped with shredded lettuce and Roma tomatoes.
- McCrispy Strips with Buffalo Ranch Dip Cup: The chain’s McCrispy Strips paired with a side of the new Buffalo ranch sauce for dipping.
For the purposes of this taste test, I ordered a Buffalo Ranch Snack Wrap as well as a Bacon Buffalo Ranch McCrispy. First up was the Snack Wrap. The sauce provided a genuinely spicy yet also creamy contrast to the peppery, crispy chicken strip. I might go as far as to say that it’s my favorite iteration of the newly relaunched Snack Wrap. I’d definitely order this again.
Next, it was McCrispy time. This sandwich has never been high on my list of go-to orders at the Golden Arches, and I’m not sure that will be changing. With the addition of the bacon in this sandwich, the Buffalo ranch sauce didn’t come through as clearly, and the competing flavors resulted in a somewhat muddled overall taste. Additionally, I missed the freshness of the shredded lettuce from the Snack Wrap preparation.
Next time, I’ll stick with the Snack Wrap—or get some extra sauce just to dip my fries in, because the sauce itself is a definite winner.
How long is the McDonald’s Buffalo ranch available?
The new Buffalo ranch sauce is described by McDonald’s as a “limited-time offering” so if you want to get a taste of it for yourself, you’ll want to do so soon.
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