McDonald's' Szechuan sauce draws $15,350 bid on eBay

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If you are a fan of the US adult animated sci-fi series, Rick and Morty, then you might be craving the McDonald's' discontinued Szechuan dipping sauce. The sitcom reminded everyone of the dip, and how it's no longer on the market for years, in an episode aired in early April. Since then the Internet has been obsessed with it, with some going to great lengths to get a taste of the sauce.

The condiment was added to the menu of the fast-food chain for a limited time in 1998 to promote Disney’s Mulan film.

In mid-April, one (probably long expired) McNuggets dip was sold on eBay for 14,700 US dollars, according to Time Magazine. The man who sold the condiment packet said he found it while cleaning out an old car he had just bought.

"After watching the recent episode of Rick and Morty, I went online to see if it was worth anything. Turns out it was. Also this comes with a packet of wasabi as well," read the man's listing.

The episode inspired a Change.org petition to bring back the sauce, which garnered more than 35,000 signatures.

McDonald's said they are not ruling out the option to bring the dip back, and went all-out in their efforts, concocting a new batch of the sauce and giving four bottles to the sitcom's co-creator Justin Roiland and three lucky fans late last month.

The picture of a bottle of McDonald's' Szechuan dipping sauce posted by Robert Workman on eBay.

One of them, writer Robert Workman, decided he'd rather pass his bottle on to someone else, rather than just chug it, so he put it up for auction on eBay. It attracted plenty of attention and eventually sold for 15,350 US dollars on Thursday.

Screenshot of the sauce's listing on eBay

Another giveaway winner has also decided to sell a half-empty bottle of Szechuan sauce on eBay in the hope of cashing in on the hype.

But Workman said on Sunday that the winning bidder had disappeared and failed to follow through with the purchase.

On YouTube, he said he planned to use the funds raised to “do a lot of good” for charity, but “unfortunately ... the head buyer welshed.”

“He did not want the sauce, he did not contact me in any way ... we have not heard back and there’s a possibility we may not hear back."

This is probably a good sign that the current obsession is dissipating and the craze is hitting the end of its shelf life.