What McDonald’s product name was shortened to the brand name “McNuggets”?

The full product name behind the shortened brand name “McNuggets” is Chicken McNuggets.

McDonald’s introduced Chicken McNuggets nationally in the United States in 1983. The bite-sized, breaded chicken pieces gave the company a major poultry product that could be marketed separately from its hamburger-centered identity. The compact name “McNuggets” quickly became common in advertising and everyday speech.

The product is sometimes confused with the McChicken, which is a chicken sandwich, or with later chicken products such as Chicken Selects. Those items use different formats and names. “McNuggets” specifically refers to the small, breaded chicken pieces served in portions.

The product also strengthened McDonald’s use of the “Mc” naming pattern. That branding device appeared in many menu names, but Chicken McNuggets became one of its most globally recognizable examples. Its launch expanded the visual and verbal range of McDonald’s menu branding beyond burgers and fries.