Review: McDonald's Hot Honey Menu Sets Off A Good Kind Of Smoke Alarm

Hot honey is having a moment. Mike Kurtz discovered hot honey in 2004, spread it on pizza in the following decade, and it became a ubiquitous condiment being drizzled over everything by the 2020s. Fast food and casual chains are always happy to follow a trend, and all things spicy started appearing on the menus of Shake Shack, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and in a finger lickin' good combination from KFC. While a little late to the game, McDonald's is finally having a go with Hot Honey, as a dipping sauce and a condiment to gussy up its chicken products, as well as give a boost to a sausage biscuit in the morning hours. Welcome to our world McDonald's Hot Honey Menu!

So, is McDonald's belated entry into the Hot Honey genre well worth the wait, or did they already miss the spicy boat? The Takeout descended upon our local Golden Arches for both breakfast and lunch, took a dip, and then some, to see where the truth lies. All can now be revealed in this chew & review, with a dab of sweetness that's coming in mighty h-o-t!

I used my McDonald's app and noticed that my local Manhattan location was already carrying the Hot Honey Menu in advance of its national launch release date. This taste test was broken up into two sessions, separated by a night's sleep. The first session involved trying the Hot Honey dip from a cup, by itself, then with McNuggets and French fries. That was followed with nibbles of the Hot Honey Snack Wrap, then the Hot Honey McCrispy, and wrapping things up with the Bacon Hot Honey McCrispy. The next morning, it was Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit's turn, as well as further testing of the dip cup, and a cup of the sauce that came from a squeeze bottle. They were tested against each other, and then tasted with a hash brown.

This review is a summation of my own personal tastes and opinions, which takes into consideration my past and present experience with hot honey, McDonald's dipping sauces, as well as its various chicken products. The ultimate criteria for this chew & review are based on flavor, appearance, smell, texture, familiarity, originality, how well the sweet and spice play together, and overall awesomeness as a sauce. Dip responsibly, my friends.

McDonald's in Canada started peddling a Hot Honey McCrispy sandwich in January of 2024, and Australians hit up their local Macca's in March of 2025 to grab a taste of a slightly expanded Hot Honey Menu. In 2026, McDonald's in the United States is finally getting its chance to try Hot Honey, in a standalone sauce form, as well as being employed as a condiment on pre-existing menu items. This new limited-time menu includes one breakfast item, the Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit, and three that are available the rest of the day — Bacon Hot Honey McCrispy Sandwich, Hot Honey McCrispy Sandwich, and Hot Honey Snack Wrap. The Hot Honey sauce also comes in a dip cup for one to employ in whatever way they desire.

McDonald's describes the Hot Honey Sauce as "spicy," "peppery," and "tangy." The Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit contains a pork sausage patty with folded egg, drizzled with Hot Honey Sauce. The Honey McCrispy Sandwich consists of a single McCrispy filet topped with Hot Honey Sauce, crispy jalapeños, shredded lettuce, and mayo, sandwiched between a toasted potato roll. The Bacon Hot Honey McCrispy Sandwich is the same as the previous item, but includes strips of thick-cut applewood smoked bacon. The Hot Honey Snack Wrap starts with a McCrispy strip that's surrounded by shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, and the Hot Honey Sauce, all wrapped in a tortilla.

McDonald's Hot Honey Menu officially launches at participating nationwide locations on January 27, but some restaurants already have these items available now to order. The Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit can only be ordered during breakfast hours, and the McCrispy sandwiches and Snack Wrap are available the rest of the day. Cups of the Hot Honey Sauce are available to order all day, while supplies last.

Orders can be placed in person at the restaurant's counter, kiosk, or drive-thru where available. Advanced ordering for dine-in, takeout, or delivery are available through McDonald's app. Deliveries are also available through third parties, but additional or higher costs may apply. The sandwiches and wrap are completely customizable, to remove or add additional ingredients.

Price will vary per location, but at my local Manhattan McDonald's, the Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit retailed for $4.39, the Hot Honey McCrispy for $7.19, and the bacon iteration for $8.79. The Hot Honey Snack Wrap was $2.99, and à la carte orders of the Hot Honey Sauce ran $.29. The sauce can also be ordered in conjunction with McNuggets. Value meals are available for all the sandwiches and wraps, at an additional cost.

