Utah Puts Fry Sauce on Nearly Everything. Here’s Where It Came From and How to Order It

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Order fries almost anywhere in the state and you will probably be offered Utah fry sauce, a pink dip that tastes like a tangy cross between ketchup and mayonnaise. It came from a Salt Lake City restaurateur named Don Carlos Edwards, who created a burger sauce in the 1940s and started serving it with fries at his Arctic Circle drive-ins. To order it, you usually just ask for fry sauce with your fries, and many places will give it to you without asking.

According to KSL, Edwards moved to Salt Lake City in 1941 and opened Don Carlos Bar-B-Q on South Main Street. In 1950, he opened the first Arctic Circle drive-in, which became a regional chain. He made a signature sauce for his hamburgers from ketchup, mayonnaise, and other seasonings, called it “pink sauce,” and began offering it with fries after customers liked it as a dip.

Today, fry sauce is a point of pride in Utah, sold in grocery stores, served at fast-food chains, and argued over by fans of different versions. Here is the full story and how to make the most of it.

Where Utah fry sauce came from

Don Carlos Edwards was a local entrepreneur who built a small food business into a lasting brand. After opening Don Carlos Bar-B-Q in 1941, he expanded in 1950 with Arctic Circle at 135 East 900 South in Salt Lake City, a location KSL reports is still in operation. Two years later, he began selling franchises.

His “pink sauce” was originally made for hamburgers. As the story goes, Edwards accidentally dipped a fry into the sauce, liked the result, and asked friends and customers to try it. When the reaction was positive, he started offering the sauce to everyone who ordered fries. The idea spread to other restaurants, and by the late 20th century, fry sauce had become a standard condiment across Utah.

Arctic Circle still calls itself the home of fry sauce. In an Eater feature on the condiment, the chain’s chief operating officer described fry sauce as the “ultimate” dipping sauce and said it is a beloved staple of Western American comfort food. Arctic Circle’s exact recipe remains a company secret, but its basic idea has been copied, adapted, and personalized countless times.

What is in fry sauce?

At its simplest, fry sauce is ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together, often in roughly equal parts. Most restaurant versions add more flavor. Common additions include:

• Pickle juice or pickle relish.
• Garlic or garlic powder.
• Onion powder.
• Paprika or a little chili powder.
• Vinegar or lemon juice.
• A dash of Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce.

The result is creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and a little salty. The pickle element is what separates a good fry sauce from a simple ketchup-mayo mix, and many Utahns judge a restaurant’s version by its tang.

Fry sauce is similar to other condiments around the world. Puerto Rico has mayoketchup, Argentina has salsa golf, and many American burger chains serve a “special sauce” built on similar ingredients. But in Utah, fry sauce has a specific identity and a local origin story, which is why residents claim it as their own.

How to order Utah fry sauce

In Utah, ordering fry sauce is simple. At most burger joints and fast-food restaurants, you either get it automatically with fries or you ask for it at the counter or drive-thru. Here are some tips for getting the most out of it:

Ask for it, even at national chains

Many national fast-food chains in Utah offer fry sauce at their local locations, even if they do not elsewhere. If you do not see it on the menu, just ask. The answer is often yes.

Try it with more than fries

Fry sauce is not only for fries. Utahns use it with onion rings, tater tots, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and even fried zucchini. Some people put it on sandwiches or use it as a dip for fried shrimp or fish.

Compare different versions

Every restaurant has its own recipe, and some are very different from others. Some are sweeter, some tangier, some spicier. Locally owned burger joints often have their own fry sauce, and many Utahns have strong opinions about which version is best. Try a few and pick your favorite.

Get extra

Fry sauce goes fast. If you are ordering a large order of fries or sharing with friends, ask for extra sauce. Some places charge a small fee for extra cups, but it is usually worth it.

Where to try it

Arctic Circle, as the original home of fry sauce, is the most obvious place to start. The chain has dozens of locations across Utah and neighboring states. Its burgers, fries, and milkshakes are part of the state’s fast-food culture.

Beyond Arctic Circle, Utah has many local burger chains and drive-ins that serve fry sauce, from small-town diners to Salt Lake City favorites. Many grocery stores in Utah also sell bottled fry sauce from several brands, so you can take it home or stock up for a road trip.

Fry sauce beyond Utah

Fry sauce has spread far beyond Utah. Idaho has a strong fry sauce culture, especially in the southern part of the state, where it is a natural partner for Idaho potatoes. You will find it in parts of Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, often at local burger spots or regional chains.

Some national brands now sell bottled fry sauce in supermarkets across the country, though Utahns often argue that store-bought versions do not match the restaurant kind. If you live outside the Mountain West and want to try it, making your own is easy.

How to make fry sauce at home

A basic homemade fry sauce takes about two minutes. Here is a simple starting point:

• Two parts mayonnaise.
• One part ketchup.
• A splash of pickle juice or a spoonful of relish.
• A pinch each of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

Stir everything together, taste, and adjust. Add more ketchup for sweetness, more pickle juice for tang, or a little hot sauce for heat. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes so the flavors combine. It keeps for several days.

For a twist, some people add a little barbecue sauce, mustard, or chipotle. The beauty of fry sauce is that it is easy to customize.

Why fry sauce means so much in Utah

Food is part of how places define themselves, and fry sauce gives Utah a small but distinct food identity. It has a clear local origin, a founding story tied to a real Salt Lake City business, and a place in everyday life for generations of families.

Fry sauce shows up in Utah gift shops, on T-shirts, and in tourist guides. Some Utahns who move away say it is one of the things they miss most from home, along with local burger stands and scones served with honey butter at Utah restaurants, which are different from British scones and closer to fried dough.

Utah’s fast-food culture is also tied to its geography. Long drives between towns, a strong family-oriented dining culture, and a tradition of drive-ins all made burger stands a big part of daily life. Fry sauce became part of that routine.

The fry sauce rivalry with Idaho

Fry sauce has become a small point of friendly rivalry between Utah and Idaho. Idaho grows more potatoes than any other state, and many Idahoans consider fry sauce just as much theirs as Utah’s. Arctic Circle has locations in both states, which helped spread the habit across the border decades ago.

The origin story, though, points firmly to Salt Lake City. Edwards opened his restaurants there, and the first Arctic Circle was a Salt Lake City drive-in. Idaho can claim the potatoes. Utah can claim the sauce.

A quick guide for visitors

If you are visiting Utah, here is how to get the full fry sauce experience:

• Stop at an Arctic Circle to try the original version.
• Visit a local burger stand to compare its house recipe.
• Order onion rings or tots and try them with fry sauce too.
• Pick up a bottle at a grocery store to take home.
• Ask locals for their favorite spot. Everyone has an opinion.

Fry sauce etiquette, Utah style

There are no official rules, but a few habits are common among Utahns. Many people dip each fry rather than pouring sauce over the whole basket, which keeps the fries crisp. At drive-ins, it is normal to ask for a second cup of sauce for the onion rings. And on road trips across the state, a cooler with a bottle of fry sauce is not unusual for families who want their favorite brand with fries from any stop along the way.

If someone offers you their family’s homemade fry sauce, take it seriously. Recipes get handed down, and people are proud of them.

The bottom line

Utah fry sauce began as Don Carlos Edwards’ “pink sauce” for hamburgers at his Salt Lake City restaurants in the 1940s and 1950s, then became a dip for fries at Arctic Circle. Today, it is one of the state’s signature foods, easy to find at nearly any burger joint and easy to order. Just ask for fry sauce with your fries, and you will be eating like a Utahn.