This is peak internet in all its glory.
In case you missed it, the best April Fools non-joke this year went to Adult Swim for releasing the first episode of S3 Rick and Morty. Fans had no warning of the episode’s release, causing social media to go into overdrive as people started sharing the live-stream faster than Rick can Cronenberg up a planet.
Beautifully crass and chaotic, the episode was filled with pop culture references typical of Rick and Morty. But there was one reference in particular that made the viral internet go into overdrive: Rick’s rant about how much he loves the 1998 McDonalds Mulan Szechuan McNugget Dipping Sauce. As Rick puts it:
“I’m not driven by avenging my dead family Morty, that was fake. I’m driven by finding that McNugget sauce. I want that Mulan McNugget sauce Morty. That’s my series arc Morty. If it takes nine seasons I want my McNugget dipping sauce, Szechuan sauce Morty.”
It seems that people really empathised with Rick’s passion for the Szechuan sauce because there is now a petition to bring it back. As of writing, the petition has nearly 17,000 signatures. The reaction on social media has also been strong.
There are already unofficial Rick & Morty campaign tshirts for McDonalds' Mulan/Szechuan sauce pic.twitter.com/bsG6elvx0Y
— Larry Bartleet (@larrybartleet) April 3, 2017
Szechuan Dipping sauce and McNuggets have both peaked on google trends. This is the most anyone has ever mentioned them on google since its… pic.twitter.com/XkDks69dG4
— Jen Jacob (@jacob_jen828) April 4, 2017
when you ask if @McDonalds has #szechuansauce and they say no pic.twitter.com/PQ7Ky1zxkM
— ᴋᴏʀɢ (@Smittayy) April 2, 2017
As Rick states in the episode, the sauce was released as a promotional item for the release of Disney’s animated film Mulan. Given that a live-action remake of the film is scheduled for release next year, there’s a real possibility the sauce could make a return, especially if you take into consideration the response from the official McDonald’s Twitter account.
.@RickandMorty McNugga Lubba Dub Dub. 👀
— McDonald's (@McDonalds) April 2, 2017