This Fast Food Chain's Chicken Tenders Are Fried To Order, But Fall Short On Flavor

Unlike chicken strips or nuggets, when it comes to chicken tenders, it's all about high-quality cuts of meat — which would imply a high-quality flavor, right? Not always. In Tasting Table's ranking of 10 fast food chicken tenders, Culver's offering fell to last place for its taste, which left much to be desired.

The Culver's website describes its original chicken tenders as "get[ting] their name from the actual cut of tender, whole white meat chicken we so proudly use. Cooked crispy golden to order." Specifically, chicken tenders are made from the pectoralis minor or inner filet of the chicken breast, hence the name "tender." Not unlike its ButterBurgers, which are famously made from three prized cuts of beef, Culver's tenders also have a specific source for their chicken. Springer Mountain Farms is a Georgia-based, family-owned farm that operates under strict environmental sustainability and animal welfare standards, foregoing antibiotics and using 100% U.S.-grown corn and soybeans in the chicken feed. Alas, even this quality-committed sourcing still didn't rescue Culver's tenders from an apparently lacking cooking technique.

As we mentioned in our review, "[T]hese end up looking more like fried fish than chicken. The breading is thin and smooth [...] An authentic white meat chicken flavor is present. At the same time, though, it feels a bit processed or even made from frozen." Worse than no crunch, our taste-tester also found Culver's tenders dry and unseasoned compared to competitor fast-food brands. At a Culver's location in Ohio, a four-piece tender costs $7.69.

A frozen, processed feel seems to be a common complaint about Culver's tenders. One Reddit post from an apparent Culver's employee explains, "All the chicken products come precooked and frozen. [...] My unpopular opinion is that I don't like our original chicken tenders. The meat tastes mushy and has little texture. I did like the buffalo tenders when we had them [though], but I doubt they will come back anytime soon." Another post from two years ago suggests that Culver's changed their chicken tenders, and judging by fan responses, it was a change for the worse: "100% the chicken has changed, the tenders are awful and [used] to be the best item they carried," and "they seem off in some way to me."

In a foodie review video by @PapiEats, upon opening a box of Culver's original tenders, the host disappointedly remarks, "Maybe I'll have a different opinion after I try 'em ... it's not looking like it." After a few bites, the verdict is, "So, we've got these tenders that look like something you pulled out of the freezer and deep-fried yourself." Our advice? Stick to the Culver's Deluxe ButterBurger, our favorite burger in the chain's oeuvre. In the mood for chicken? We ranked Culver's crispy chicken sandwich even higher than Wendy's. The ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard are what Culver's is known for, though, and they totally deliver. Just skip the tendies ... and maybe skip the mashed potatoes, too.