McDonald’s is receiving major backlash after a failed attempt at bringing back a cult-favorite sauce.
As previously reported, McDonald’s had agreed to bring back the discontinued Szechuan sauce following pleas from Cartoon Network’s adult cartoon, “Rick and Morty.”
McDonald’s announced last week that for one-day only, the fast food restaurant would carry the Szechuan sauce for customers at participating locations.
That one day – Saturday, October 7 – “Rick and Morty” and Szechuan sauce fans gathered outside McDonald’s restaurants nationwide. Thousands lined up hours before the packets were allowed to be sold, all clamoring for the sweet plum sauce.
Common theme, I tried two in Delaware that @McDonalds website said had it, and they say they never got it. Seems like a bait and switch.
— Kyle Grantham (@kylegrantham) October 7, 2017
However, McDonald’s failed to mention in any of their widespread promos that only 20 packets of the highly anticipated sauce would be available at the stores. The Huffington Post reported that some locations listed online as participating stores didn’t actually have the sauce packets at all or some had sold out before the authorized selling time.
Cops are at Wellington McDonalds where tons of angry people lined up for hrs for Rick and Morty Szechuan sauce only to learn they had none pic.twitter.com/3T272osid4
— Lulu Ramadan (@luluramadan) October 7, 2017
Once the fans realized that the sauce had been sold out after waiting in line for hours, they were outraged. So much so that the police had to be called to disband an angry crowd surrounding a Wellington, Fl. McDonald’s.
Angry crowd chants "We want sauce" as police force them back. 1000+ people camped out to get #szechuansauce but McDonalds had 70 sauces… pic.twitter.com/wEaqC64Hln
— Ian 👻💀👽 Sikes (@ianjsikes) October 7, 2017
At another McDonald’s, a mob chanting, “we want sauce,” formed, and the police had to push them back.
my son is 9 and was crying as well….after we got home he was still upset and said he may never eat @McDonalds again…that's huge for him!
— Lisa Dahlkoetter (@LasaLoraine) October 7, 2017
Other locations, adults left angry and kids left crying.
@McDonalds you suck. Only 10 posters & 20 packets of #szechuansauce to a store; there are already 30 in line.. 4 hours early. #rickandmorty
— Brandon Kronz (@BrandonKronz) October 7, 2017
.@McDonalds REALLY horrible marketing to make 1000s of ppl line up for #SzechuanSauce when you only have 20 per location #boycottMcDonalds
— ChrisC (@Angeleyyz) October 7, 2017
Anyone know how to bring a class action suit against @McDonalds for false advertisement? Asking for a few thousand friends #szechuansauce
— Bradley Brower (@BradleyWBrower) October 7, 2017
The disgruntled customers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations at the chain, claiming false advertising and calling for both a “class action lawsuit” and a “boycott.” The latter became a trending hashtag for the day, #boycottMcDonalds.
The best fans in the multiverse showed us what they got today. We hear you & we're sorry not everyone could get some super-limited Szechuan.
— McDonald's (@McDonalds) October 7, 2017
Fans weren’t buying it, and accused the hamburger joint of just wanting the publicity.
The fast-food giant later released a second apology on Facebook, and promised that there would be more sauce on the horizon.
“…Our super limited batch, though well-intentioned, clearly wasn’t enough to meet that demand,” reads the statement. “…So, we are going to make this right. … Szechuan Sauce is coming back again this winter.”
