8 Fast Food Chicken Tenders, Ranked From Worst To Best
One of the most consistently reliable of the fast food staples, chicken tenders can sometimes also fly under the radar because of it. Lots of people cherish the stability of the chicken tender; you know you can count on it being delicious when you're anxiously surveying an unfamiliar menu. But not all chicken tenders are created equal, despite what you may think. I went to a bunch of popular fast food restaurants to compare and contrast their chicken tenders to find the best among them all.
Because taste is so subjective, I ranked these tendies on a few criteria: Taste, texture, price, quality, and spice level. There was quite a variety in these chicken tenders, as you'll soon see, so to get more details on my ranking, check out the methodology at the end of the piece. Get your ketchup ready as we dip into the unsuspectingly fierce competition of the fast food chicken tenders. Prices may vary based on location.
8. Sonic
While some herald the food as the ultimate fast food comfort, I find that more people enjoy going to Sonic for the unique experience it provides. Yes, some locations have drive-thus, but if you're going to Sonic, you need a car full of friends, a banging playlist, and you most importantly need to pull up to the classic lineup of parking spots where you order on the screen.
And today, we already know what we (aren't) ordering. The chicken tenders at Sonic weren't abysmal by any means. They were certainly passable as chicken tenders, and anyone in elementary school would likely be satisfied with them. But for any chicken tender enjoyer, these just aren't up to par. Especially when compared to the sheer quality of some of the other chicken tenders on this list, Sonic just missed the mark in almost every category. The flavor was very bland, the texture and coating on the chicken tenders had a lot to be desired, and the only thing it had going for it was the price at $4.79 for three of them. They were also pretty small, though I suppose you are getting your bang for your buck here. Plainly said, these are a pass.
7. Popeyes
I'm sure you're just as surprised as I am to be finding Popeyes in the second-to-last slot in this ranking. Let's set the stage, first: I (and my other taste tester) love Popeyes bone-in fried chicken, along with many of its sides. And, of course, the chain revolutionized the fried chicken sandwich. The flavor of its chicken is typically craveable and delicious. Its chicken tenders, however, tasted almost like they let an intern in the back try out a new experimental recipe.
The coating is reminiscent of Frosted Flakes, the flavor is extremely lacking in, well, any flavor at all, and while the tenders are long, they look almost like pieces of fried fish more than tenders. They are very thin, and compared to how much meat you get on a bone-in piece of Popeyes fried chicken, it just doesn't even compare at all. Plus, these were the most expensive ones on this list at $14.30 for a three-piece combo meal. The only reason these rank higher than Sonic is because they're more substantial than Sonic's tenders.
6. Arby's
Arby's was truly a wild card for me: I had previously tried the brand's spicy chicken sandwich for a taste testing before and enjoyed it enough to place it in second, so I had pretty decent hopes for the chicken tenders. And I must say, I feel very conflicted putting these perfectly wonderful tenders in such a low spot, but here's why.
In terms of texture, price, and quality, these are outstanding tenders. While it seems like some of the other menu items at Arby's are lacking in how much meat they provide, these were a great size for chicken tenders. They are the quintessential product when you think of a chicken tender, and you absolutely get a bargain at $6.35 for three tenders. I personally loved them. But the big kryptonite holding these guys back was the spice level. I ordered the plain tenders, so I can't even imagine what any version of spicy ones would be, because these were very spicy. They were absolutely coated in black pepper and seemingly a variety of other spices. In theory, that's not a negative thing at all, as I want my chicken tenders to have some flavor. But when they're considered plain, that flavor shouldn't leave some people frantically reaching for water. I could see some people not being able to handle these tenders at all, and others loving them.
Because of their lack of universal approval, they had to take sixth. But, as my fellow taste tester put it, I'd rather have a mouthful of pepper with Arby's chicken tenders than whatever Popeyes made.
5. Smashburger
Coming in fifth place is kind of a dark horse, Smashburger. For a place that is widely known for its, well, smashed burgers, I was very surprised that it did chicken tenders far better than a place that is literally known for its chicken (looking at you, Popeye's). But I had pretty much nothing to complain about with Smashburger's tenders.
