Burger King customers sparked a bitter debate online after the fast-food giant quietly changed the recipe for one of its most beloved dipping sauces. Some fans are even demanding the old version back, while others insisting the newcomer is actually an improvement.
The fast-food chain allegedly changed the recipe for its iconic Sweet & Sour sauce, even swapping the branding from its original orange label for a bright purple.
Burger King describes the sauce as a 'refreshingly tangy-sweet sauce with fruity notes.'
'A great match for chicken dishes and crispy snacks,' the website's description states. 'Now vegan-friendly and goes great with all our products.'
In the past few weeks, customers took to social media, sharing their reviews and surprise at the latest switch-up.
Comments across the Burger King subreddit describe the new sauce as tasting more like a Sweet Chili sauce than Sweet & Sour, while some customers have questioned why the chain would mess with a recipe they felt was already perfectly good.
'People loved that sauce because it actually tasted like Burger King,' one Reddit user said. 'It was part of the experience, especially with Chicken Fries, and replacing it feels like fixing something that was never broken.'
'The original sweet & sour was practically their birthright,' they added. 'Bring back the sauce. Stop erasing the stuff people actually miss.'
Burger King offers a variety of sauces for its customers, including Zesty and Sweet & Sour sauces
Burger King's revamped Sweet & Sour sauce has 'fruity notes' according to the company's website
Burger King's president shared his love for the new Whopper
Comparing the ingredients on the label, there are already major differences between the old and new Sweet & Sour sauce.
The first ingredient of the new version is sugar, while the first ingredient of the old version is water. The old version also includes pineapple juice concentrate, which is completely missing for the reimagined sauce.
'I work at Burger King and all the sauces got changed so I doubt they’d change it back,' another Reddit user wrote.
They added that they've compared all the new and old sauces and Sweet & Sour tastes 'about the same as before.'
Burger King has been making big swings lately in an effort to win customers back. Earlier this year, the chain made major upgrades to its most famous menu item.
The Whopper now comes on a more premium bun and is served in a box rather than Burger King's traditional paper wrapping. It still features freshly cut onions and tomatoes, lettuce and pickles, along with what the company describes as 'better tasting' mayonnaise.
Burger King president Tom Curtis even filmed himself taking a giant bite of the revamped burger before delivering a cheeky punchline.
'Only one thing missing,' Curtis said. 'A napkin.'
Earlier this year, Burger King announced plans to hire up to 60,000 workers across its roughly 6,500 US restaurants as it rolled out a series of major changes
Not too long after, the company announced plans to hire up to 60,000 workers across its roughly 6,500 US restaurants as it rolled out a series of major changes, including the first significant update to its iconic Whopper in nearly a decade.
'We've done the important work of strengthening our operations, modernizing our restaurants, and listening to our guests, and it's paying off,' Burger King president Tom Curtis said.
As a result, Burger King saw US same-store sales gain 8.5 percent in the second quarter, making it once again runner-up to market leader McDonald's.
Burger King even surpassed Wendy's to become America's second biggest fast food chain restaurant by sales trailing behind McDonald's.
