Chicken tenders have become serious business in the fast-food world. Sure, they used to be the safe fallback for picky eaters or tired parents. These days though, they’re at the center of an all-out war between chains desperate to claim the crown. It’s the kind of battle that makes grown adults passionately defend their favorite golden, crispy strip of breaded poultry.
I decided to dive headfirst into this crunchy competition. Over the course of several days, I hit up 10 different fast-food chains to sample their chicken tenders, judging each one on flavor, texture, size, and overall value. No bias, no preconceived notions, just pure fried chicken evaluation. Some exceeded expectations while others left me wondering how they even made it onto the menu in the first place. Let’s dig in.
10. Sonic: The Budget Option That Shows Its Price
Sonic landed at the bottom for good reason. The flavor was exceptionally bland, and the texture of the coating left much to be desired, with the only redeeming quality being the price at roughly under five dollars for three tenders. They tasted like the best version of school cafeteria chicken tenders you might remember from childhood, with breading so thick it nearly overwhelmed the actual chicken. The pieces themselves were noticeably small, making you feel like you’re getting quantity over quality. These tenders taste like what you’d find in the freezer aisle at your local grocery store, with chicken that’s dry, stringy, and poorly seasoned, offering a bite that tastes mostly like flour and black pepper.
9. Dairy Queen: Stick to the Ice Cream
Dairy Queen’s chicken isn’t as bad as its burgers, but when compared to other fast food chicken, the chain’s tenders literally and figuratively pale in comparison. Let’s be real, nobody goes to DQ dreaming about their chicken strips. These tenders are middling at best, with decent crisp but not a lot of flavor, leaving you desperately in need of a dipping sauce, and the salt levels are pretty intense. They’re just average, everyday fast food chicken strips. The chicken strip basket comes with fries and Texas toast, which honestly might be the best part of the whole experience.
8. Popeyes: A Shocking Disappointment
This one genuinely surprised me. I’m sure you’re just as surprised as I am to be finding Popeyes in this low slot in the ranking. Everyone knows Popeyes makes incredible bone-in fried chicken and revolutionized the fried chicken sandwich game. Yet somehow their tenders miss the mark spectacularly. The coating is reminiscent of Frosted Flakes, the flavor is extremely lacking, and while the tenders are long, they look almost like pieces of fried fish more than tenders, plus they are very thin. These were the most expensive ones on the list at over fourteen dollars for a three-piece combo meal. For a chain with such pedigree in fried chicken, this felt like a major letdown.
7. Arby’s: Surprisingly Solid with One Major Flaw
I had previously tried the brand’s spicy chicken sandwich and enjoyed it enough to place it in second, so I had pretty decent hopes for the chicken tenders, though I feel very conflicted putting these perfectly wonderful tenders in such a low spot. The problem? The spice level is absolutely overwhelming. These bad boys are totally coated in pepper, making them a potential hazard for anyone ordering chicken tenders in search of a more neutral-tasting food. If you can handle the heat, the quality is actually there. The texture and price point are both outstanding. Still, when pepper dominates every single bite, it becomes tough to recommend to the average tender enthusiast.
6. Culver’s: Good Chicken, Lacking Crunch
Culver’s tenders are sourced from Springer Mountain Farms, a family-owned farm in Georgia that hangs its hat on its humane methods and quality products. You can genuinely taste the difference in the chicken quality here. The best part of these tenders is the chicken itself, which is amazingly juicy and overflowing with flavor. However, these tenders feel more parched than juicy, with what seems like just salt and pepper involved in the flavoring process, making them forgettable and easily lost on Arby’s long list of meaty menu items. Honestly, if you’re at Culver’s, you’re better off ordering one of their legendary burgers with a side of onion rings.
5. Smashburger: The Dark Horse Contender
Who knew a burger joint could nail chicken tenders? For a place that is widely known for its smashed burgers, I was very surprised that it did chicken tenders far better than a place that is literally known for its chicken, with pretty much nothing to complain about. Both taste testers immediately thought they tasted like Popeyes tenders, which was proof that if Popeyes took the same flavor and applied it to a more substantial tender with a better coating, they’d shoot up in the rankings. The shape is a bit unusual, almost like a pizzeria-style cutlet, but the flavor and crispiness make up for any aesthetic concerns. This is the kind of sleeper hit that deserves more recognition.
4. KFC: The Comeback Story
In 2024, the chain upped the ante with its new Original Recipe Tenders, and KFC didn’t just introduce it quietly, either – it came out with a bang and went after top competitors in the process. The chicken is incredibly well-seasoned and easily the best chicken item on the entire KFC menu – they knocked it out of the park with this one. The familiar flavor of KFC’s world famous blend of 11 herbs and spices is present in every sauceless bite, making these fine to eat sans sauce. KFC’s chicken tenders are crunchy, a great size and shape, and an honest price of around ten dollars for a three-piece combo meal. The only knock? Some locations struggle with consistency, occasionally serving tenders that taste like they’ve been sitting under a heat lamp.
3. Jollibee: The Underrated Gem
I had never tried Jollibee’s food before this taste test, and I was very pleasantly surprised when I cracked open the box, as these were some of the biggest tenders from the entire taste test, with super even coating and I could immediately tell they were hand-breaded because of the irregular crispy bits of breading. These chicken tenders taste unlike any other chicken in the fast food landscape. The breading has some nice crispy spots and the chicken stays remarkably moist. Jollibee serves a perfectly fine chicken tender, though the flavor was mostly where it missed the mark, as the breading had some nice crispy spots and the chicken was very moist, though it wasn’t quite as easy to bite through as some of the other tenders. For roughly seven dollars for three pieces, it’s worth seeking out if you have a location nearby.
2. Chick-fil-A: The Reliable Classic
In second place is none other than Chick-fil-A, and if you weren’t aware the chain had chicken tenders, you’re definitely not alone, and I surprised myself by discovering I like them even more than the nuggets. It’s really no surprise that Chick-fil-A has been America’s favorite fast-food chain for nine consecutive years, as the brand never ceases to impress with the stellar quality and taste of its chicken, with tenders so incredibly flavorful and well-salted that I didn’t need a dipping sauce to wholeheartedly enjoy them. The textures were also pretty much perfect, with crispy breading on the outside and tender, juicy chicken on the inside, and these very nearly claimed the top spot in this taste test. The consistency here is unmatched. Every single location delivers the same quality experience.
1. Raising Cane’s: The Undisputed Champion
Here we are in 2024 and now that I’ve re-tasted everything, I have to give it to Cane’s once again – these are hands down the best chicken tenders in all of fast food. The tenders are made from never-frozen breast meat that is marinated for a full 24 hours before being hand-battered in restaurant and fried to order, and because of the fresh preparation, this chicken is juicier and tastier than the competition. Where other chains’ tenders hit you with robust flavors upfront, Canes is more like a gentle caress, with undeniable umami factor that’s rich and comforting with a pinch of saltiness, and the meat itself feels juicier and more tender than competitors, with muscular fibers falling apart at the slightest tug, glistening with moisture. The brand’s coveted Cane’s Sauce adds a savory umami quality to every bite thanks to its mix of mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire, and spices. The focused menu means they perfect one thing instead of spreading themselves thin.
There you have it. Ten chains, ten very different takes on the humble chicken tender. The competition was fierce, the sodium intake borderline irresponsible, and the amount of breading consumed probably unsustainable. Yet through it all, one truth emerged: when it comes to chicken tenders, not all golden strips are created equal. What’s your go-to tender spot? Did your favorite make the cut, or are you ready to fight me in the comments?