The most unusual part of tasting them, though, was that both my fellow taste tester and I immediately thought they tasted like Popeye's tenders. Perhaps they use the same recipe, but this was just proof that if Popeye's took the same flavor and applied it to a more substantial tender with a better coating, they'd shoot up in the rankings. The only potentially odd thing about these tenders was that they were shaped almost like a pizzeria-style tender. You know what I'm talking about; the very wide, almost cutlet-esque tenders you receive when you order chicken tenders at a pizza spot. That's what they were giving. And honestly? Both of us weren't mad about it. The rest of the tenders above this one just blew us both away more than Smashburger's did.
4. PDQ
Now entering the top half of the contestants is PDQ (which in this case stands for "people dedicated to quality"), which is absolutely known for its excellent chicken. You pay a comparable amount to most of the other spots on this list at $8.20 for three tenders, and these were super tasty.
If you have a picky child (or you are the picky child), race over to PDQ for some top-notch chicken tenders that won't rock the boat. These have some flavor to them, thank goodness, but they didn't kill my mouth at all, like some aforementioned ones did. My honest only critiques about them are they are a little bit small, so you may have to order more than you expect to be full from them, and the breading could've been a little crunchier. But, that being said, the coating was tasty and enjoyable. It makes me sad that the chain closed some stores this year, as from my experience I think PDQ offers some great items.
3. KFC
In third place is none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken, and are you surprised? I'm not. KFC's chicken tenders are crunchy, a great size and shape, and an honest price of $10.62 for a three piece combo meal (almost $4 less than Popeye's same offering, including a side, biscuit, and drink). These tenders are much bigger than PDQ's, too, and are so unique it's almost strange to compare them to these other chicken tenders.
It's menu is classic Southern comfort food (though KFC's reach extends all the way to Japan), and the same goes for the chicken tenders. The reason these are third and not any higher is because of the spice level. Like Arby's, 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. But unlike Arby's, they were much more palatable and edible, and I enjoyed the flavor greatly. You will definitely catch me ordering these again.
2. Chick-fil-A
It was an extremely tight race between this one and the winner, and it came down to the slightest of margins. But in second place is none other than Chick-fil-A. 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. Though it's the same chicken and breading and (pretty much the same) flavor, somehow getting more of all of it just made the whole experience tastier (I guess that's just math for you).
The ratio of exterior crispiness to interior meat was spot on, making every bite equal and worthwhile. Chick-fil-A is also known for its speediness in delivering the goods, and if you're starving for dinner and just want a quality tender, Chick-fil-A is the spot to go to. After much debate, the reason it came in second is because the chicken flavor you're probably picturing right now is incredibly distinctive, and that means it may not be for some people. Do I personally know those people? No. But I am aware they're out there, and the winning chicken tenders need to hit all the boxes, including pretty universal appeal. But Chick-fil-A, don't change a thing, we personally both love the recipe as-is.
1. Raising Cane's
In first place is the Southern belle making its way north, Raising Cane's. Ever since I saw a new Raising Cane's location was being built in my area in New Jersey, I was literally counting down the days until it opened (seriously, it was in my calendar). Had I only had Raising Cane's once before in my life a decade ago? Yes. Was it that memorable that I was eager for one to open in my area? You bet.
And Raising Cane's was just as good (if not better) than I remembered. For the purpose of this taste test ranking, I sadly have to ignore the buttery, garlic Texas toast and Cane sauce in my ranking, but even without the accoutrements, the Raising Cane's tenders stood up to every test. They are a great size with a substantial amount of chicken, have a crunchy breading, and a neutral yet not bland flavor. Raising Cane's serves up the ultimate chicken tender (at least from the places I tried), and even down to the price ($10.65 for a three finger combo) they are competitive and worth it. If you have a Raising Cane's location in your area, check it out for sure.
Methodology
The competitive chicken tender race was real, and with such a beloved comfort food I had to narrow things down to some qualities each tender had to hit in order to get a high ranking. First, I looked at the actual tender itself. Was it a decent size? Was it a bit skinny and lacking in meat? Then, I looked at the breading. Was it well coated, over-coated, or not coated enough? Did the breading have a strange texture? Next, of course, my fellow taste tester and I examined the actual flavor. It needed to be neutral without being bland and boring, because that is what most people are looking for in a chicken tender, after all.
Finally, I looked at the price. These were chicken tenders from fast food spots, and a key factor of dining at a spot like that is usually getting a good bargain. Were you getting what you paid for? I also made sure I wasn't the only one giving my opinions on these and I consulted with a variety of people for their takes on the tenders, as well.