If anybody wonder why people are carrying and buying bottles of McDonald's curry sauce, you'll understand after reading this article, which is also found here with pictures.
I have to admit that I don't like most of McDonald's offerings, even if writing the McLaoSai/McSpicy article makes it seem otherwise. But even I have to admit that I like McDonald's Chili Sauce and Curry Sauce.
I would even go so far as to say those are the reasons to visit McDonald's and not anything else on the menu. Or maybe I just like sweet things and I'm inclined to like anything with sugar in it. Don't judge.
But less of me, and more of facts.
TLDR; Almost caused a riot
The entire McDonald’s Curry Sauce tragedy that can be found from sm ong. You can also browse it on Reddit r/Singaporeif that's what you prefer. Here's a modified summary that I also wrote for GoodyFeed:
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Sometime in the 1990s, Curry Sauce was added to McDonald's in Singapore.
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Before 14 Nov 2011, it was truly a great time to be living in. People had UNLIMITED CURRY SAUCE privileges.
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But alas, good times never last. 14 Nov 2011, Singapore unexpectedly ran out of curry sauce (!!!) #ripcurrysauce
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A week later the curry sauce was back… but it tasted different.
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It just wasn’t the same. People cried. People rioted. The old sauce had peanuts. The new had soybeans.
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From then on, unlimited curry sauce privileges were removed from the population and we had to ration curry sauces.
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Times were bad, and people had to fork out hard earned money for a meager portion. Some even begged secondary school kids for curry sauce (evidence required).
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Feb 2015, the sauce once again disappeared, this time due to a congestion at the United States West Coast ports.
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June 2015, it returned.
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July 2016, McDonald's sold 375ml bottles of the stuff for S$4.50, limited to 4 per customer, Purchase with Purchase. Apparently sold out in a week or two.
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30 May 2019, McDonald's to sell 375ml bottles again, for S$5.50, limited to 4 per customer, Purchase with Purchase.
What is McDonald's Curry Sauce?
Curry but not really curry. Some has described it to be similar to German Curry Ketchup or Currygewürzketchup, though looking at the ingredients, it's likely that they are similar recipes/products with rather different tastes.
Despite being called curry sauce, it doesn't actually taste that much like curry. Nobody really knows why it's called curry sauce. But we know its unique to the region, and maybe even Singapore.
It's sweet, but only very mildly spicy, with a nuttiness that makes it kind of like a cross between satay and Japanese curry.
In case you're doubting my taste buds, a recipe by iEatiShootiPost uses packaged Japanese curry roux cubes and peanut sauce as an ingredient. And this also explains why the weirdos at SoraNews24 made Japanese Curry with McDonald's Curry Sauce.
No one knows what the nutritional value of McDonald's Curry Sauce is, but the ingredients include some spices used in curry, like Turmeric and Chili Pepper.
So how do we eat it? Dip nuggets in it, dip fries in it, pour it on burgers. Nobody really cares, just use it as you would ketchup.
Except you guys. You guys totally deserve all the judgement.
14 November 2011: End of Curry Sauce
This was the day McDonald's released the following statement:
We know many of you have come to love our signature curry sauce, and are sorry that it is temporarily unavailable. This is due to unforeseen supply issues, and we expect new stocks of curry sauce to arrive from the US by the end of next week. To all our valued customers and curry sauce lovers in Singapore, we sincerely apologise and thank you for your patience!
Before the statement, people already started noticing that some stores stopped giving the sauce. After the official statement, people started the #ripcurrysauce movement on Twitter. Surprisingly, there were a lot of comments asking for Mayo on the McDonald's Facebook announcement.
“It’s more saddening than the death of Steve Jobs.”
Notably, it reveals that the sauce is made in the US, despite the sauce being not available there.
23 November 2011: End of Old Curry Sauce
About 1 week later, the curry sauce is back.
Our signature curry sauce is back. It's now in a brand new packaging, but it's still the same taste that everyone loves. Thanks for your patience, curry sauce lovers!
Except... it didn't taste the same. People commented the new one is sweeter and more diluted.
The ingredients used were clearly different; the new one used soy beans and soy butter, while the old version had peanuts, which McDonald's claim to be for allergy sufferers.
Not only that. We were also no longer allowed unlimited curry sauce privileges. And if you wanted more, you had to pay S$0.30.
Feb 2015: Disappearance for 4 months
After a relatively peaceful 4 years, the sauce once again disappeared, this time due to a congestion at the United States West Coast ports.
We would like to assure our customers that despite the situation at U.S. West Coast ports, any disruption to our supply of condiments and ingredients is only temporary. We have a variety of supply sources and in this instance, McDonald’s Singapore has secured supplies from other McDonald’s approved producing countries for most of our products. There are, however, some products for which we are unable to source the same product from any McDonald’s approved producing countries outside of the USA. Hence, these products will be temporarily out of stock. Please refer to http://mcdonalds.com.sg/…/update-on-west-coast-port-conges…/ for the list of products.
Unlike the 2011 incident, people during this period were a little more civil, but there was clear unrest within the population.
June 2015: Once again, return of the sauce
Issue seems to have been resolved, curry sauce back to menu.
July 2016: Era of the 375ml bottle
McDonald's started selling 375ml bottles of the stuff for S$4.50, limited to 4 per customer, Purchase with Purchase.
Nobody knows whether this was a good thing. McDonald's were clearly using our addiction to the drug to fuel their corporate greed.
Local addicts didn't care. It was apparently sold out in a week or two.
June 2019: 375ml bottles and the uncertain future
If McDonald's knew how to do anything, it was marketing and controlling supply. Nearly 3 years after the previous sold out, thirst for the sauce is once again, at its height. Bottled supplies of the sauce run low. The July 2016 stock were basically non-existent at this point, and addicts had nowhere to go to.
Except McDonald's.
30 May 2019, the evil M are to sell 375ml bottles again, but this time for S$5.50, a S$1 increase in price. It is still limited to 4 per customer, Purchase with Purchase.
I worry of the time curry sauce goes out of my economic capacity, but for now I can only pay up and pray McDonald's don't decide to bankrupt me by preying on my addiction.
To McDonald's: If the curry sauce sells out again, it's clearly totally all me. I demand a commission.
