Erin Elizabeth
Wendy’s is an international fast food chain known for its square hamburgers, sea salt fries, and Frosty desserts. Wendy’s also offers a variety of dipping sauces for their chicken nuggets and sandwiches.
If you think there’s no difference between sauces at different fast food restaurants, think again. Not all sauces are created equal, and not all restaurants offer the same options for dipping sauces.
So if you’re like me and love dipping your chicken nuggets (and fries, sausage, burgers, and almost everything) into various sauces, it’s essential to know what you’re working with before heading to the drive-thru.
Usually, Wendy’s will let you get just one or two in addition to your nuggets order, then pay a small fee for any extra. That’s another reason knowing what you might want ahead of time is important.
Best Wendy’s Sauces
Below are the best Wendy’s sauces, ranked by fan favorites.
BBQ
Wendy’s BBQ sauce is a classic and my all-time favorite sauce.
It’s a little bit of everything – sweet, tangy, and smoky – which makes it go well with pretty much anything!
I’ve used it on my chicken nuggets countless times, but I also love dipping my salty fries into the BBQ sauce for a little bit of sweetness.
If you’re looking for a classic sauce that goes with anything, Wendy’s BBQ is the one.
Additionally, if I have a burger that doesn’t include sauce on its own, I’ll often open it open and pour some BBQ sauce on there as well.
This move is especially delicious on burgers and sandwiches with bacon on them because the smokey bacon pairs so swimmingly with the smokey BBQ flavor.
Buttermilk Ranch
Wendy’s Buttermilk Ranch is another great all-purpose sauce.
This sauce is a little bit creamier and richer than the BBQ sauce, making it a good option if you want something that’s not as sweet.
I also find that the buttermilk ranch pairs well with Wendy’s sea salt fries. The rich creaminess offsets the salty fries perfectly, and I always find myself going back for more.
If you want a slightly more sophisticated sauce that still goes with everything, go for the buttermilk ranch. You really can’t go wrong.
And if you want to throw that sophistication out the window for something truly delicious, try pouring some of the buttermilk ranch sauce on a sausage egg and cheese breakfast biscuit. You’re welcome!
Honey Mustard
Wendy’s honey mustard is another excellent sauce for a variety of purposes.
Like BBQ sauce, honey mustard also has a rich and smoky flavor, but it’s even tangier than the BBQ sauce, making it ideal for chicken sandwiches.
It’s perfect for dipping chicken nuggets into, of course, but you can get creative with how you use honey mustard sauce.
I’ve incorporated it into my breakfast potatoes, french fries, and burgers that have a lot of veggie fixings on them, like their “Dave’s” burgers.
This isn’t ideal if you want to avoid a sweet sauce, though. But if you love a sugary kick, you’ll enjoy the well-balanced flavor profile.
Sweet & Sour
In terms of sweet sauces, Wendy’s sweet & sour sauce is one I can get behind because the sweetness contrasts with the punchy, tangy sour flavor.
It’s an Asian-inspired sauce that works so well with chicken nuggets and french fries but also goes nicely with foods you wouldn’t expect, such as Wendy’s plain baked potato.
Additionally, I find that the fruitiness of this sauce just makes sense to dip apples into, and if you forgot that Wendy’s had packages of apple slices, I’m glad I reminded you!
The tanginess of this sauce creates a pleasant contrast to the sweet depth.
Ghost Pepper Ranch
Spicy is my middle name, so I’m going to be obsessed with Wendy’s spicy sauce – the ghost pepper ranch.
Keep in mind that ghost pepper is 600,000-1,041,427 SHU, making it one of the hottest ingredients out there.
The base of this sauce is the same as their buttermilk ranch sauce; it’s just the spicy, ghost pepper version of it. That’s why it goes well with all the savory, juicy meat menu items, such as:
- The bacon cheeseburger
- The breakfast Baconator
- The bacon cheese baked potato
I wish they incorporated a bit more ghost pepper in it, but it gets the job done and has a riveting flavor that I like more for my burgers than anything else.
Hot Honey Sauce
Wendy’s hot honey sauce is another fan-favorite for spice lovers, as it combines natural honey with habanero peppers, another hot and delicious pepper.
Just like with the ghost pepper ranch, I find that this sauce works best with savory items on the menu, such as the spicy chicken sandwich or the spicy chicken nuggets.
I also like it on the breakfast sausage sandwich because the sweetness offsets the spiciness of the sausage.
The hot honey sauce is also good if you want something sweet but not as sweet as the honey mustard sauce.
Creamy Sriracha
Sriracha isn’t as hot as ghost pepper or habanero, but it has its place in terms of providing some kick while maintaining flavor. And that’s exactly what Wendy’s creamy Sriracha dipping sauce does.
This sauce is one of the unique sauces that Wendy’s has come out with, and people love it. I think it’s because it’s not too spicy but has enough of a Sriracha flavor to be interesting.
It’s also creamy, which makes it an ideal dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or french fries.
I enjoy Sriracha on just about anything, so I’ll take this sauce on any sandwich, but it goes exceptionally well with the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club.
Best Wendy’s Sauces
- BBQ
- Buttermilk Ranch
- Honey Mustard
- Sweet & Sour
- Ghost Pepper Ranch
- Hot Honey Sauce
- Creamy Sriracha
Final Thoughts
Wendy’s began operating in 1969 and currently has over 6,500 locations – and for good reason.
I believe Wendy’s is so popular not only due to its fresh meat, innovative Frosty drink, delicious fries, and warm-hearted feel but also because of its variety of high-quality dipping sauces.
I hope you enjoyed my description of the best Wendy’s sauces and know exactly which one(s) you’ll try the next time you make a stop there.
Which one is your absolute favorite sauce? Let me know in the comments below!