Unpleasant Surprise Found in Chicken McNuggets^®

Customer complaints often involve someone who did not get what they paid for. But in one 2020 case, a Florida man allegedly received something he did not pay for: a bone in his McDonald's^® Chicken McNuggets^®.

Fast-Food Surprise

Alexei Stolfat of Palm Beach, Florida, sued McDonald's, claiming a Chicken McNugget broke his tooth. Stolfat, 39 at the time, sought $1.1 million in damages and called for a McNuggets recall to prevent widespread consumer injuries. According to the lawsuit filed in federal court on Sept. 14 of that year, while eating a Chicken McNugget on May 25, Stolfat felt something hard in his mouth, causing severe jaw pain. He subsequently removed a bone approximately 0.8 inches long from his mouth and suffered from a toothache and headaches in the following days.

Dental Damage

On May 29, Stolfat, an Estonia native, visited a dentist who reportedly identified two "microcracks" in his tooth. Stolfat reportedly lacked dental insurance and could not afford the expenses. He told the TODAY show the necessary tooth replacement procedure would take about six months.

Lawsuit

In his lawsuit, Stolfat said McNuggets should not contain any bones since the McDonald's website claims they are made from "White Boneless Chicken."

McDonald's responded to the alleged incident in a statement: "Providing safe, high-quality food is always our top priority, and both our restaurants and our suppliers follow rigorous quality control standards. We take these claims seriously and are looking into this complaint."

Stolfat said he filed the lawsuit not to get rich, but to protect other consumers from the pain and expense he had suffered. Then McDonald's filed to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming Stolfat had failed to state a cause of action or claims for which relief could be granted. In response, Stolfat requested a dismissal of the case, which was granted without prejudice on Jan. 14, 2021, in a U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale.

And so, the case of the Chicken McNugget was closed. While other McDonald's customers, including a Canadian woman in 2023, have reported finding bones in their McNuggets, the fast-food corporation maintains that McNuggets contain no bones.

References: Man Sues McDonald's for $1.5 Million After 'Finding Bone in McNugget' | Florida Man Suing McDonald's for Alleged Injury Caused by Chicken McNugget | Ontario Mother 'Completely Shocked' by Unwanted Find in McDonald's McNugget | Do the Chicken McNuggets Contain Bone?