A Definitive Ranking of Fast Food Barbecue Sauces

jul 27, 2018

The perfect sauce can make or break a fast food chicken nugget, so picking the right place to eat is key.

Which fast food spot has the best BBQ sauce around? We tasted them all and ranked from worst to best so you don't have to.

9. Popeye's – Bold BQ Sauce

To be fair, even our least favorite barbecue sauce on this list is pretty delicious. Popeye's Bold BQ Sauce tastes a little like brown sugar with some heat to it. But something tastes a little off about it.

8. Burger King – BBQ Dip

Burger King's BBQ dip is sweet and bright in a way that tastes almost fruity. We might like it even better if it were a little less sweet, but it's still tasty with the signature nugget from BK.

A post shared by Luke (@luke95b) on Jun 11, 2015 at 3:05pm PDT

7. KFC – Summertime BBQ Sauce

If we had to sum up KFC's summertime BBQ sauce in one word, it'd be tomatoey. It's also layered with a bit of smokiness and peppery heat, making for a well-rounded sauce that's good, but not our favorite.

6. Chick-fil-A – Barbecue Sauce

Chick-fil-A's barbecue sauce checks all the boxes for what we want in a dipping sauce. It's sweet, smokey and bold all at once, and it's the perfect complement to the chain's nuggets and sandwiches. However, there's nothing special about it that pushes it over the edge for us.

A post shared by ????Stephanie Taylor ???? (@sjt1409) on Nov 8, 2016 at 9:22am PST

5. McDonald's – Tangy BarBeQue Sauce

The name of McDonald's Tangy BarBeQue sauce doesn't lie. The sauce has a vinegary tang and with a tomatoey sweetness, which is a practically perfect flavor combination. It's not the most complex of flavors, but it gets the job done.

4. Jack in the Box – BBQ Sauce

Jack in the Box's BBQ sauce has a flavor that's a simple blend of sweetness and smokiness. It's not necessarily unique or sophisticated, but the flavors come together really well. It's a matter of less being more, and we're big fans.

A post shared by Isabel ???? (@isahhbel_) on Nov 23, 2014 at 11:00am PST

3. Arby's – Tangy BBQ Sauce

The top three sauces on this list were near ties, but eventually we did manage to rank them. Arby's tangy BBQ sauce (not to be confused with their signature Arby's sauce) is super sweet and tartly tangy and filled with a delicious smoke flavor. We had to deduct points because Arby's doesn't even serve nuggets, so we have to resort to pouring this sauce all over a roast beef sandwich instead.

A post shared by Arby's (@arbys) on Apr 17, 2017 at 11:19am PDT

2. Carl's Jr. – Sweet & Bold BBQ Dipping Sauce

The last few times we've been to Carl's Jr., it came in a tiny clear plastic container instead of the traditional sauce cup, and we have a theory it's because the classic cups just can't contain the thick, creamy goodness of the sweet & bold BBQ sauce. It has the tang and sweetness of tomatoes, pervaded by a sharp smokey flavor. It deserves better than the chicken stars it's served with.

A post shared by Bill Childers (@wildbill) on Aug 28, 2013 at 12:40pm PDT

1. Wendy's – Barbecue Dipping Sauce

You may be noticing a trend by now. We love smoke flavoring in our barbecue sauce, and Wendy's has the smokiest sauce of them all. At the same time, it has the sweet taste of molasses. Those two blend together to create a flawless sauce.

A post shared by Wendy's Middle East ???? (@wendysmena) on Mar 9, 2017 at 5:36am PST

If you're serious about sauces, click HERE to find out what your favorite Chick-fil-A sauce reveals about you.