The Hot Honey Sauce is made up of honey, water, sugar, red bell pepper puree, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, salt, soybean oil, and contains 2% percent or less of spices, natural flavor, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, propylene glycol alginate, citric acid, and extractives of paprika for color. One cup of the Hot Honey Sauce contains 50 calories, 13 grams of total carbohydrates, including 11 grams of total sugars, and 0.5 grams of total fat. The sauce also contains 230 milligrams of sodium, 25 milligrams of calcium, and 20 milligrams of potassium.

The Hot Honey Snack Wrap has 350 calories, 17 grams of protein, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 15 grams of total fat, including 5 grams of saturated fat, 9 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of dietary fiber. The wrap also contains 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 950 milligrams of sodium, 150 milligrams of calcium, 2 milligrams of iron, and 240 milligrams of potassium. 

A Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit has 550 calories, 17 grams of protein, 41 grams of total carbohydrates, 35 grams of total fat, including 15 grams of saturated fat, 5 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 225 milligrams of cholesterol, and 1,250 milligrams of sodium. It also provides 110 milligrams of calcium, 3.5 milligrams of iron, and 270 milligrams of potassium. Additional nutritional and allergy information is available on McDonald's website and app.

While the new Hot Honey Sauce was being employed in numerous ways, I figured it was best to meet the new guy head-on, without any additional fuss. It comes in an attractive dip cup, with a black bottom and a shimmery, jazzy, red label, complete with a fun font that makes it look like it was lifted from a baseball jersey's team name. I peeled back the label and below was a sauce that seemed dark in the holding cup, and resembled the orangey-red hue of the signature Arby's Sauce. Outside of the container, it was much lighter, almost translucent, in appearance, complete with specks of visible flavoring dotting its goopy nature. A single whiff revealed a most welcoming aroma, with notes of honey and spice.

I took a forkful of the sauce and I was instantly on board with its flavor. Like most of the hot honeys I've ever tried, it kicks off with a nice touch of sweetness before the heat pushes its way to the front, enveloping the mouth. The heat level is certainly strong, but it's not to a point that you can't enjoy it. While its balance leans more on the spice than the sweetness, the two are harmonious, delivering full flavor.

This became especially true when I brought McNuggets and fries into the equation. With crispy exteriors, both picked up the molasses-like sauce quite well, and with pretty straightforward tastes, both allowed the sauce to truly shine.

Next up was the Hot Honey Snack Wrap. The Snack Wrap was once one of the most hyped up McItems everyone wanted to come back from the dead. It returned with great fanfare last summer, and glowing reviews, although I personally gave it a shoulder shrug after trying it for myself. Well, we now have a Hot Honey version of the Snack Wrap before us. Mine looked barely wrapped, like a taco with way too little going on within, or a puny, unkempt burrito.

Appearance is one thing, but taste is king. My first bite was nothing but soft tortilla. It actually took me several bites before I got to the meat of this wrap. The McCrispy Strip is nothing outwardly special. It's less crispy than the chicken filet that is housed in the sandwich, and not as good as a McNugget. Along for the ride is some unremarkable lettuce that was made a little sloshier due to the Hot Honey, and some shredded cheese, which really didn't register in the wrap's overall taste.

The Hot Honey here seemed to have its power subdued within the wrap. There was a decent amount included inside, but it just didn't have that same zip and punch that it did as a standalone dipping sauce. Regardless, it still was able to add a dash of flavor to the wrap, and it was nice to try it on the more bland background of the soft and sandy tortilla.

When I order up some McDonald's off the clock, I usually get burgers. I like chicken sandwiches, but it's not something that's a go-to for me. I can probably count on my fingers how many McCrispy sandwiches I've had. Looking at this Hot Honey version, it's almost like I had never tasted one before. I took the time to admire its appearance, headlined by a beautifully shimmery potato bun. The bun had a light slit down the middle that practically begs it to be sliced in half with a knife. I lifted up the bun and saw a slosh of mayo coating the small crisped bits of jalapeños, and below, the girthy chicken filet. I checked below the filet, and that's where the Hot Honey resided, hiding out between it and the bottom bun.

