I tried chicken tenders from 14 different fast-food chains and ranked them based on taste and value.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderI tried chicken tenders from 14 different fast-food chains.Chick-fil-A and KFC's chicken tenders were similar in their breaded texture.Raising Cane's impressed me with its crispy yet juicy tenders and delicious signature sauce.The fast-food chicken wars have entered a new battleground — now, it's all about the tender.McDonald's launched its McCrispy Strips in May 2025, marking the first time chicken strips had been on its menu since the COVID-19 pandemic.Next up, in June 2025, Taco Bell introduced its new Crispy Chicken Strips, with Taco Bell's CMO Taylor Montgomery telling Business Insider that Gen Z was eating more crispy chicken than other generations, and "we need to evolve to where youth culture and the next generation of consumers are going."Then in September, Wendy's launched its own Wendy's Tendys and a lineup of six new sauces made for dunking.I decided to compare chicken tenders from 14 fast-food chains across the country to see which were the best.Here's how the tenders ranked, from worst to best, based on taste and value.Of all the chicken tenders I tried, Whataburger's didn't completely wow me.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderA three-piece chicken tender cost $7.48 at Whataburger at the location I visited in Austin.The chicken tenders were large and perfectly fried.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderI thought the tenders could only be described as "classic" — they weren't anything out-of-the-box, but I enjoyed them.The meat inside was juicy, but I thought the fried coating could have had a bit more crunch.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe chicken tenders tasted good on their own, as well as with ranch dipping sauce.They weren't bad by any stretch of the imagination. However, I did think the other tenders I tried were slightly crispier and had slightly more flavor in the batter.Regardless, for a relatively low price, I'd definitely order these again.I also ordered chicken tenders from Cook Out, a regional chain I visited in South Carolina.Cook Out chicken tenders.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe three-piece "snack" cost $4.99, not including tax.The chicken tenders were crispy on the outside.Cook Out chicken tender.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThey were a good size, and I thought the price was a great deal for the generous portion I received.However, there wasn't an abundance of chicken meat inside.Cook Out chicken tender.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThese were undeniably classic chicken tenders, similar to the ones from Whataburger, but they were a touch too fried for my liking.Still, I thought they were well-seasoned and had a lot of peppery flavor.Smashburger's chicken tenders were just slightly too fried for my liking.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderAn order of three chicken tenders from Smashburger costs $9.99, excluding tax and fees.

I thought this was a little pricey, especially compared to some of the other chains' prices.The chicken tenders were heavily fried and bigger than others I tried.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe breading on the chicken tenders felt thick and crunchy.The chicken tenders, overall, tasted dry, even when paired with sauce.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe chicken meat inside and the ranch dipping sauce provided could only do so much to offset the intense dryness of the crunchy breading.The next time I order from Smashburger, I'll stick to the chain's beef offerings.Next up were the crispy chicken tenders from Sonic Drive-In.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderA five-piece order of chicken tenders cost $8.41, excluding tax.The chicken tenders were evenly fried but on the thinner side.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderRather than thick and juicy like some of the other chicken tenders I tried, these were flatter. In fact, I'd say these were the thinnest and flattest tenders out of all the ones I tried.I enjoyed the flavor of the seasoning, but there was a lot to be desired in the texture.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe chicken was on the drier side, and there simply wasn't a lot of it.

I gravitate toward thicker, more shreddable chicken tenders, and these slightly missed the mark for me.However, the flavor was definitely there — the breading had a peppery essence, and the tenders were evenly fried.My ninth favorite chicken tenders came from Popeyes.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderA three-piece tender combo costs $16.89 before taxes and fees. The meal deal included a large serving of fries, a drink, and a biscuit, as well as a choice of dipping sauces. The chicken tenders from Popeyes were crispy, flaky, and crunchy.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderI really liked the crunchy exterior.The meat inside was flaky and moist.Popeyes chicken tender dipped in ranch sauce.Erin McDowell/Business InsiderThe batter was flavorful — I could taste hints of seasoning and buttermilk, although they weren't quite as buttery-tasting as the Chick-fil-A tenders.However, this meal f