American fans of Rick and Morty were left confused, furious and sauceless this past weekend when McDonald’s cute PR stunt about the return of its Szechuan dipping sauce went disastrously wrong, because it’s 2017 and this is where we’re at right now. But good news: Folks will be able to relive the sauce nightmare all over again this summer.
Image: Adult Swim
The promotion — in which too-limited quantities of Szechuan Sauce available at select McDonald’s turned crowds of Rick and Morty fans into baying mobs screeching at McDonald’s employees — has been nothing short of absurd. Anger over poor management of the event and a lack of sauce available to the thousands of people who lined up at McDonald’s restaurants across the US reached a fever pitch. One of the show’s creators, Justin Roiland, had to take to Twitter not only to distance the series from the poorly-planned event — which, technically, was never officially a Rick and Morty-branded promotion — but to also remind enraged fans not to hurl abuse at McDonald’s employees:
FYI: We had nothing to do with this McDonald’s stuff. Not happy w/how this was handled. Please be cool to the employees it’s not their fault
— Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland) October 8, 2017
As if the show’s fanbase wasn’t going through enough problems dealing with a burgeoning toxic reputation, having to be reminded not to fly into a blind rage about dipping sauces is not the greatest of looks.
But the complete mania over Szechuan Sauce has lead to at least one decent outcome for fans. McDonald’s has announced it intends to bring the controversial condiment back in the US later this year, promising this time that the sauce will be bountiful, available at more locations, and be staying around for more than a single day:
You spoke. We’ve listened. Lots more #SzechuanSauce and locations. Details soon. And that’s the wayyy the news goes! pic.twitter.com/ooIrbZBsOw
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) October 8, 2017
Will it be enough to satiate Rick and Morty fans eager to see if the sauce Rick loves so much is worth the hype? It remains to be seen, but let’s hope so. I don’t think the internet could survive another sauce riot.
[EW]