years of watching rivals ride the spicy-sweet wave, McDonald’s has finally entered the hot honey space, rolling out a limited-time Hot Honey Menu across the United States. The launch taps into a global flavour trend that has steadily grown from niche pizza topping to mainstream fast-food favourite.

A late but confident entry

Hot honey first gained popularity in the mid-2000s before becoming a go-to condiment by the 2020s. Fast-food chains such as Shake Shack, Wendy’s and KFC embraced the trend early. McDonald’s, though late to the party, appears to have arrived prepared with a focused menu built around its popular chicken and breakfast offerings.

What’s on the hot honey menu

The new range features one breakfast item and three all-day options. The Hot Honey Sausage Egg Biscuit combines pork sausage and folded egg with a drizzle of the new sauce. For later hours, customers can choose from the Hot Honey McCrispy, Bacon Hot Honey McCrispy, and the Hot Honey Snack Wrap. The sauce is also available separately as a dipping cup, allowing customers to pair it with fries or McNuggets.

Sweet first, heat later

McDonald’s describes the sauce as spicy, peppery and tangy. Taste reviews suggest it opens with sweetness before delivering a noticeable but manageable heat. While the sauce shines most as a standalone dip, it adds depth to sandwiches, especially the breakfast biscuit, where fewer ingredients allow the flavour to stand out.

Worth the wait?

Though not the first mover, McDonald’s hot honey offering has been widely received as one of the chain’s stronger recent sauce launches. It balances familiarity with trend-driven innovation, proving that even a late entry can succeed when executed thoughtfully.