McNuggets meet caviar for Valentine’s Day.

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It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok (September, 2016 is when TikTok came out): chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald’s is embracing this trend, this Valentine’s Day, with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com (link) on February 10th, pairs a one-ounce (~28.4g) tin of Paramount’s Siberian sturgeon caviar* (store link), with a $25 McDonald’s gift card to buy McNuggets. McDonald’s is even throwing in some crème fraiche and a caviar spoon (the spoon is not metal, usually mother-of-pearl or horn, because, “metals with high concentrations of a single material, whether that be silver, nickel, bronze, or aluminum. [. . .]. Oxidation is the culprit here, explaining why caviar and metals don’t mix. This is a process by which oxygen is rapidly introduced to an environment and alters the structure of the material on a chemical level. In the case of caviar (a delicate and highly sensitive ingredient), even the slightest alteration in any mode can impact flavor and texture significantly,” (quoted words came from this website)). 

Valentine’s Day is big business for U.S. restaurants. It is the second-most popular holiday for dining out after Mother’s Day, according to the National Restaurant Association. For the 35th year in a row, White Castle is transforming its restaurants into Love Castles, with seating, tableside service and Valentine’s Day décor. White Castle has said that some of its 300 participating restaurants are already booked for the night. If you're a nugget lover, you can get your orders in a heart-shaped tray from Chick-fil-A. Papa Johns and Pizza Hut are offering heart-shaped pizzas, while Auntie Anne’s has a heart-shaped soft pretzel. Jack in the Box is giving away heart-shaped straws and Hardee’s is making heart-shaped biscuits. Even 7-Eleven is joining in on the action, offering heart-shaped donuts and $14 off delivery orders.

McDonald’s said it got the idea for caviar McNuggets from fans, who have been enthusiastically talking/posting about the high-low pairing for years on social media. Celebrity chef David Chang (PBS biography link), has posted many times about his love for caviar on fried chicken and Popeyes biscuits. In 2024, the pop star Rihanna downed caviar and chicken nuggets in a TikTok video. McDonald’s would not say how many kits it will distribute, but said supplies are limited, so get them while you can! This however is no surprise, because a one-ounce tin of Siberian sturgeon caviar costs $85 on Paramount’s website, or about the cost of 166 Chicken McNuggets, and a $25 McNuggets gift card costs $25 ($110 per kit for McDonald’s). 

*Sustainably farm-raised in Italy, our Siberian (Baerii) Sturgeon caviar captures the timeless essence of this classic delicacy. With shiny, small black pearls, it delivers a robust and briny flavor, complemented by a smooth finish that defines the excellence of Siberian Sturgeon. The interplay of briny undertones and a luxuriously smooth touch sets it apart, making it a sophisticated choice for connoisseurs who appreciate the allure of Siberian (Baerii) Sturgeon caviar. (Paramount Caviar)

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Works Cited

Durbin, Dee-Ann. “With caviar McNuggets and heart-shaped pizza, fast food chains hope to win Valentine’s diners.” Associated Press, 3 February 2026, https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-caviar-mcnuggets-fast-food-valentines-day-87a2002409008e376dc56f307b20f751. Accessed 4 February 2026.

Paramount Caviar. “Siberian (Baerii) Sturgeon Caviar.” Paramount Caviar, 2026, https://paramountcaviar.com/products/royal-siberian?srsltid=AfmBOoptCVKngL8qN2jg2bMEMCwNwkelQwk31O-aB31CYgOl4EgQmwN-. Accessed 4 February 2026.

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Simon Story is a 11th grader at Poudre High School, and this is his first year with the Poudre Press. The column he is working on is about war. He is not currently involved in any school activities, but he has interests in filming, video games, and reading. Some of his plans for post-graduation are either going into a trade, or doing something in the food industry, or in IT.