11 Fast-Food Chicken Nuggets Ranked From Worst to Best by Taste

Whether you love them for the dips they come with or the bite-size convenience with which to enjoy them, chicken nuggets have appeared on nearly every fast food chain's menu at one point in time. Chains may duke it out to see which has the best hamburger or French fries, but the sleeper hit can often be the nuggets when prepared well, especially when paired with a great dipping sauce.

Have you ever wondered which fast food chain has the best nuggets? With the internet being…well, the internet, customers don't hold back in sharing their opinions. Based on taste, this is the latest roundup of fast food chicken nuggets that make the largest lasting impression. We start with the worst to the number one very best.

Burger King

At the bottom of the roundup is Burger King. This does not take into account Burger King's Chicken Fries – just the chain's regular Chicken Nuggets. Across the board, Burger King's nuggets are considered at the bottom of most customers' lists when considering taste, as one explained on Reddit. They shared, "When they did the 10 for $1 [offer] months ago, I gave in. The WORST nuggets ever. Actual consistency of a sponge."

Another Redditor recalled an earlier time when the Burger King chicken nuggets were their go-to cheap meal. "Ashamed to admit how many BK nuggets I ate as a broke student," they said. "They were never good, so I drowned them in the honey mustard, which was decent."

Sonic Drive-In

In the mood for chicken nuggets on your next Sonic Drive-In run? Order the Premium Chicken Bites, which can come with one of several dipping sauces ranging from Jalapeño Ranch to Asian Style Sweet Chili Sauce.

While the sauces might tempt some customers, others are less than impressed. One individual shared that they avoid the Chicken Bites at Sonic, saying, "I stopped eating the chicken at Sonic; the texture of the chewy pieces makes me gag." In general, the current iteration of the Chicken Bites seems less impressive than its predecessor, as one Redditor explains: "It seems like [one quarter] of the pieces have [a] chewy piece every order…I don't remember having this issue with the last product."

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Carl's Jr.

Carl's Jr. may receive some brownie points for having the creativity to have chicken nuggets in the shape of stars – aptly named Chicken Stars – but customers are not all that impressed past that point. Public sentiment seems to imply the Chicken Stars are liked well enough, but not enough to wow consumers to the point of them reaching a higher spot in this ranking.

For the most part, folks seemed the most interested in Chicken Stars when talking about their go-to fast food order as a child: "Always got these as a kid," one Redditor shares. Much like Dinosaurs, cutting chicken nuggets into specific shapes is a sure-fire way to get kids to eat their protein.

KFC

Among the many wings and drumsticks you can enjoy at KFC, chicken nuggets are also on the menu. And if you are a fan of KFC's chicken, their chicken nuggets are likely right up your alley. As one fan explains on Reddit, the nuggets "are good. If you like the flavor of KFC, these are just little nuggets of that." Not everyone was as impressed, lamenting the chicken nugget's existence instead of other menu items. One customer shared, "I tried them. They were ok. But not a good replacement for popcorn chicken, imo." Nowadays, to find the chicken nuggets, you have to order off the kids' menu, or try one of KFC's saucy nuggets.

Whataburger

While Whataburger's claim to fame is a delicious burger that makes customers exclaim, "What a burger!" the chain also sells its version of chicken nuggets called Whatachick'n Bites. The bites come with a side of gravy for no extra cost, or you can dip them in your choice of Honey BBQ, Creamy Pepper, or Honey Butter sauce.

One customer shared how they felt the Whatachick'n Bites were better than Chick-fil-A's nuggets when they first tried them, adding, "I hope they keep them on the menu permanently!" Another customer agreed, saying, "They are pretty good, I would love for them to be added to the menu permanently."

Jack in the Box

Regarding the chicken nuggets from Jack in the Box, consumers seem split. These nuggets are far from the worst, but they clearly aren't everyone's favorite, either. Some customers quickly throw in their own mini-ranking of the nuggets, like one Redditor did by saying, "Wendy's nuggets are better than Jack's."

One fan of the chicken nuggets stated, "I don't know what Jack In The Box does (I'm sure it's an unhealthy cooking process) but those things come out hot, crispy, and juicy. I know there's better fast food nuggets, but I'm JUST talking about the overhyped McDonald's and underrated Jack."

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Shake Shack

Don't let its name fool you: Shake Shack's menu is filled with tasty food options that pair wonderfully with its namesake milkshakes. Mostly known for juicy burgers, you can also find Chicken Nuggets on the menu, known as Chick'n Bites. When asked to share which fast food chicken nuggets were the best, one Redditor responded, "Kinda a weird answer, but Shake Shack blows every other fast food's nuggets out of the water." It is an out-of-the-box answer, considering it's not a heavily advertised menu item. Another customer thought the nuggets were fine but not enough to claim a top spot: "The chicken bites were decent but I probably would not get them again."

Cookout

If you don't live in North Carolina or the surrounding area, you may have never heard of Cookout. However, this regional fast-food chain doesn't need nationwide reach to have one of the most talked-about chicken nuggets. Its menu is also known for tasty burgers and milkshakes, but customers love the nuggets for taste and value.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

"Personally, I love their nuggets," one Redditor states. "Their nuggets and honey mustard never fail me." Another customer noted that the bargain they see when ordering the nuggets only enhances the great taste: "I always get like two five-piece nuggets, maybe a ranch or honey mustard wrap, [and the] total comes out to be like $3.75 and I'm like… how? This is the best deal in the history of food."

McDonald's

The top three in this roundup could be interchanged depending on the day, the fryer, the sauce, etc. For this ranking, McDonald's classic McNuggets land in third, with nostalgia being a significant factor in the brand's strong performance. For many fast food connoisseurs, the McNuggets were the choice protein in many a Happy Meal.

As adults, McDonald's customers still love the chicken nuggets. One Redditor says, "I can't explain it, but I've always loved their nuggets. I think it's mainly the breading, I love a thick, crunchy breading, and they nailed it." Another shared their opinion that the nuggets are one of the best menu items, adding, "I'm not a huge McDonald's but one thing I can agree on is their nuggets are G.O.A.T.ed"

Someone pointed out that customers may run into some inconsistencies, sharing, "McDonald's nuggets are actually excellent if they're hot and fresh out of the fryer (with oil that isn't old). Unfortunately, that is not often the case."

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A offers its original fried nuggets as well as a grilled variety to offer customers a lower-calorie option. Customers not only love the nuggets Chick-fil-A has to offer, but the variety of sauces as well. As one Redditor explains, "They have the best sauce. So they win two times." Another customer shared their favorite Chick-fil-A nugget hack on Reddit: "Empty a packet of Polynesian sauce and sriracha sauce into the nugget box. Give the nugget box a good shake and you have sweet and a little bit spicy nuggets."

Wendy's

Wendy's was the fast food chain that was mentioned the most when customers were asked to share their thoughts on tasty chicken nuggets. Compared to the competition, one Redditor thinks it's no contest. Regarding Wendy's, they shared, "They've always been good. I never understood how people can eat McDonald's nuggets. They're flavorless on their own." Another customer had a similar sentiment: "Since I was a kid, I've always loved Wendy's nuggets. They will always be better than McDonald's."

Wendy's also received high marks from many individuals thanks to its Saucy Nuggets and Spicy Chicken Nugget variety, providing customers with more flavor without the need to dip them in sauce.