Happy National Chicken Tender Day 2025!
A few years ago, The Palm Beach Post dared wade into a national chicken sandwich war after Popeye’s threw down the gauntlet against Chick-fil-A.
Well, never let it be said that we’re not gluttons for punishment. This time, we’re wading into the chicken tenders battle.
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fired a shot across the bow of all other local fast-food purveyors of chicken tenders by launching a multimillion-dollar advertising blitz for its new tenders using the chain’s original recipe.
But we — and by “we” I mean “me” — wondered whether this would be enough to knock off longtime local fast-food fan faves like Chick-fil-A and Bud’s Chicken and Seafood, or popular newcomers like Raising Cane’s and Huey Magoos. We thought you might want to know too.
So, over a recent week, I tested chicken tenders/strips from 10 local fast-food restaurants that feature the item on their menu. Then I ranked them using five criteria: flavor; texture; temperature; batter/coating; and sauces. Each category carried a maximum of five points for a max total of 25 points. Only the restaurant’s original tenders were tested; no specialty flavors allowed.
You may be asking, “What makes this guy qualified to judge chicken tenders?” Bottom line: I’m a born and bred Southerner who refused to abandon every part of the high-cholesterol diet they were raised on. That includes fried chicken in its many forms.
Without further ado, here is our Top 10 list of local fast-food chicken tenders, ranked.
Top 10 fast-food chicken tenders in Palm Beach County, ranked.
Plus, best deals on chicken fingers for National Chicken Finger Day 2025
Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s is adding a free extra fried chicken finger to every combo box as part of the National Chicken Finger Day celebration.
“No code or coupon required, just an extra reason to celebrate the holiday Raising Cane’s started 16 years ago,” Raising Cane’s said in a media release. “There isn’t a limit, either. The more Box Combos ordered; the more free Chicken Fingers to enjoy!”
According to its website, here are the locations in Palm Beach County.
Huey Magoos
Florida-based fast food chain Huey Magoo’s is giving away five free Tender Bites with the purchase of any three-piece or larger Tender Meal. The offer is available for one day only on Sunday, July 27, online and at all participating locations, while supplies last.
Check Huey Magoos website for South Florida locations.
Rick Christie is executive editor of The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at rchristie@pbpost.com and followed on X (formerly Twitter) at @rchristiepbp. Subscribe to independent reporting that supports democracy via subscribe.palmbeachpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: National Chicken Finger Day: Top 10 fast-food tenders in Palm Beach County, ranked
Reporting by Rick Christie, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
