Applebee's Worst Entree Is Still Better Than Most Fast Food

Sit-down chain restaurants provide an affordable setting in which to enjoy a variety of delicious dishes. Applebee's is home to a bevy of beverages, appetizers, and entrees, though not all are alike. While Tasting Table ranked it last place, Applebee's chicken tenders platter nonetheless rivals a number of similar fast food options.

Often, even the worst chain restaurant fare is a cut above your favorite fast food. Per Tasting Table's rankings of Applebee's entrees, the chicken tenders platter may be the worst of the bunch, but it isn't entirely unappealing. According to this assessment, the bigger platter of tenders comes with more chicken than the basic meal from Applebee's, which offers only a single side and sauce. Albeit more plentiful, this plate of chicken tenders with two sides and your choices of sauces is underwhelming.

Per the writer, "I can report that they're solid tenders. They're just far from the most exciting thing on the menu. I'd classify them as a step above most fast food chicken tenders, which I tried and ranked." Describing the breading as adequately salty with a pleasing outer texture and juicy chicken tenders inside, the writer also mentions the tenders are ideal sans sauce, but can be accented with honey mustard. Though the Applebee's entree is pricier than its fast food counterparts, the writer touts the value of this larger portion of chicken tenders as "enough to warrant a doggie bag."

Though the chicken tenders from Applebee's are fairly ho-hum, the sauces can certainly dress them up. Tasting Table's writer championed the honey mustard sauce, but there are several other options available, which include classic Buffalo, cocktail, honey BBQ, house-made ranch, and sweet Asian chile. Given the writer's assessment of the tender breading as "extra crispy and crackly," it's easy to see how this chicken could hold up to a hearty dipping sauce.

Applebee's fans have sounded off on Reddit and beyond to share their love of these tenders. While not the pinnacle of the chain's entrees, they clearly still outperform most fast food varieties. One Reddit user says of the chicken strips, "They are very amazing." When the chain offered an all-you-can-eat special on chicken tenders years ago, it was met with a mixed response, but some still saw value in the deal.

Aside from chicken tenders, there are a number of other popular menu items at Applebee's worth sampling if you're in the mood for fast casual dining. Among these are chicken wonton tacos and boneless wings for those who want a chicken dish in a non-tender format. Otherwise, you can always sample the riblets, burgers, and mozzarella sticks. When you've got a hankering for fast food but have more time to be leisurely, Applebee's is a reliable choice.