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Singapore. Curry-sauce lovers are up in arms over the unavailability of the dip at McDonald's outlets.

The fast-food chain started facing a shortage of the sauce - which is exclusive to Singapore - two weeks ago, but most outlets ran out only over the past weekend. The shortage led to fans going online to air their grievances.

Most hoped their favorite dip would make a return, and others called for a boycott of the fast-food chain. One consumer even started a petition on Facebook.

Complaints started appearing on the McDonald's Singapore Facebook page last Wednesday. Hundreds more poured in over the weekend.

News of the shortage also spread on Twitter, local forum HardwareZone.com, and citizen journalism site Stomp.

However, it looks like consumers have jumped the gun, as McDonald's says the shortage is only temporary.

Clarifying the issue in a statement to The Straits Times on Monday, communications director Linda Ming blamed 'unforeseen supply issues'.

"We know that curry sauce is a favorite among many of our customers,' she said, urging consumers to give its barbecue, sweet and sour and garlic chilli sauces a chance. 'We are doing our best to bring in stocks of curry sauce and these will arrive from the US by the end of next week. We sincerely apologize and seek your understanding and patience in this."

The chain made similar comments on its Facebook page at around noon on Monday.

McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Singapore in 1979, and now has more than 115 outlets serving more than five million customers each month.

Its curry sauce is the fast-food chain's most popular chicken nugget sauce in Singapore, and has been available for more than 20 years. Supplies come from the United States.

Some customers say they are holding out till supplies resume.

Facebook user Firdaus Humphrey said: "I won't be tucking in to my McChicken and McSpicy till the curry comes home."

"I cannot live without curry sauce!" exclaimed netizen Jorena Tan.

Consumers interviewed, however, were more subdued.

Charles Lim, 29, said he would still eat at McDonald's, curry sauce or not, but he would be "sad" without it.

"It's an essential part of every McDonald's meal for me. I use it for fries and nuggets,' said the graphic designer, who found out about the shortage when he asked for the sauce at a Tampines outlet last week. 'It makes my McDonald's meal Singaporean. It's been around since we were young."

"I am very happy it's temporary," he added.

Others such as Pyi Soe, 32, were less bothered. "I don't feel anything. If there is no curry sauce then I will just use chilli sauce instead," said the engineer from Myanmar. "Why is it such a big deal?"


Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.