# McDonalds Deep Fried Chicken Head **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657 "2000-12-02T00:02:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/1 "2000-12-02T00:02:08Z")
From [http://dailypress.com/news/stories/87795sy0.htm](http://dailypress.com/news/stories/87795sy0.htm) > [@](#): > > NEWPORT NEWS - Katherine Ortega was looking forward to eating a chicken dinner after a family outing Tuesday night. > > She ordered a box of fried wings from McDonald’s and was putting them on plates for her two children when she found a chicken part that definitely wasn’t a wing. > > “I noticed that it had a beak and it had eyes,” said Ortega. “I screamed.” The unusual piece turned out to be a fried chicken head. I didn’t know McDonalds _had_ wings. I thought they were processed nuggets. ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/2 "2000-12-02T00:04:32Z")
that’s what I thought too… then again, I didn;t know our MckyD’s in my town served Brats until a week ago… ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/3 "2000-12-02T00:27:47Z")
Often these fast food joints will offer specialized items in specific areas of the country. Or they might just try out a potential nationwide offering in a small area to see how it does, before introducting it everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/4 "2000-12-02T00:31:09Z")
I don’t know what to make of this, not least because I don’t have the local knowledge to know whether this newspaper is sensible or sensationalist. Hoever, it does sound odd. I am NOT the world’s greatest fan of McDonalds, but this does seem strange, if only because I imagine that the whole production process woud make it somewhat unlikely for a chicken head to appear in the conveyor belt of cute little chicken wings. “Ortega was unable to sleep Tuesday night … isn’t sure if she’ll file a lawsuit. But she said that she contacted the FDA for advice on handling the incident.” Is this really material for sueing McDonalds, or anything else? It may be, although it might be more interesting had the woman in question found meat in her ready-made vegetarian meal, or a dead mouse’s head in her chocolate bar. Basically, I suppose I say that, while I can see that she was upset, it’s a bit difficult to care very much. How sad it is to discover that edible creatures have bits that people do not want to eat. Damned untidy of them, really. Sometimes, it does seem as though McDonalds gets the customers they deserve. And I should be **most** interested to see how the case goes. I have a vague notion that McDonalds has a lot of money, and is rather litigious itself. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/5 "2000-12-02T01:04:40Z")
Call me a skeptic, but I find it hard to believe this really happened as explained. I’ll put in my .02 cents and say that this was a money making scheme pure and simple, not unlike the rat in the Pepsi can, bottle, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/6 "2000-12-02T01:08:09Z")
PETA loves this. Something about seeing that breadcrumb-covered head with comb and all, it is rather unsettling. But it chicken. If she had eaten it, it still would have been chicken (probably extra crunchy). Hey, my grandfather used to love to eat fish heads. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/7 "2000-12-02T01:17:14Z")
Twiddle: Hee! Although I sympathize with The Shock of it all, especially the rude awakening of Ms. Ortega’s children, this quote is worth note: “‘I wanted consumers to watch and know what they’re eating’, she said. Ortega said several co-workers have told her that she was correct. She’s said it’s taking her awhile to get over the ordeal.” Um, yep, you’re eating dead chickens, which usually have heads. If you’ve been sheltered from that fact, and the sudden knowledge, upon seeing what McNuggets do to the body of a bird, upsets you, perhaps a grilled cheese is just the ticket for your peace of mind. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/8 "2000-12-02T01:28:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Celyn \* > **"Ortega was unable to sleep Tuesday night … isn’t sure if she’ll file a lawsuit. But she said that she contacted the FDA for advice on handling the incident." Is this really material for sueing McDonalds, or anything else?** I’d like to think that there are still people out there that don’t see $$$lawsuit$$$ whenever something weird or upsetting happens to them. Get over it! So you found a chicken head. Pretty gross! Throw it away and get on with your life. I can see it now. Courtroom. Psychologist saying “The plaintiff has had nightmares for 2 years, lost her job, and no longer can achieve orgasm. All because of the horror that is known as ‘Chicken Head.’ Give her $3 million.” She called the FDA for advice? Hell, here’s some advice: don’t eat the chicken head. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/9 "2000-12-02T01:42:20Z")
