# What's the deal with the new Chicken McNuggets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087 "2003-12-20T01:24:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/1 "2003-12-20T01:24:19Z")
They’ve got the commercials…the billboards at every restaurant…all proclaiming the new white meat nuggets. I’ve been a long time consumer of the McDonald’s McNuggets and they’ve been pretty darned white everytime I’ve had them! So anyway, whats so special about these new “white meat McNuggets?” ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/2 "2003-12-20T01:32:49Z")
They’re not made from real chickens, but from clones. 😉 No, the old ones were made from formed, mixed chicken meat. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/3 "2003-12-20T02:12:52Z")
The ones I have had don’t look nor taste like white meat. To me they taste like compressed chicken. The kind you find in a chicken or turkey roll. Now maybe they are white meat, but they didn’t taste like it. Perhaps it has to do with the popcorn chicken by KFC, that is by far the best “nugget or strip” type of chicken I’ve tasted. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/4 "2003-12-20T02:26:27Z")
My beef is not whether or not they really or white meat, or even the quality of the meat they use - rather, its with how the new recipe is any different than the old one. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/5 "2003-12-20T02:28:30Z")
It is still CHICKEN! * * * “Beware of the Cog” ---
**Author:** ![kspharm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@kspharm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kspharm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/6 "2003-12-20T03:09:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Now maybe they are white meat, but they didn’t taste like it. Perhaps it has to do with the popcorn chicken by KFC, that is by far the best “nugget or strip” type of chicken I’ve tasted. \*\* Get thee to a Chik-Fil-A. Their nuggets are heavenly, not even fit to be in the same sentence as KFC’s. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/7 "2003-12-20T04:26:39Z")
Just to chime in, Chik fil a takes the cake on best nuggets period… problem is, locations are not as plentiful and of course, we all know about sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/8 "2003-12-20T04:44:31Z")
Ahhh, Chick-Fil-A. One on-campus and one across the street. “I’ll have a 12 piece nuggets, large waffle fries, and a large Coke.” Little slice of Heaven? $7. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/9 "2003-12-20T04:45:43Z")
The old nuggets weren’t made of all white meat. They also had some dark meat in them, and you’d occasionally hit a bad one with a patch of gristle in it. The new ones are ALL white meat. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/10 "2003-12-20T04:48:12Z")
What’s the deal with white meat anyway? I appreciate white meat and all, but dark meat tastes more like chicken than white meat. Most white meat is fairly flavorless. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/11 "2003-12-20T04:49:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kspharm \* > \*\*Get thee to a Chik-Fil-A. Their nuggets are heavenly, not even fit to be in the same sentence as KFC’s. \*\* Better’n Popeye’s? ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/12 "2003-12-20T05:09:27Z")
yes, much better. Chik-fil-a is the best chicken out there. I always call it jesus chicken, because it’s run by a bunch of christian fundamentalists. If you go into a chik-fil-a and look closely, you’ll often see bible quotes and wierd jesus shit hidden throughout the store. That being said, i do love their food. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/13 "2003-12-20T05:20:59Z")
My understanding is that the new Chicken McNuggets contain no raccoon. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/14 "2003-12-20T05:23:08Z")
If they’re going to change things, change BROCCOLI!! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/15 "2003-12-20T06:06:02Z")
ding ding ding! **SuperLorie** wins! ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/16 "2003-12-20T07:20:51Z")
I must mention… I have noticed absolutely no difference between the new and old nuggets. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/17 "2003-12-20T08:05:19Z")
Hey, I _like_ broccoli. And I do notice a small change in the new McNuggets’ taste – they seem slightly lighter and a little more aromatic than the old ones. Of course, it’s probably all artificial flavoring anyway (go read **Fast Food Nation** now!), so it could be cat meat for all we know… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-new-chicken-mcnuggets/220087/18 "2003-12-20T15:54:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*And I do notice a small change in the new McNuggets’ taste – they seem slightly lighter and a little more aromatic than the old ones. Of course, it’s probably all artificial flavoring anyway (go read **Fast Food Nation** now!), so it could be cat meat for all we know… 😉 \*\* It’s been a while since I read **Fast Food Nation** , but I seem to remember there was actually a section on McNuggets. I’m pretty sure it talked about how the meat for the chicken was mechanically scraped from the bone – that is, after the good, yummy chicken meat was taken off the body, the bones are sent through a special processing machine that scrapes every last bit of possible usable meat off of it. And with that meat, a McNugget is born! Maybe the new McNuggets use the better, pre-scrapings meat? I haven’t tried the new ones yet, so I can’t comment on the taste. The fact that I still eat at fast food restaurants as often as I do (which, to be fair, never was all that often) after reading **Fast Food Nation** says something about me, I’m sure. I’m not sure what, but something.