What fast-food chain makes the best chicken tenders? See if you agree with this ranking

Nearly every fast-food chain makes their version of breaded and fried chicken strips, and there's a growing number of restaurants that specialize in chicken tenders. We tasted tenders from 11 fast-food and fast-casual restaurants to find out who makes the best. / Jenn Harris/Los Angeles Times/TNS Nearly every fast-food chain makes their version of breaded and fried chicken strips, and there's a growing number of restaurants that specialize in chicken tenders. We tasted tenders from 11 fast-food and fast-casual restaurants to find out who makes the best. / Jenn Harris/Los Angeles Times/TNS

By Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times (TNS) February 4, 2025 9 min read

LOS ANGELES — Is it a chicken tender, finger or strip?

Whatever you call your breaded and fried belts of boneless chicken, there are entire restaurants devoted to them. Once relegated to the kids menu, chicken tenders are behind some of the most successful restaurant chains in the world.

This year, revenue at fast-food chicken restaurants is expected to reach $61.1 billion.

Their inherently bland nature only contributes to their broad appeal, making tenders the perfect vessel for an infinite number of seasonings and condiments.

While it may seem like they’ve been around forever, there’s a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, that claims to have invented the fried chicken tender in 1974.