You know that feeling when you’re starving on a road trip and pull into Chick-fil-A for a quick bite? Most people order the usual eight or twelve-piece nugget combo and call it good. But some folks have discovered something strange about the menu math that might change how you order next time. Turns out, getting thirty nuggets might actually make more sense than you’d think, and there’s a pretty funny reason why people are talking about it online.
The thirty nugget order that went viral
Someone recently posted about ordering thirty chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A, and it sparked a whole conversation about portion sizes and value. The thing is, when you’re really hungry or feeding multiple people, those standard eight or twelve-piece orders don’t always cut it. You end up ordering multiple boxes, which seems wasteful and confusing when you could just ask for exactly what you want. The person in the original post joked about how they don’t eat there often, but when they do, apparently they’re getting a massive amount.
What makes this interesting is that fast food restaurants don’t always make it easy to order custom amounts. Most places have their set menu sizes, and asking for something different can feel weird. But at Chick-fil-A, the staff is usually pretty accommodating about special requests. They’ll count out however many nuggets you want, even if it’s not a standard menu number. This flexibility means you can actually order based on how hungry you are or how many people you’re feeding, rather than being stuck with predetermined portions that don’t quite work.
Why the nugget count actually matters
Think about it – if you’re splitting food with someone, twelve nuggets means six each. That’s not terrible, but it’s also not quite enough for a full meal if you’re really hungry. Eighteen would give you nine each, which feels more substantial. The standard menu options force you into these weird compromises where you either don’t get enough or you way over-order and waste money. This is especially frustrating for families trying to feed kids who all want different amounts.
The menu typically shows options like eight-count, twelve-count, and sometimes a thirty-count on the catering menu. But nothing stops you from asking for twenty, or fifteen, or whatever number works for your situation. The staff will just count them out and charge you accordingly. Some people don’t realize this is even possible because they’ve always just ordered from the standard menu board. Once you know you can customize, it opens up a whole new way of thinking about fast food orders.
When bigger orders actually save money
Here’s where it gets interesting from a money perspective. Sometimes ordering one large amount is cheaper per nugget than getting multiple smaller boxes. The thirty-count, when available, often has a better price per piece than buying three ten-counts or two twelve-counts plus a six-count. Fast food places price things this way to encourage larger orders, but most customers don’t do the math. They just order what sounds right and don’t think about whether there’s a more economical option.
If you’re feeding a group or planning to have leftovers, doing this calculation can save you a few bucks. Some people meal prep with fast food (not the healthiest choice, but it happens), and getting a bulk order of nuggets to divide up for the week makes the math work better. The nuggets reheat pretty well in an air fryer or oven, so they’re not terrible the next day. This strategy works especially well for families where everyone likes the same thing and you’re trying to stretch your food budget.
The person who swallowed a nugget whole
On a completely different note, there’s a video that went viral of someone attempting to swallow a chicken nugget without chewing it. This person literally just tilted their head back and tried to gulp down an entire nugget like a pill. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t go well, and they ended up making a joke about heading to the hospital afterward. The video was obviously meant to be funny, but it also shows the kind of weird food challenges people attempt for internet attention.
The comments on that video were pretty entertaining, with people making jokes about needing to go to the “McHospital” and questioning why anyone would try this in the first place. Some folks pointed out that chicken nuggets aren’t exactly small or smooth – they’re breaded and irregularly shaped, which makes them particularly bad candidates for swallowing whole. But that’s kind of the point of these internet challenges. They’re not supposed to make sense. They’re supposed to be ridiculous enough that people watch and share them.
Understanding portion sizes at fast food chains
Fast food restaurants spend a lot of time figuring out their portion sizes. They’re designed to hit certain price points and satisfy most customers without giving away too much food. The problem is that “most customers” is a pretty broad category. A growing teenage boy needs way more food than a small child, but they’re often choosing from the same menu. This is why kids’ meals exist, but even those can be limiting if you have a kid who’s really hungry.
