Which McDonald's Nugget Size Is The Absolute Best Value?

Food chains are constantly offering value offers and deals, but this still doesn't counter just how expensive fast food has gotten lately. McDonald's Big Mac Meal can easily come in at over $15 in some places in the United States, and rising prices across the menu risk alienating customers in the highly competitive fast food market. The fast food giant, therefore, continues to introduce a variety of discounts and value meal options to keep its wallet-friendly image. For fans of the iconic McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, there's nothing better than the 10 nuggets for $1 deal that the chain offers once in a while. However, if you're ordering nuggets at regular pricing, which size gives the best value for your money?

With McNuggets, the largest serving usually gives you the best value for money. The actual cost per nugget (of the same size) works out to about double in a four-piece serving than it does in a 20-piece serving. Some places have a 40-nugget option, which sometimes offers even better value per nugget, but that's not a standard size and the pricing varies by location.

The smallest serving of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets comes with four pieces and costs $3.89 at the New York City location where we conducted the best value test. This puts each nugget at about 97 cents. The 20-piece serving, meanwhile, costs $10.29, so each nugget costs only about 51 cents — almost half of what you'd pay per nugget if you got the smallest serving.

The New York location also offers a 40-piece serving for $17.29, which works out to be 43 cents per nugget. That makes the 40-piece the cheapest overall. But given the 40-piece comes with a sodium warning — and not everyone ordering McDonald's is going to share it with friends — you're probably best off getting the 20-piece. Also, the 40-piece offering isn't available everywhere. Don't just order more nuggets because it'll be better value — a 40-piece McNugget is still nearly $20.

It's worth noting that city prices are higher than those in more rural areas. For example, a four-piece McNugget at a McDonald's location in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, has nuggets priced for 70 cents a piece; the 20-piece comes out to 46 cents per nugget; and the 40-piece costs 41 cents per nugget. At both locations, though, the 40-piece is still best value per nugget, with the 20-piece a close second. Some Reddit users have reported that the 40-piece nugget is more expensive than the 20-piece, so just keep in mind that this pricing isn't by any means universal.

McDonald's generally has a host of offers running, from app-only discounts to Extra Value Meals like the nine-piece Chicken McNuggets Meal. While McDonald's does appear in the top five of our definitive fast food chicken nuggets and tenders ranking, if you're willing to look at other chains, there are lots of great value options. Burger King, for example, often has some of the cheapest nuggets around. Some outlets even have a 40-piece option, which comes with fries and costs about the same as the 40-piece McNuggets.

Finally, if you plan on going the high-volume route for the best-value chicken nuggets, buying them frozen is a much better option than getting the cooked kind. Some of the best frozen chicken nuggets come very close to tasting like McNuggets, and at much lower cost. Plus, you can have them fresh when you wish, since frozen nuggets only require a quick fry or bake. If ordering from McDonald's is the most convenient option for you, however, then the 20-piece and 40-piece McNuggets offer the best value.