- Chicken tenders are the new focus for fast food chains, replacing chicken sandwiches.
- Chicken tenders have fueled growth for chains like Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s.
- KFC just launched tenders to capitalize on growing demand.
Few things bring back childhood memories like biting into a crispy, crunchy chicken. Juicy chicken breast breaded golden brown and smothered in creamy sauce or sweet honey mustard—it’s comfort food at its best.
Fast food chains know this, and they’re going all out. 2025 is poised to be the year of the chicken tender, fueled by General Z’s appetite.
Five decades after its first iteration in a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, the humble chicken tender has come a long way from children’s menu staple and mall staple. It’s the key to growth at international chicken chains like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s.
As the “chicken sandwich wars” that dominated the industry in the early 2020s are winding down, chains are now gearing up for the chicken tender battle.
Chicken is a huge area of opportunity for fast food brands
The release of Popeye’s iconic chicken sandwich started the chicken sandwich wars. Irene Jiang/Business Insider
Control of chicken in the fast food industry has been tightened in recent years.
Its perceived health benefits compared to beef, its relatively low cost and its popularity among Gen Z — a key demographic for fast-food chains — have helped boost sales across the industry.
Growth has also been fueled by the chicken sandwich wars. In August 2019, Popeye’s launched a new fried chicken sandwich, which Business Insider called “juicy, crispy” with “well-balanced flavors”. When the burger caused a frenzy among diners and sold out within two weeks, other chains took notice.
Between 2019 and 2021, over twenty chains, such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Sonic and Shake Shack, released new chicken sandwiches, Restaurant Business reported.
Popeye’s earnings reports highlighted the success of its chicken sandwich. Its same-store sales grew throughout 2020, rising 19.7% in the third quarter of 2020 compared to last year, Restaurant Business reported.
US-based fast-food chicken franchises as a whole saw market growth of 8.4% between 2018 and 2023, Restaurant Business and IBISWorld reported. Chicken sales also rose 11% in 2022, with total revenue from major chicken chains like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes rising from $27 billion in 2018 to about $44 billion in 2022.
Chains are now looking at chicken tenders as the next battleground in the chicken wars
Restaurant Business reported that chicken tenders ranked higher than sandwiches among younger generations, citing a consumer survey conducted by Revenue Management Solutions.
Businesses have also supported this idea.
The growth of Cane’s – a chain that especially only sells chicken tenders and sides like coleslaw and Texas toast—it’s now one of the fastest-growing fast food brands in the country. The chain generated more than $2.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2024, Bloomberg reported, marking a 30% increase from last year.
Restaurant chains like Raising Cane’s have focused on chicken as a huge area of opportunity. Growing reeds
KFC is the latest chain to get on board. It released a new recipe for its original chicken tenders on Oct. 18, hoping to ignite what the chain called the “chicken tender battle.”
“Chicken Wars started five years ago with the chicken sandwich, but this is old news,” the chain said in a statement ahead of the new menu item’s release.
“We know consumers crave bold flavors and chicken tenders are a popular favorite,” Catherine Tan-Gillespie, chief marketing officer and chief development officer for KFC US, added in a statement.
KFC is also leaning into value, another focus for consumers and brands amid rising fast-food prices: A three-piece combo of KFC’s new chicken tenders starts at $5.
KFC has launched a new style of chicken tenders that it hopes will start the “chicken tender battle”. Erin McDowell/Business Insider
In an apparent attempt to stir up competition, KFC also released a new ad depicting a medieval battle scene to determine which chain has the best chicken tenders.
Beyond KFC and other chicken chains like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes, there may be another contender: McDonald’s is also reportedly testing its own chicken tenders in several locations after they disappeared from menus during the COVID-19 pandemic. 19, although the brand has not commented on a nationwide appearance.
McDonald’s did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The craze has reached restaurant dining rooms and grocery stores
Chicken tenders are becoming more popular and diverse, with restaurants and food brands offering elevated versions and driving strong sales growth. Hollis Johnson
The chicken tender war isn’t limited to fast food menus. Casual dining chains like Chili’s think they can beat fast food competitors with their versions of chicken tenders.
“Fried chicken is one of the fastest-growing segments — especially with a younger consumer who prefers boneless fried chicken,” Chili’s chief marketing officer George Felix told Business Insider.
The chain’s chicken tenders have been a fixture on menus since the ’90s, but they were revamped in December 2022 “to better match our guests’ preferences,” Felix said.
They’re “a grown-up version of a typical fast food tender,” Felix said, because of flavor options like Nashville Hot and Honey Chipotle.
In grocery stores, chicken brands like Perdue also market a variety of chicken tenders, including organic gluten-free tenders and raw chicken fillets, to cater to a variety of customers.
“It’s not just the sweetness of your childhood chicken,” a Perdue spokesman told BI at New York Food and Wine Festival on October 20.
Perdue said her chicken tenders are one of her most popular offerings. The Image Party/Shutterstock
“You have all the different premium muscle parts, or you can get the dark meat and all these different cuts. People are actually using them in more culinary experiences now,” they continued, adding that consumers are looking for “elevated. versions of their favorite childhood foods.
As chicken tenders gear up for a takeover, the chicken sandwich wars are already making yesterday’s headlines.