What product name did McDonald’s use for its chicken nuggets when they launched nationally in 1983?

McDonald’s called its nationally launched chicken nuggets Chicken McNuggets.

McDonald’s introduced Chicken McNuggets nationally in the United States in 1983. The bite-sized, breaded chicken pieces were designed as a convenient finger food and became one of the company’s most recognizable branded menu items.

The product had been tested before the national rollout. Its name followed McDonald’s established naming style, using “Mc” to connect the item directly to the parent brand. That naming helped turn a generic food category into a distinctive McDonald’s product.

Chicken McNuggets are sometimes confused with the McChicken, which is a separate sandwich. They are also different from later menu items such as Chicken Selects. The McNuggets name refers specifically to the shaped, breaded chicken pieces sold in boxes or meal combinations.