Edge

In March 1980, McDonald’s put a new item on the menu at 15 restaurants in Knoxville. Within weeks, Chicken McNuggets made up 20% of sales at those stores.

The success looked instant, but the story behind it spans three decades. It starts in 1948 with a contest to breed a meatier chicken. Today the McNugget brings in nearly $15 billion a year in system-wide sales.

Read the full issue, with charts and archival images.

Written by Philip Svensson
Narrated by Jacob Titus

Chapters
(00:00) Winner, winner
(00:38) The Chicken of Tomorrow
(03:07) McDonald’s and Ray Kroc
(05:56) Building the blueprint
(09:18) The ground beneath the arches
(11:04) Too many chickens
(13:21) A menu built on beef
(15:05) Beyond the burger
(17:45) The McNugget SWAT team
(20:12) Everyone’s lovin’ it
(22:19) Nuggets in all weather
(24:23) From chicken to Chicken McNugget
(26:22) They’re here!
(28:41) Innovation that endures
(31:18) Still golden

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