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Burger King has a history of being inspired by the menu items of their long-time adversary McDonald's. In the '90s, BK revamped their old soggy French fries with a crispier recipe that suspiciously resembled the ones at the Golden Arches. It was also during that decade that BK blatantly ripped off McDonald's Big Mac with the introduction of the short-lived Big King -- a hamburger that also contained two all-beef patties, a special sauce-like Thousand Island dressing, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun. Now, with the introduction of their new Chicken Tenders, it seems that BK is at it again -- this time looking to the McNugget for inspiration, and attempting to do more than just drop the "Mc." Here's how they rate:
The Claims: BK's new Chicken Tenders are "tender," "crispy," and contain "white meat." They come in servings of four (190 calories), eight (380 calories), or twenty (950 calories). If you do the math, you'll find that each piece is 47.5 calories, but that adds up when you dip it in any of the six sauces: Zesty, Honey Mustard, Ranch, Buffalo, Barbecue, or Sweet & Sour.
The Price:$1.00 for four; $1.99 for eight; $4.99 for 20. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)
The Verdict: C. Gone away are the crown-shaped chicken pieces of the past; at a glance, these new Chicken Tenders look just like McNuggets (albeit a tad smaller) -- they have the same colored batter and even come in peculiar shapes like the ones at Mickey D's. The batter is crispy and starchy, like the McNuggets', with little to no herbs or spices to be tasted other than salt and a little pepper. The inside texture is just like the McDonald's counterpart: white meat that is ground, pressed, processed, and formed into nuggets. The taste is also similar, but not exactly the same. If it was BK's intention to simulate their rivals' chicken offering, they've missed the mark; what they have is drier and leaner-tasting, as opposed to the slightly fattier and softer texture found at the Golden Arches. (When I'm in the mood to order processed fast food chicken nuggets, I already know what I'm getting into, and prefer the latter.)
Perhaps these new Chicken Tenders have a flat taste by themselves because they are merely vehicles for the six dipping sauces available. However, those are nothing to rave about either: The light orange Zesty sauce is generically tangy; the Honey Mustard tastes like no-frills honey mustard; the Ranch merely maintains its status quo; the Buffalo is slightly spicy, but still sort of flat; the Barbecue has that sweet, factory-engineered smoky flavor; and the Sweet & Sour tastes like the kind you might get at a generic Chinese take-out place. Each sauce inherently enhances the chicken a tad, but that isn't saying much when you don't have something exciting to begin with. If this was BK's attempt to best Chicken McNuggets, like they tried to do with French fries, I'd advise them to try again -- or just stick with their signature items and improve upon them, instead of trying to emulate their rivals' food.
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3-30-2011 @12:41AM Wanda said... (was recently bought by)
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3-30-2011 @12:55AM D said... BK needs to bring back the veal parm sandwich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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3-30-2011 @12:59AM Danny2341 said... If you want good chicken got to KFC!!
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3-30-2011 @1:09AM Rick said... Way to Go Randy.."I want it to LOOK like the Picture". Sometimes if you go into Carl's Jr. (aka Hardee's) and you take one item off of the original (no pickles), it comes out looking like they took apart a pre-made burger, took off the pickle (rolled it BACK UP in the original wrapper..and HERE YA GO! yeahhhhh right..JUST LIKE THE PICTURE .I would not go to any of these places after 6pm..its all down hill from there. Fresh is Best For Chicken El Pollo..and no nuggest to be seen..Jack in the Box (always FRESH since Jack and his Big Ol Head came back) and of Course FRESH..In&out (west coast).
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3-30-2011 @1:43AM Terry said... Has a 4 pack today - One word N A S T Y McDonalds has nothing to worry about, I'll be back for McNuggets>
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3-30-2011 @4:03AM KittyBelle said... Digi -- keep in mind that while YOU may have had those specific nuggets at your BK for multiple years, it's possible that your area might be a test market for items. Things that you get there might not make it nationwide for months or even years (as in this case). I live in Dayton, OH, and we are a major test market in this region. Ever hear of McDonalds making and delivering pizza? How about loaded fries from Taco Bell (made like a Nachos Supreme, but with fries instead of chips... also available in chili cheese version)? Those are two of the failed tests here -- there are many more I could name as successes.
As for nuggets at a fast food place... skip McD's AND BK and head for Wendy's. Instead of the thick batter, they're done with a crunchy, light coating of something akin to cornmeal. They have a LOT more meat in them, come in both regular and spicy (and the spicy really IS spicy), and the sauces are all tasty. They very much enhance the taste of the chicken, rather than covering it up, but the truth is that the nuggets are good enough not to NEED any sauces. And the last I checked, they were still on the $.99 menu -- FIVE for a dollar, basically, rather than four.
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3-30-2011 @12:17PM Vin said... You're too nice KittyBelle - I think Digi is probably thinking about the OLD crown-shaped chicken nuggets BK had for years, and not these NEW amorphous-shaped Mc-like nuggets. Digi's just a cranky person.
3-30-2011 @4:21AM Sheila B said... Well, gee. I can see a McDonald's fan when I see one, Personally, I don't go to McDonald's unless I have to (freeway, road trip, no Burger King in sight). Burger King's products are far superior. Love the Whopper! McDonald's food is dry and tasteless, WITH the exception of the "Big n Tasty", which WAS a McD's effort to lure away Whopper lovers. But sorry, I know Whoppers, and you, Big n Tasty, are no Whopper, and a half cup of mayonnaise is not going to make you into one. In my opinion, the only food item where McD's excels is the milk shake: it's not really a milk shake, but it's delicious.