My first bite focused on texture. The crunchiness of the filet juxtaposed well with the soft bun, adding up to a tasty sandwich. Further bites started to bring about the sandwich's flavor, where the creaminess of the mayo kept the heat of the Hot Honey at bay. Again, the sauce here seemed slightly different than the one from the packaged dipping cup, not being able to fully pack the same wallop. Perhaps it's because there's more layers here at play, combining into a singularly complex bite. The Hot Honey acts as more of a supporting player than star in this sandwich, but its role is still praiseworthy.

I didn't expect too much of a difference between the Hot Honey McCrispy and its bacon-y counterpart, but I was honestly happy to take another bite of this sandwich, with an additional layer in tow. As I picked up this sandwich, one of the jalapeños had fallen out. It looked like a small, discolored Ruffles potato chip. It wasn't overly crispy, but taking a bite did add a dash of spice. However, in a complete sandwich bite, the jalapeño seemed to get lost in translation. Besides that fallen fellow, I had to applaud this sandwich for not being a physical hot (honey) mess. There was a lot of sauce flowing on the inside, but the bun and filet did a solid job of keeping it from seeping out onto the hands that had to deliver it to my mouth.

My first bite was another satisfying one, and the crunch of the bacon uplifted the sandwich to a whole new level. This wasn't some flimsy bacon, buckling under the weight of the sauce. It remained robust with smokey flavor and super crunch, that balanced out the filet and fluffy bun. Again, nothing was super spicy here. The Hot Honey was certainly present, but more a member of the team than the star. Before I wrapped up on this sammy, I poured some of the Hot Honey from my dip cup onto just the chicken filet, and the sauce's magic was better unleashed.

Since I tried the lunch/dinner menu items first, I had to wait a day to try the one breakfast item — the Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit. I don't want to say I'm an expert, but I'm pretty well-versed in all things sausage-sold at McDonalds, having completed a full ranking of breakfast menu items a year ago. The leader of the pack ended up being the Sausage Egg Biscuit, which, as I previously noted, earned an A+ as "the egg and sausage are elevated in their taste and flavor when sandwiched between the split biscuit."

So what happens when a condiment comes into play to disrupt this already perfect balance? First of all, the softer bottom biscuit wasn't up to the task of holding the Hot Honey sauce in place like the McCrispy potato roll bun was. This one was a bit more of a mess, but after digging in on it, it was one well worth getting dirty for. This was the first of the four menu items with the sauce included that played to its strengths. The Hot Honey seemed to have more of a punch in the heat department. Maybe that was due to the absence of crispy chicken, distractions like lettuce, or the elements of this Biscuit breakfast sandwich just happened to be better absorbers and dispensers of the Hot Honey. This is an item definitely worth waking up for.

Before I drew my final conclusion, I had one nagging concern — why was the sauce working its awesomeness best when housed in a dip cup rather than being spread across the menu items? I was able to secure a cup of the sauce that comes from the squeeze bottles and tested it against the pre-packaged version. The two sauces had the same smell, look, and gooey consistency, but I concluded that the squeeze bottle one was spicier. Maybe it had to have its heat amped up to compensate for all the savoriness and textures the sandwiches have?

Regardless, I loved this Hot Honey Sauce in any form. In the sandwich department, it shined brightest slathered on the Sausage Egg Biscuit. That said, the Hot Honey Sauce is best enjoyed straight from the dip cup and soaked all over a McNugget of fries. It's a memorable sauce that your mouth won't physically forget, as you'll walk out of McDonald's with a sweetened-hot breath keeping you warm and cozy.

McDonald's may have been a Johnny-come-lately in the realm of hot honey, but it proved to be well worth the wait for its arrival. It's actually one of the better sauces the chain has released in the past few years. That's a big accomplishment considering there have been a lot of great ones coming and going, including the Angel Reese Bold BBQ Sauce and the Minecraft Nether Flame Sauce.