McDonald’s Ran Out Of Szechuan Sauce In A Flash, And ‘Rick And Morty’ Fans Are Devastated
There were lines around the block.
McDonald’s have seriously underestimated how much Rick and Morty fans want that Mulan McNugget sauce, and are copping one hell of a social media backlash as a result.
In case you’re not across this whole bizarre saga, it started when the writers of Rick and Morty concocted an elaborate gag around Rick’s obsession with the Szechuan dipping sauce that McDonald’s rolled out in 1998 as part of a cross-promotional tie-in with the Disney movie Mulan.
The Maccas marketing team seized on the joke and ran with it, sending a bottle of the stuff to the show’s creator, Justin Roiland, before last week announcing the sauce would be returning to select restaurants in the US for one day only.
Here’s the thing though: Rick and Morty fans are an… let’s call them an intense bunch of people, and their demand was a hell of a lot higher than the supply. We’re talking new iPhone release, Harry Potter midnight screening, lines around the block levels of hype.
West Coast San Diego McDonald’s #schezuansauce has begun!! ??? pic.twitter.com/gBSxI1rEol
— Sailor Meteor ☄(Ren) (@SMeteorx314) October 7, 2017
About 150 in line, good luck getting that #schezuansauce in #Seattle pic.twitter.com/wsT4JgLFng
— Justin McKissick (@justmckissick) October 7, 2017
The line for #schezuansauce at the @McDonalds off Weistheimer in Houston is wrapped around the restaurant. Waited. All gone. pic.twitter.com/DEIfhfKstF
— Dustin Payne (@createdlove) October 7, 2017
Went to a @McDonalds for Rick and Morty chaos, & I definitely found it. It’s only 1:30 CST, but they’re already “out?” ??♀️ #schezuansauce pic.twitter.com/wPHt4KfO98
— megs (@megancollene) October 7, 2017
Some stores reportedly only had a handful of packets to begin with, while others apparently never received their batches at all.
It didn’t take long for the social media blowback to begin.
So our @McDonalds only got 20 packets of Szechuan sauce and there’s 30 people outside. You crossed me McDonalds pic.twitter.com/ql9HbPrpIq
— Monster Matt (@TrueMattNation) October 7, 2017
Gotta say, probably not eating at @McDonalds again after this. Complete and total sham.
— Kyle Grantham (@kylegrantham) October 7, 2017
How McDonald handle the #SzechuanSauce promotion today pic.twitter.com/MsLNhiSgrx
— 山葵 (@Wasabi_Sauce) 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
Buddy and me realizing that we missed our chance to get our hands on some of that Szechuan sauce. #SzechuanSauce pic.twitter.com/tkueHF8qOG
— Raquel (@raquelr07) October 8, 2017
McDonald’s only has 20 packets of #szechuansauce and doesn’t even have it available in every McDonald’s restaurant. pic.twitter.com/JNZkHbEjxN
— ??? Red ??? (@HystericalVixen) October 7, 2017
It’s like Jerry HIMSELF did the actual marketing #szechuansauce #McDonalds
— ☆ luCΔs—Lee ☆ (@noTime_ToneZ) October 7, 2017
There were also reports of business savvy individuals flipping their Schezuan sauce for mad amounts of schmeckles.
Dont worry everone. You can buy #SzechuanSauce from McDonalds employees for $200+ on ebay
— Alexander Harvey (@alexharvey_14) October 7, 2017
Guy just walked by us in line holding the #SzechuanSauce selling it for $300!! #LAszechuanline
— John Estanislau (@johnestanislau) October 7, 2017
So what’s the lesson from all this? Well, on the one hand, McDonald’s, you really should have seen this coming. On the other hand, Rick and Morty fans, maybe take a look at your priorities, yeah?
*looks on the internet*
“rick and morty fans are rioting because of mcdonalds sauce”
…..*slowly backs away from internet*
— MOOMANiBE (@MOOMANiBE) October 8, 2017
Can R&M do a bit about how great feminism & racial equality are so we can get throngs of white guys to show up for that too? #szechuansauce
— OGBillyBatson (@ogbillybatson) October 8, 2017