- McDonald's chicken nuggets come in four shapes: the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bow tie.
- The shapes are made by a machine that's like a rolling cookie cutter.
- The shapes of McNuggets are standardized to ensure even cooking times for food safety.
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You might have noticed that McDonald's chicken nuggets are similarly shaped each time you order them.
In fact, McNuggets come in just four shapes: the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bow tie, sometimes referred to as the bone.
According to a video released by McDonald's Canada in 2014, the process of making the nuggets starts with deboning whole chickens. The chicken-breast meat is then ground and processed through a blender, where it is also seasoned. It is then cut into four different shapes using a machine that resembles a rolling cookie cutter.
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The chicken nuggets are then covered in a light batter, a second tempura batter, lightly fried, frozen, and shipped off to restaurants where they will be fully cooked for customers.
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There's actually a logical reason why McDonald's chicken nuggets are standardized in shape
According to a previous article by Business Insider, which cited a now-unavailable Q&A posted by McDonald's, the company's chicken nuggets are a standard shape and size to ensure consistent cooking times for food safety in all McDonald's restaurants.
Since the chicken nuggets all take the exact same amount of time to cook, it's easier and faster for crew members to fill orders.
There's a less logical, but still valid, reason as to why there are specifically 4 shapes
According to the company, "Three would've been too few. Five would've been, like, wacky."
So, next time you choose to dip your McNuggets in ranch or barbecue, you'll know there's a very specific reason behind the shape of your nuggets.
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