The Popular McDonald's Menu Item That's Too Bizarre For Andrew Zimmern

There has always been an interesting relationship between McDonald's and celebrity chefs. While Gordon Ramsay avoids McDonald's at all costs (and Alton Brown has sworn off nearly every fast food restaurant — including McDonald's), Andrew Zimmern has a far less visceral feeling on the chain than his contemporaries. But even in light of his openness to the chain, Zimmern has never tried McDonald's Chicken McNuggets despite the item's prevalence on the fast food juggernaut's menu.

He admitted to this peculiar factoid during an interview with Tasting Table, saying quite simply, "I've never eaten a chicken McNugget. I'm scared." This was likely simultaneously shocking and understandable for longtime fans of the chef, whose lifelong love of chicken clashed with his relative lack of fast food experience. Even so, Zimmern's fear of chicken McNuggets hasn't led him to write them off completely. "I've seen them, and I've broken one open," Zimmern explained, later adding that he intends to give one a try in the future — if he can build up the courage.

As part of his Tasting Table interview, Andrew Zimmern noted that his most recent fast food obsessions have been the Wendy's Frosty — which he was shocked to learn was absolutely delicious — and Raising Cane's, a chicken shop that's right up the celebrity chef's alley. However, when it comes to McDonald's, Zimmern has occasionally sampled the massive chain's offerings and has had varying opinions on each item he tasted. Zimmern once found himself in an airport trying out the Steak, Egg, and Cheese Bagel from McDonald's, which returned to the menu in 2024 after four years of discontinuation. During the taste test — which he conducted on video and uploaded to Instagram — Zimmern was surprised to discover that he loved the sandwich, calling it "probably the best breakfast sandwich available at the airport" after just one bite.

Beyond that, a menu item that wasn't quite bizarre enough for Zimmern to avoid was the McRib, a seasonal dish that left a lot to be desired when compared to McDonald's premium-priced breakfast sandwich. After Zimmern tried the McRib for the first time in 2023, the chef opined that it was both cheap and unpleasant, giving up on it completely before taking a second bite. Suffice it to say, McNuggets don't have too high of a bar to clear to avoid being Zimmern's least favorite McDonald's item.

Static Media owns and operates both Tasting Table and The Takeout.