Menu innovation never stops, but at times of rising costs and diminished labor, finding relatively easy ways to create menu news is especially appealing.

It’s operationally straightforward to swap one sauce for another, but quite impactful in terms of flavor.

Sweet-and-spicy was certainly the flavor combination of last year, and Arby’s, Qdoba, Buffalo Wild Wings, Genghis Grill, Red Lobster, Chester’s Chicken, and Bonchon all added sauces in that category. Twin Peaks added a hot sauce that’s so spicy its name requires an asterisk, while other chains augmented what they already had, such as The Halal Guys and Naf Naf Grill.

McDonald’s, while busily upgrading its burgers, also decided to make its beloved Big Mac sauce available for any menu item.

Dunkin’ found that the Butter Pecan Swirl which was a seasonal syrup that guests could add to their coffee was so popular that they made it a permanent addition to the menu.