These Sam’s Club Nuggets Look Just Like McNuggets

One thing about us is that we love a fast food dupe. No, we mean it. We love them. And honestly, it’s no surprise that we do: Fast food is becoming more expensive by the day, and at the same time, retailers are getting better at emulating it in store-bought form. It’s probably no great shock, then, that we’ve been on a bit of a fast food dupe hunt of late (want to grab imitation Chick-fil-A waffle fries or White Castle cheeseburger sliders? Yeah, we’ve got you). 

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So, when we found out that Sam’s Club was making chicken nuggets that look just like the McDonald’s version…well, our interest? Consider it piqued. Consider it very, very piqued. Here’s the lowdown on what will likely be our favorite new product.

The Drive-Thru? It’s Out. The Drive to Sam’s Club? It’s in. 

News of Sam’s Club Country Pride Tempura Nuggets came to us by way of @samsclublovers over on Instagram. In true Sam’s Club fashion, in all its bulk-buying glory, these nuggets come in a big ol’ five-pound box, so you don’t have to worry about them running out (well, unless you’re really ploughing through them). And they really do look like McNuggets, guys – they have the golden-brown, lightly crispy exterior, and they even come in almost-identical shapes. 

How do they taste, though? Well, according to Sam’s Club customers, they’re pretty close to the real thing – but it likely depends on how you’re cooking them. “Do they taste IDENTICAL to McNuggets? No, but they’re likely as close as you’ll get without going to McDonald’s,” said one comment on @samsclublovers’ post. “They taste very similar.” The commenter went on to mention that they air-fried them, and that if you deep-fried them instead, they’d probably taste exactly like the fast food restaurant’s version. Look, everything’s better when it’s bathed in oil, but if you’re duping this product because you want things to be marginally healthier, then air frying is definitely the way to go. 

How Does the Price Compare to McDonald’s Nuggets?

You pay $12.86 for a 5-lb box. That breaks down to $2.57 per pound of nuggets, which is patently less expensive than what you’d pay at McDonald’s. Sure, you pay more for the convenience (and for the sheer pleasure of having fast food), but we’re in the habit of keeping our costs down right now. 

While you’re at Sam’s Club, you might want to pick up a dupe of a different kind. The retailer stocks an imitation crab that people have recently fallen head over heels for, which actually looks like real crab legs. We also heartily recommend its Member’s Mark Pumpkin Cheesecake every autumn; it’s one of the best things we’ve tasted from the store.