McDonald’s new Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry and the revival of KFC’s 80s “Kentucky Nuggets” are impressive menu additions, although not as remarkable as their advertising claims.

McDonald’s Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry, released April 12, combines their signature vanilla soft serve, strawberry clusters and shortbread cookies.

Not true to a spongy shortcake but undoubtedly innovative, this McFlurry is a divine rendition of Nestlé’s Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bar, which features a similar strawberry shortcake crumb coating.

Using crunchy strawberry clusters instead of actual strawberries weirdly works with the creamy soft serve and buttery shortbread bites.

McDonald’s can’t be trusted with the authenticity of a strawberry shortcake, but they can be trusted to make artificial flavors addictive and simple ingredients taste immaculate. 

The Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry, while memorable, is not exactly bursting with color.

As far as looks go, the strawberry pieces and shortcake bites are a muted pink and cream color politely paired with the stark white ice cream background.

It’s also not enjoyable for those who need a sauce or fresh component in their ice cream, as it has neither. 

However, it makes up for this with nostalgic flavors that refrain from overwhelming your taste buds. 

Each bite teleports you to a childhood summer in the park with a Happy Meal and sticky ice cream fingers.

The transformation from soft, home-cooked dessert to soft serve mixed with brittle chunks is a startling, yet bold, move.

Maybe Dippin’ Dots got it wrong, and McDonald’s is the ice cream of the future.

KFC’s chicken nuggets, released March 27, are hand-breaded, 100% white meat and crafted with the restaurant’s famous 11 herbs and spices recipe. 

Ironically enough, these bad boys initially released in 1984 to compete with McDonald’s chicken nuggets and later discontinued in 1996, according to mashed.com.

In a national commercial from the 1980s, KFC directly called out the fast food chain and said everyone would love the new nuggets, “except McDonald’s.”

The nuggets’ removal devastated diehard fans, but now they’re back and still trying to compete with McDonald’s. 

In an Instagram post from March 24, KFC threw shade at McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants for their “monotonous cookie-cutter shapes” and the “perverse mystery” of wondering if it’s even chicken.

The post is misleading; just because it’s not unnaturally shaped doesn’t mean it’s free of flaws.

The nuggets carry the pros and cons of Popeyes and Chick-fil-A’s fried chicken, which resemble their flavor profiles and textures more than McDonald’s.

For starters, it’s not as crispy as Popeyes chicken. 

A great way to measure this is through a quick glance at the number of crumbs accumulated at the end, and there were hardly any due to the chicken’s soggy exterior. 

Think Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets but minus the pickle marinade. 

Yet, they have Popeyes’ classic bumpy shape, golden brown hue and a hint of Southern love — probably the paprika.

Not everyone will adore it, but at least they get to add it to their fast food chicken nugget rankings, though McDonald’s still reigns supreme.

As long fast food restaurants like these two continue to compete, there will never be a shortage of fun products to sample.