Brits just realising why McDonald's McNuggets come in four different shapes

Have you ever noticed that McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets come in distinctive shapes?

Maybe you haven’t, perhaps you’re too busy shovelling them into your gob to take note of what shape they’re in - but it turns out that they are in fact one of four specific shapes, and for a very good reason.

The classic McNuggets, which have been a firm favourite with diners since their inception, come in a box of six, nine or a larger 20-piece share box size, for those who like to share or are feeling particularly hungry. No judgement here.

Now, the aficionados of the Golden Arches among you may have spotted that each one is a specially designed shape: a Bell, a Ball, a Bone or a Boot.

The nuggets get their name due to the resemblance of the items they’re named after - so the Ball is circular, the Bell is bell-shaped and the Boot is… well you get the idea, yeah?

McDonald’s

According to McDonald’s the nuggets are shaped as they are to make them ‘more fun’ for dipping in your sauce of choice (sweet curry, obviously) and for quality control purposes.

In a since-removed Q&A section on the McDonald’s Canada website, the company explained: "Our Chicken McNuggets are shaped uniquely for kids and kids at heart - it makes dipping more fun.

"The four shapes we make Chicken McNuggets in was the perfect equilibrium of dipability and fun.

"Three would've been too few, five would've been wacky. We also make them similar in size to ensure consistent cooking times for food safety."

LADbible has reached out to McDonald’s for comment.

McDonald’s

Surprisingly, it turns out that when it comes to the shape of a McNugget, folks do have a firm favourite.

A 2019 study by YouGov asked Brits which was their favourite shape and the Boot was a clear winner on 33 percent.

In second place was the Bone on 22 percent, the Bell on 13 percent and the Ball in dead last with just seven percent of Maccies fans saying that this was their favourite of the four.

There was also a bit of gender divide with women more likely to have a favourite than fellas in general - 83 percent to 72 percent. Women also preferred the Bell and Boot more than their male counterparts and were four percent less likely to choose the Ball.

Who knew there was so much division, eh?

Topics: Food And Drink, McDonalds

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]