McDonald’s enthusiasts found themselves less than thrilled with a certain onion-inspired menu item that never quite took off.

During the 1970s, the fast-food titan experimented with a peculiar offering known as ‘onion nuggets.’ These were small, battered pieces of onion designed to appeal to vegetarians. The concept, however, never gained traction.

A seemingly minor decision within McDonald’s corridors led to the demise of the onion nuggets, inadvertently paving the way for one of the company’s most lucrative creations.

Unlike the traditional onion rings served by other eateries, the nuggets’ chunky, battered form failed to win over customers, resulting in disappointing sales. Within a year, the item vanished from the menu, leaving patrons without the chance to experience a true competitor to Burger King’s onion rings.

As the story goes, a casual remark in 1979 by then-chairman Fred Turner changed the course of McDonald’s history. He suggested the company abandon the onion concept in favor of chicken.

This off-the-cuff suggestion led to the development of Chicken McNuggets, which were launched nationwide in 1983. The product quickly became one of McDonald’s most recognizable and financially successful offerings.

Since then, the fast food giant introduced dipping sauces like Tangy BBQ and Sweet ‘N Sour, as well as a limited-time spicy version of their chicken nugget.

The menu item costs around $3.99 for a 6-piece and $10.49 for a 20-piece, making it one of the cheaper options at the chain restaurant. 

McDonald’s onion nuggets where the inspiration behind the fast food chain’s Chicken McNuggets 

McDonald’s introduced the onion nugget in the 1970s, although it was a short-lived menu item

Chris Kempczinski has acted as McDonald’s CEO since 2019

But the legacy of the onion nugget isn’t lost among fast food fans. Disappointed customers took to social media, some sharing their disappointment that they’ll never try an onion nugget.

‘Bring them back,’ one Reddit user said. ‘McDonald’s should do a promotion where they bring back a bunch of old items. 

‘These, the McTasty, McBrat, the salads, fruit and yogurt parfait, snack wrap. There are so many great discontinued items.’

‘I’ll stick with my chicken rings, thank you very much,’ another said, referencing Burger King’s fan-favorite offering.

Burger King is testing out a new version of their onion rings in Canada, swapping minced onions with a prickly coating for an actual onion with a smoother, less breaded outside.

Customers shared their reactions on Reddit, with one user saying, ‘I actually like their current onion rings when they’re fresh.’

‘I like the current onion rings,’ another wrote. ‘No need fixing what isn’t broken. If I want a thick sliced onion ring where the onion pulls out of the breading on the first bite, I can go to just about any sit down restaurant.’

Others reacted to the price of the upgraded item, which rang up well over $5. Although the current onion rings vary in price based on location, a medium costs about $3. 

Burger King’s onion rings are an iconic and beloved menu item, with a medium size costing around $3

There’s no word regarding when, or if, they will make their US debut, but the chain has been slowly improving its restaurants amid growing customer complaints. That includes updating its iconic Whopper sandwich.

Although the Whopper has been a restaurant staple for decades, diners complained that the quality has slowly been on the decline. As a result, Burger King elevated the item with new packaging and more premium ingredients.

This new burger still includes freshly cut onions and tomatoes, lettuce and pickles – along with what the company describes as ‘better tasting’ mayonnaise. 

The chain also announced staff members would be required to wear AI-powered headsets that monitor how friendly employees are to customers. These headsets feature an AI voice, called Patty, that can send feedback to managers. 

For example, if Patty detects an employee hasn’t said keywords like ‘welcome’, ‘please’ or ‘thank you,’ it can flag it to their boss. 

The changes were met with massive customer approval, forcing the chain to hire 60,000 new employees to meet growing demand.