There was actually VIDEO FOOTAGE of the perported chicken head on WAVY-TV 10 (Norfolk, Va.) Wednesday night. God I miss the big city. The “distraught” woman actually called the news room so they could come to her house and film the head. Beak? Yup. Eye sockets? Yup. A few shriveled feathers sticking out of its severed neck? Yup. Many folks thought it looked gross. I thought it looked a tad on the rare side. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/10 "2000-12-02T02:05:42Z")
Chief! Who’d a thunk you were one one of them Santeria Voodoo dudes! Deep-Fried, Sanctified, Chicken Head Lucy gots me all tongue-tied… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/11 "2000-12-02T02:43:23Z")
It didn’t look so bad to me. I don’t think I’d eat a deep-fried chicken head, but I have no problem eating salt-and-pepper shrimp (ICYDK, you eat the whole thing: head, eyes, abdomen, shell and all). ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/12 "2000-12-02T03:35:27Z")
I found it interesting that the link above also lets you vote in some poll about whether or not this changes your “thoughts” on fast food. 55% said yes. I wonder how much that really matters. A lot of people see something gross and go “Man, I’m never eating THAT again” and it lasts for all of two weeks. I don’t see this making any serious dent in McDonald’s nugget sales. People are still going to want to eat cheap, dry pressboard chicken and McDonald’s is happy to sell it to them (add thirty cents for sauces). ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/13 "2000-12-02T04:14:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*It didn’t look so bad to me. I don’t think I’d eat a deep-fried chicken head, but I have no problem eating salt-and-pepper shrimp (ICYDK, you eat the whole thing: head, eyes, abdomen, shell and all). > \*\* Mmm - salt and pepper shrimp! Seriously, I saw the video and pictures, and it looked kinda suspicious to me. Now the woman is “declining comment” according to the station’s website - maybe she got busted, who knows. I just found it hard to believe a HEAD would slip through the factory, and through the fry person at McD’s, and the person packaging the order. –tygre ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/14 "2000-12-02T04:23:22Z")
I laughed so hard when I heard about this! Kind of like that episode of Friends with the thumb in the soda bottle…it’s just _funny_!! I think sueing is going a bit too far…unless her family got a serious case of salmonella requireing more health coverage than her insurance can cover (or some other such situation), I say get rid of it, and use it to blow your co-workers away with “best story of the year” at the next office party! I mean come on! It’s a **chicken head!** LOL ---
**Author:** ![Chickenhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chickenhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenhead)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/15 "2000-12-02T06:20:51Z")
What what WHAT? Chickenhead ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/16 "2000-12-02T07:18:26Z")
When do individual McDonald’s franchises cut up and fry their own stuff? Color me suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/17 "2000-12-02T07:56:57Z")
I can see where a head could get in among the wings at a processing plant. It’s another of the many reasons not to eat animals. I just think it’s hysterical. If that were MY fried chicken head, I’d be looking for ways to preserve it (perhaps in lucite) forever, not calling lawyers to see if I could sue McDonalds. I have to make a confession here. I won’t touch the stuff myself, but I do allow my kids to eat Happy Meals, and the younger one always gets chicken nuggets. While we were waiting in line tonight (yes, tonight, and it took over 10 minutes - we assumed they were checking the orders carefully for extraneous heads), the kids and I were joking about this. I told them that if they ever did find a chicken head in their food, I would expect them not to have nightmares or be emotionally damaged. I would expect them to LAUGH. Because it’s FUNNY. And, as Mr. Legend remarked, “Really makes you think… you know, ‘brain food’…” ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/18 "2000-12-02T08:38:55Z")
I will bet a shiny dime it is an UL, or at best, a scam. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/19 "2000-12-02T20:06:48Z")
I’ve seen pictures of the supposed head, and it really only looks lightly fried–not as deeply fried as you would expect chicken wings to be. I’ve recently seen this exact story–along with the picture–attributed to a KFC. I think it’s some sort of severely twisted human interest junk story. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657/20 "2000-12-02T23:52:03Z")
I don’t know about you, but “Deep Fried Chicken Head” sounds a helluva name for a rock group. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-deep-fried-chicken-head/43657.md?page=2)