The standard portions also don’t account for sharing very well. Two people splitting a twelve-count meal get six nuggets each, which isn’t really a full meal unless you’re loading up on fries and drinks too. Three people splitting eighteen nuggets get six each, which is the same problem. The math rarely works out cleanly unless you’re ordering for exactly the right number of people. This is why being able to customize your order count actually matters more than it might seem at first.
The real cost of convenience ordering
When you just order combo meals without thinking about it, you’re paying for convenience and simplicity. The restaurant has already decided what constitutes a meal, and you’re accepting their judgment. Sometimes that works out fine, but other times you end up with too many fries and not enough protein, or vice versa. The drink is almost always way bigger than necessary, which is pure profit for the restaurant since fountain drinks cost them practically nothing.
Smart fast food ordering means thinking about what you actually want versus what the menu is pushing you toward. If you really just want twenty nuggets and nothing else, there’s no rule saying you have to get fries and a drink too. The staff might look at you funny, but they’ll take your order. Some people have figured out that ordering à la carte items separately sometimes costs less than getting the combo, especially if you don’t want everything that comes with it. It takes a little more mental math, but it can be worth it.
What the employees actually think about weird orders
Fast food workers see strange orders all day long. Someone asking for thirty nuggets is barely going to register as unusual. They’ve dealt with people ordering massive amounts of sauce, requesting their burgers without buns, asking for ice cream in a cup with fries on top, and every other weird combination you can imagine. Your custom nugget count is nothing compared to the truly bizarre stuff they handle daily. Most employees are just trying to get through their shift and don’t care what you order as long as you’re polite about it.
That said, ordering during busy times and asking for something complicated can slow down the line behind you. If you’re going to make a special request, try to do it when the restaurant isn’t slammed with lunch or dinner rush crowds. The employees will appreciate it, and you’re more likely to get your order right when they’re not stressed and rushing. Being considerate about timing makes everyone’s experience better, and you might even get better service because the staff isn’t frazzled.
How different locations handle special requests
Not every Chick-fil-A location operates exactly the same way. Some have managers who encourage staff to accommodate any reasonable request, while others are more strict about sticking to the standard menu. Franchise-owned locations might have different policies than corporate-owned ones. If you try to order a custom amount and get pushback, it might just be that particular location’s policy, not a chain-wide rule. Trying a different location might get you different results.
The best approach is to just ask nicely. Instead of demanding thirty nuggets, try asking “is it possible to get thirty nuggets instead of the menu sizes?” Most employees will say yes and figure out how to ring it up. If they say no, you can always just order multiple standard sizes and combine them yourself. It’s not quite as convenient, but it gets you to the same place. The key is staying friendly and understanding that the person at the register doesn’t make the rules – they just have to follow them.
Making your fast food budget work better
If you eat fast food regularly, even small savings add up over time. Figuring out the most economical way to order your favorite items can save you money without requiring you to give up the convenience of quick meals. This might mean ordering larger quantities less often, choosing à la carte over combos, or taking advantage of app deals and promotions. Many chains offer better prices through their apps than at the counter, plus you can collect points toward free food.
Another strategy is sharing larger orders among multiple people instead of everyone getting individual meals. One person orders a big batch of nuggets, another gets a large fries, someone else handles drinks, and you split everything. This works especially well for families or friend groups who don’t mind communal eating. You get more food for less money, and there’s less packaging waste too. The only downside is coordinating what everyone wants and making sure the portions work out fairly, but that’s usually pretty manageable.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to order exactly what’s on the menu board. Most fast food places are more flexible than you’d think, especially chains like Chick-fil-A that pride themselves on customer service. Whether you want thirty nuggets or some other custom amount, it never hurts to ask. The worst they can say is no, and then you’re no worse off than if you hadn’t tried. Next time you’re placing an order, take a second to think about what you actually want instead of just defaulting to the standard options.
