McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce
McDonald’s short-lived Szechuan Sauce promotion from 1998 became part of a nihilistic joke in an episode of the popular adult cartoon “Rick and Morty.” Completely missing the joke, McDonald’s brought the sauce back for a special tie-in promotion. The fast-food chain’s big mistake was underestimating demand. Their store soon were filled with thousands of angry fans (who had also missed the joke). The “Rick and Morty” fans were not above climbing on tables, shouting incoherently and occasionally resorting to physical violence to get their unwashed hands on mass-produced packets of Szechuan-style corporate corn syrup.