Is this the Krusty Krab? No, this is Wendy's: New Krabby Patty collab debuts this week

Wendy's is bringing the Krabby Patty to real life, and it hits restaurants this week.

The company announced last week it is partnering with Paramount to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "SpongeBob SquarePants" by launching the "Krabby Patty Kollab," which will feature two menu items that will be available at Wendy's restaurants for a limited time:

• Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty: A vanilla Frosty with a pineapple mango flavored puree swirl − a first-of-its-kind Frosty flavor innovation.
• Krabby Patty Kollab Burger: The restaurant's take on the famous cartoon burger features a quarter pound of beef, two slices of melty American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and a "top-secret Krabby Kollab sauce" on a toasted bun.

Both menu items will be available at Wendy's restaurants nationwide beginning Tuesday, Oct. 8, Wendy's said in the news release last week.

However, some lucky customers who visit an "immersive Wendy's drive-thru experience" in Los Angeles' Panorama City neighborhood are able to get an early taste of the new Krabby Patty starting Monday, Oct. 7.

According to the news release, "The Krabby Patty Kollab" program will bring food items inspired by the "SpongeBob SquarePants" Krabby Patty "into the real world and onto menus for the first time ever." The animated show first premiered on Nickelodeon in 1999.

What's in the 'top-secret' sauce?Wendy's keeping Krabby Patty recipe 'closely guarded'

"It makes sense that two of the most iconic squares in pop culture are teaming up to bring a taste of this unique, limited-time experience to life for fans of all ages!" said Lindsay Radkoski, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer for The Wendy’s Company, in the news release.

“‘The Krabby Patty Kollab’ marks another innovative way to continue the landmark 25th anniversary celebration of ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ bringing Bikini Bottom to the surface like never before,” said Dario Spina, CMO, Paramount Brand Studio, in the news release.

What's in 'top-secret' Krabby Patty sauce?

The announcement of the burger's ingredients led many fans to wonder, "What's in the secret sauce?"

We asked, and Wendy's answered with the following:

"Our top-secret Krabby Kollab sauce is a closely guarded recipe that makes the first bite of the Krabby Patty Kollab Burger worth the wait for 'SpongeBob SquarePants' fans and Wendy's customers alike," a Wendy's spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement Friday.

Much in the way that Mr. Krabs, the proprietor of the Krusty Krab, guards the Krabby Patty secret formula in the cartoon series, Wendy's plans to guard the sauce's recipe in real life.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].