Does Chick fil A Sauce Expire? ANSWERED

If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of Chick fil A sauce.  Their chicken nuggets and sandwiches are tasty, but pairing them with the Chick fil A sauce really delivers a special treat to your taste buds.  Every time I go into Chick fil A, I always walk out with a few extra sauces.  I recently discovered that I had a pretty decent stockpile of sauces at home, which got me thinking:  does Chick fil A sauce expire?  If you have this same question and are curious whether the original Chick fil A sauce, sweet and tasty Polynesian sauce, or any of the signature sauces from Chick fil A expire, keep reading to find out. 

Table of Contents

• What is Chick fil A sauce?
• How to Tell Whether Chick fil A Sauce is Bad
• How long is Chick fil A sauce good for?
• Does Chick fil A sauce expire?
• Can I use sauce after the expiration date?
• Does Chick fil A sauce need to be refrigerated?
• What happens if you eat expired Chick fil A sauce?
• Can you get food poisoning from expired sauce?
• How many Chick fil A sauces are there?
• Do sauces cost extra at Chick fil A?
• Does Chick fil A sell their sauce?
• Does Chick fil A sauce have mayo in it?
• Is Chick fil A sauce bad for you?
• Can you eat leftover Chick fil A?
• Saving Chick fil A Sauce

What is Chick fil A sauce?

Before we get into discussing how long Chick fil A sauce is good for and whether it expires, let’s first discuss what it is.  The Chick fil A sauce is a yellow-covered dipping sauce with a few key ingredients.  These ingredients include mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, mustard, honey, and lemon juice.

Believe it or not, Chick fil A sauce was an accidental invention.  In the 1980s, franchise owner Hugh Fleming created a honey mustard dipping sauce to offer his customers with their nuggets.  One day, one of his employees accidentally added some barbeque sauce to the honey mustard dip.  Customers loved the new concoction, and it became a big hit.

In 2007, Fleming retired and gave his special recipe to Chick fil A.  Since Chick fil A started offering it at all of their locations, the popularity of this special sauce has only continued to grow.

How to Tell Whether Chick fil A Sauce is Bad

If you aren’t sure whether the Chick fil A sauce you have is still good or not, the first thing to do is open it up.  If you notice a weird or unpleasant odor or if the sauce looks a lot thicker than it normally is, then it isn’t good anymore.  If everything looks and smells normal, but you notice that the taste is off, the sauce isn’t good and should be thrown out.

If you saved an open sauce packet in the fridge for more than a few days, it is probably safest to throw it out.  Bacteria or mold can grow more quickly in open sauce packets, and it just isn’t worth the risk to use one that has been around for a while.  Especially because you can very easily get some additional sauce packets from Chick fil A if you need them.

How long is Chick fil A sauce good for?

How long do Chick fil A sauces last?  Sadly, like any other packaged foods and sauces, Chick fil A sauces won’t last forever.  Over time, the different ingredients in the sauce will begin to break down, altering the taste and/or consistency of the sauce.

There is no one set answer for the Chick fil A sauce shelf life.  However, most sauces are labeled as best before 90 days.  After these 90 days, it is unlikely that eating the sauce will be dangerous.  However, as we shared above, the ingredients will have started to break down and the sauce won’t taste as fresh as when you get it right from the store.

There are a few different things that will impact how long your sauce will actually be good for and whether it will spoil.

First, if the sauce packet is opened, it will have a much shorter shelf life.  Opened sauce must be stored in the refrigerator and is only good for a few days, compared to the multiple months that closed sauces remain good for.

Another factor that can impact how long your sauce will remain good is the storage location you choose.  While unopened sauce packets do not require refrigeration, keeping your sauce in the refrigerator or a cooler place will help it last longer than storing it near a heat source or direct sunlight.

Does Chick fil A sauce expire?

Just as you may wonder whether expired butter is really a thing, you may be wondering if Chick fil A sauce can expire.  Yes, Chick fil A sauce can expire.

As for the answer to “when does Chick fil A sauce expire,”Chick fil A sauces are said to be best within 90 days.  This means that you should try to finish off the sauces you take within about three months for them to have the freshest taste and texture.

You may also be wondering about how long other sauces from Chick fil A are good for.  Does Polynesian sauce expire?  What about ranch or BBQ sauce.  The same answer applies to all of Chick fil A sauce packets:  they are best when consumed within 90 days.

Can I use sauce after the expiration date?

Does CFA sauce expire for real?  Or, can you keep using it past the printed date?  Yes, Chick fil A sauce does expire.  Their sauces are best when used within 90 days. 

Eating a sauce just outside of this expiration date will likely be fine.  You may notice that the taste or texture are a bit off from the way the sauce tastes when fresh.

