Restaurant Marks New Year With Chicken Nugget Drop

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Tbo.com
Published: December 31, 2008

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MCDONOUGH, Ga. --

For millions, New Years is marked by the descent of the giant crystal ball in Times Square. For others, it's a giant acorn or peach.

But perhaps the most savory countdown is in McDonough, Georgia, where thousands gathered Wednesday to watch a giant chicken nugget drop into a vat of dipping sauce.

The 6-foot-tall, 800-pound nugget is actually plaster and vat is filled with syrup and food coloring meant to resemble honey mustard, "but it looks real," said Liz Stavely, a manager at Truett's Grill, which hosts the annual event.

The crowd was entertained by a fire-eating magician, bungee jumping, a caricature artist and musicians. The restaurant, part of the Chick-fil-A chain, offered free chicken nuggets.