The Overpriced McDonald's Menu Item That Burger King Easily Beats

Unless you are one of the lucky celebrities who has a McDonald's gold card, you probably keep a keen eye on how much your fast food orders cost these days. It's no secret that McDonald's prices have surged in recent years, which may have motivated some to look to its biggest competitor, Burger King, for cheaper food options. While its menu items may not be cheaper across the board, the cost of Burger King's chicken nuggets makes Mickey D's version seem overpriced.

Here in my neck of the woods (western Colorado), a 4-piece order of chicken nuggets is still one of those McDonald's menu items people can get for less than $5, setting you back $2.39. Burger King only charges $1.79 for the same order. That may not sound like much of a discount, but when you consider it equates to paying roughly $0.15 less for each nugget, it's nothing to sneeze at. Purchasing more shows a similar price difference. A 6-piece order from McDonald's costs the same as an 8-piece from Burger King: Two free nuggets from BK, if you want to look at it that way.

Prices vary by region, so you may find the contrast in cost to be different in your backyard. For example, someone else at The Takeout did a comparison in Flagstaff, Arizona and noticed a larger price gap; with an 8-piece order from Burger King commanding only $2.99 compared to the whopping $5.99 McDonald's demands for a 6-piece in that area –- quite the markup considering you're getting less food. The real question is, is paying more worth it?

While there's no question folks get more bang for their buck ordering chicken nuggets at Burger King compared to McDonald's, it's worth considering that price is only relative to value. Wagyu beef costs more than a traditional steak because of its remarkable quality, and there may likewise be a reason why McDonald's charges a premium for its chicken nuggets compared to BK. A quick review of the ingredients in each product reveals a striking similarity, leaving the decision of which is better to people who have tried both.

According to Redditors across several subreddit threads, the debate over which chicken nugget reigns supreme seems to be deadlocked. Each subreddit showcased the obligatory trash talk between Team McDonald's and Team Burger King, with one BK supporter saying, "McDonald's nuggets in particular smell like farts to me." Not to be outdone, a McDonald's fan chimed in with, "Burger King doesn't even cook them all the way." Overall, the votes for each were close enough to a 50/50 split to call it a tie.

Several folks weren't beholden to either fast food chain. Multiple comments shared the views of one person who said, "Neither. Nuggets from Wendy's are superior to both." I compared its prices with the other two chains and found Wendy's pricing to be ... odd, at least where I live. A 4-piece is more expensive than even McDonald's by $0.20, but a 6-piece costs $0.30 less than at the Golden Arches. Still, if it's the best nugget you're looking for as opposed to the most for your money, many Redditors appear to believe that Wendy's is worth a visit.