However, eating any expired food does come with the risk of food poisoning or illness.  It is best not to use a Chick fil A sauce that is expired.

Does Chick fil A sauce need to be refrigerated?

Chick fil A sauce packets that are unopened do not need to be refrigerated.  To keep the sauces fresh, it is best to store them in a cool area, such as the pantry, rather than an area where they’ll be exposed to too much heat or sunlight.

If you purchase any of the larger Chick fil A bottled sauces, they should be refrigerated after opening.  If you are saving part of an opened sauce packet, that will also need to be stored in the refrigerator.  However, keep in mind that an opened sauce packet will not stay good long, so you’ll want to try to use it up quickly.

What happens if you eat expired Chick fil A sauce?

In many cases, nothing is likely to happen if you eat expired Chick fil A sauce.  Depending on how much past the date the sauce is, it may have a slightly different taste or texture.

However, in some cases, eating expired sauce could cause you to vomit, experience stomach discomfort, or lead to diarrhea.

Can you get food poisoning from expired sauce?

While it isn’t guaranteed that you’ll get food poisoning from eating expired sauce, it is a possibility.  Expired food is more likely to have E. coli or other dangerous bacteria.  Additionally, if the sauce has spoiled, which is more likely after its expiration date has passed it may cause you to experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, or stomach cramps.  

At a minimum, smell the sauce to make sure it smells normal.  However, the best course of action is just to throw away any expired sauces and pick up some fresh ones the next time you visit Chick fil A.

How many Chick fil A sauces are there?

There are eight Chick fil A dipping sauces.  They are:

• Chick fil A Sauce
• Polynesian Sauce
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Garden Herb Ranch Sauce
• Zesty Buffalo Sauce
• Barbeque Sauce
• Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce
• Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Sauce

Additionally, Chick fil A offers seven different dressings:

• Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
• Creamy Salsa Dressing
• Light Italian Dressing
• Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
• Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing
• Garden Herb Ranch Dressing
• Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

Do sauces cost extra at Chick fil A?

When you place an order at Chick fil A, you can request the sauces you would like with your orders.  Depending on the location you visit, you may be limited in the number of sauces you can request, but overall Chick fil A is much more giving with their sauces than other fast food restaurants.

Does Chick fil A sell their sauce?

Chick fil A recently began offering their sauces for sale.  Customers can purchase 8- or 16-ounce squeeze bottles of the Chick fil A sauce, Polynesian Sauce, Garden Herb Ranch Sauce, Barbeque Sauce, and Honey Mustard Sauce.

You can purchase the 8-ounce squeeze bottles directly from your nearest Chick fil A restaurant.  The 16-ounce bottles are available through various retail stores including Target, Walmart, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, HEB, Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Safeway, and Albertson.

As an added bonus, Chick fil A even donates all the royalties from the sale of each sauce to a scholarship initiative for team members.

Does Chick fil A sauce have mayo in it?

Yes, mayonnaise is one of the key ingredients found in Chick fil A sauce.  The other ingredients that give this sauce its uniquely delicious flavor include barbeque sauce, mustard, lemon juice, and honey.

Is Chick fil A sauce bad for you?

Chick fil A sauce isn’t the healthiest option to enjoy with your chicken sandwiches, nuggets, or waffle fries.  It has relatively high levels of fat and sodium.  Each packet of sauce contains 140 calories, 13 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of sugar, and 7 carbs.

Can you eat leftover Chick fil A?

Yes, you can eat Chick fil A leftovers.  Most entrées from Chick fil A can be refrigerated for about three to four days.  If you haven’t eaten them after that time, they should be thrown out.  

If you want to enjoy your leftover Chick fil A, consider reheating it in an air fryer.  This will help crisp the delicious chicken back up to make it more closely resemble the original entrée you ordered.  To use the air fryer to heat up your Chick fil A, preheat it for a few minutes.  Then, add your food in and air fry it for 2-4 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the other side (depending on what you’re reheating).

If you don’t have an air fryer or are in a rush to warm up your Chick fil A leftovers, you can also warm them up in the microwave.  It will likely take between 40 seconds and 1 minute for your food to get hot, however the specific entrée you purchased and your microwave’s power can impact this.

Saving Chick fil A Sauce

Chick fil A sauce is so good, and if you’re like me, you’re tempted to stock up every time to grab Chick fil A or go through the drive thru.  Stocking up is fine, but you’ll just want to try to use up the sauce packets within about three months of getting them.  This will help you enjoy the freshest taste and texture with all the foods you’re eating with the sauce.  If you have a few sauces left in your fridge or pantry when you bring home a few more, just move up the older ones so you’ll use them up first.