7 Signature Sauces to use on your next Burger Innovation - Food Service (2024)

We’ve surveyed consumers on their ingredient and flavor preferences then broke down the insights by key consumer demographics and ingredient types. In this article we’re focusing on consumers preferences for burger sauces as well as provide new burger sauce ideas for your next innovation.

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When looking at what components of a burger were the most important to consumers ‘Sauces’ came in as the third most important ingredient, above ‘Proteins’, ‘Produce Add-Ons’, and ‘Other Add-Ons’. Only ‘Bread’ and ‘Cheese’ were more important components of a burger for Total U.S. respondents.

Next, we considered what ‘Sauces’ were most preferred on their burgers and 60.8% of total respondents preferred a ‘Signature Sauce’ on their burger just behind ‘Mayonnaise’ at 62.1% meaning there could be a opportunity to explore new burger sauce options on burger builds.

Top Preferences – Total U.S. Respondents

Tried & loved and haven’t tried but would be very interested in.

1. Ketchup (65.9%)
2. BBQ Sauce (62.2%)
3. Mayonnaise (62.1%)
4. Signature Burger Sauce (60.8%)
5. Steak Sauce (54.9%)
6. Yellow Mustard (54.3%)
7. Spicy Sauce (54.2%)
8. Spicy Mustard (Dijon, Hot & Spicy) 53.5%
9. Honey Mustard (49.6%)
10. Ranch (45.8%)
11. Salsa (45.7%)
12. Aioli (43.7%)
13. Thousand Island (43.7%)
14. Sriracha (39.6%)

Both female and male respondents preferred ‘Signature Burger Sauce’ within their top four choices and females preferred it as their second most preferred sauce (62%) only behind ‘Ketchup’ (65.3%) and males preferred only slightly less at (59.6%).

There is a significant opportunity for restaurants to easily innovate their burgers by keying on the sauces they are offering on their menus. Below are seven burger sauce ideas to inspire your next burger innovation.