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3-30-2011 @4:08AM KittyBelle said... Oh - and if you're wondering why chicken nuggets taste strange, and what it is they use to hold them together... look up the fact that Chicken Nuggets from McDonalds share a special connection to a toy, and I'm not talking about a Happy Meal. They share similar ingredients to... *drumroll please*... Silly Putty.
Yes, really.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1291526/U-S-Chicken-McNuggets-contain-Silly-Putty-chemical-calories-fat-Britain.html
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3-30-2011 @4:36AM tony said... I used to order a fish at mac dees here in cedar rapids ia. I started getting half a slice of cheese on it. When I said i want a reg slice they said that the costumer wants it like that, according to there surveys. I proceeded to say well I want what I pay for. mc dees is nothin but a rip off.just like all the rest. beware people, we are getting ripped off bad.
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3-30-2011 @9:02AM Robert G. Varney said... Being single and at times too lazy to make a home cooked meal will frequent various fast food establishments. I, like everyone else, have their own taste and texture preferences. I know you are thinking, if this guy eats this junk food he can't really have too high of standard of what he eats. I openly admit you are probably correct.
Now to the MEAT of this topic. I do go to both McD's and B.K., usually which ever one happens to be in my area of travel that day. Both of these places have bad chicken nuggets. I do not like any food that has been ground up and made to look like it was supposed to be in the first place. If I feel like real chicken pieces I will go to K.F.C. Their pieces are unprocessed whole filets of chicken. Of course it will cost more but naturally you get what you pay for. I am not glorifying K.F.C., other fast food chains make things that they sell better than they do also.
In viewing the topic and resonds I was surprised that many food preferences were like mine. The same as me many don't like a spicey taste to their food and many would rather have a little more fat content to increase the flavor factor. I just like B.K.'s flame cooked burgers. When they announced their new agus burger I thought great, a nice lean burger. It is good but I was very disappointed because to me it was very dry and low on flavor. Sometimes better is not better. Thank you for letting me share my opinions with you. If yours is different it doesn',t make yours wrong, Just different from mine. BOB. '
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3-31-2011 @8:04AM MaReeder said... I loved their old chicken tenders, these new ones do remind me of Mickey D's which I never liked...it stinks because there was no reason to change them in the first place!
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3-30-2011 @8:18AM Trisha said... This writer must work for McDonald's because he is comparing apples to apples, but bashing one and praising the other. They are both gross and over processed and the sauce review is ridiculous! That was the part that made me realize he had it in for BK and nothing they do is going to please this a$$. He should stick to Micky D's since he obviously likes it so much.
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3-30-2011 @8:22AM Trisha said... And a lot of these people are right in saying that if you want REAL chicken go to Chick-Fil-A , KFC or even Arbey's (sp?) has a good chicken tender. Real hunks of meat but any way you look at it, it's all bad for you.
3-30-2011 @8:53AM Ms. QB said... I went to BK for a quick Whopper and stumbled onto their nuggets. I usually go to Wendys for the 5 for $1 spicy nuggets (which are pretty good but no comparison to Chick Fila). I chose the BK Nuggets with the zesty sauce. I must say not bad at all. There are definite similiarities from Mickey D's, however its was fluffy and pretty good. Hey we all know that none of this stuff is good for you. For a quick Friday meal for my daughters I would buy them again. Great cost!!!
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3-30-2011 @9:40AM Michelle said... It's a blog people....opinions welcome. Those of you that respond without respect are immature. Sorry but the web is a place for voicing opinions and checking out reviews on places, people, things.... I hate Bk anyway all fast food sucks but Bk doesn't float my boat..and it is new (the new nuggets) in NY state for sure!
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3-30-2011 @9:40AM Michelle said... It's a blog people....opinions welcome. Those of you that respond without respect are immature. Sorry but the web is a place for voicing opinions and checking out reviews on places, people, things.... I hate Bk anyway all fast food sucks but Bk doesn't float my boat..and it is new (the new nuggets) in NY state for sure!
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3-30-2011 @10:25AM JimDaddyBlueEyeCosmos said... In my honest opinion eye think Burger King has robbed McDonalds for years.Not only were the BK stocks bought out by the communist Chinese at 54% of the holdings, the Mexican drug cartels bought the rest of the 46% stocks.Personally eye knew something was very wrong when my former fav fast food chain started airing commercials of The Burger King Mascot burglarizing houses and properties. Signed The FlameThrower
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3-30-2011 @10:06AM Melore said... I tried them this past weekend without knowing they were new. They taste like the tenders BK had on their dollar (or 99 cent menu-not sure). I am disappointed to read that this is now there new tender. They are disgusting and very similar to McD's. I use to go to BK for their tenders over McD's, but won't be doing that anymore.
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3-30-2011 @11:03AM L.Wuest said... Haven't tried BK nuggts, but even if thy were same as McDonald's, that would still not entice me. Talk about seeting the bar too low. Right now I think the best are from Chick Filet- tender,lightly breaded, not processed or shaped. They beat any others out there.
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