After months of absence from the menu, the beloved Spicy Chicken McNuggets are officially returning to McDonald’s. However, this highly anticipated return comes with a catch. Here’s everything you need to know about the much-awaited comeback of the Spicy Chicken McNuggets.
When Are the Spicy Chicken McNuggets Coming Back?
McDonald’s confirmed to the New York Post that the Spicy Chicken McNuggets will be returning to the fast-food giant’s menu for a limited time starting Monday, November 4th. Just like its previous runs, the nuggets will come in four size options: six, 10, 20, and 40 pieces.
Sadly, the catch of this comeback is that the nuggets will only be available at select locations across the United States. In an Instagram post of food blogger @markie_devo, who broke the news of Spicy Chicken McNuggets’ return, it was revealed that the returning menu item will be back in local markets including Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New York, and more.
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Commenters under the post were quick to complain that they wouldn’t be able to get the Spicy Chicken Nuggets at their own local McDonald’s. The blogger, however, noted that McDonald’s hasn’t specified the full list of rollout locations, so there’s still hope.
“I WAS SO EXCITED AND WONT BE IN MY AREA,” a disappointed fan wrote.
While the fans are glad over the return of the Spicy Chicken McNuggets, many of them believe these bite-size offerings deserve more than a limited run.
“They need to leave these on the menu,” wrote one person who wants the Spicy Chicken McNuggets to become a permanent offering.
“These should be permanent… they were amazing” shared another Instagram user.
“Wish they’d bring it back for good. They are the best spicy nugs on the market. The first time they dropped them they also released a mighty sauce and it was absolutely delicious. Tasted so good on nugs and the McChicken. Bring them both back permanently,” commented another fan, referring to McDonald’s Mighty Hot Sauce that was paired with the Spicy Chicken McNuggets when it launched in the U.S. back in 2020.
“KEEP THESE PERMANENTLY, these with their ranch is euphoric,” another fan commented.
For the uninitiated, the Spicy Chicken McNuggets have the same white-meat chicken found in the original but are breaded in a tempura coating made with cayenne and chili pepper, bringing an extra kick of heat.
When Were the Spicy Chicken McNuggets First Introduced to the U.S.?
The Spicy Chicken McNuggets were first offered in the United States in September 2020. “This is the first time we’ve introduced a new flavor of our classic Chicken McNuggets in the U.S. since they came to menus in 1983,” Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice president of menu innovation, said in a blog post announcing the then-new item at the time. “As our customers have been asking for Spicy McNuggets for some time now, we couldn’t think of a better time to bring them to our menus. We can’t wait for McNuggets fans to get a taste of these new spicy options.”
Since their launch in 2020, the Spicy Chicken McNuggets have made several limited-time returns, including previous appearances in February 2021 and April 2022. The last time the Spicy Chicken McNuggets became available in the U.S. was in April 2023.