The Very Worst Culver's Chicken Item Is As Classic As It Gets

Culver's might be known for its distinctive ButterBurgers and Frozen Custard, but the chain also offers a range of chicken items to choose from. After a Tasting Table writer sampled and ranked 6 chicken options, Culver's Original Chicken Tenders fell to the bottom of both lists. Though Culver's Original Chicken Tenders are made with whole white chicken meat, our writer was disappointed by the texture and taste of the order. A thin, crumb-like breading did next to nothing to help the dry, flat tender improve its status. 

A YouTube reviewer who sampled chicken tenders from multiple chains was similarly unimpressed, opening a box of Culver's tenders with skepticism and remarking, "Maybe I'll have a different opinion after I try them ... it's not looking like it." After a few bites, the reviewer was convinced these pieces were made from frozen, and described the tenders as flavorless, going on to describe Culver's as overrated and overhyped. Over on Reddit, one commenter agreed on the textural problem, saying: "I think the regular chicken strips are not great. The breading is way too light." Another concurred with, "I agree. The regular strips are comparable to oven tenders."

A handful of fans push back on the take, however. One reviewer on TikTok found the tenders true to the name, nearly melting in the mouth, and praised the crispy, well-seasoned breading and fresh-off-the-grill warmth to rate the meat an 8 out of 10. "The chicken tenders are literally one of my favorite chicken tenders in fast food. They're so good," added another fan on Reddit.

Another ranking by a Tasting Table writer covered 10 fast food chicken tenders, where Culver's also landed at the bottom of the pack. Although the chain claims to fry them to order, we found that they fell short on flavor. The good news is that any order of the Original Chicken Tenders come with a customer's choice of two sauces, like Honey Mustard, Ken's Bleu Cheese, Dill Terra Marinara, Tartar Sauce, and Buffalo Sauce – our Culver's ranking writer did note that the two sauce packets helped brighten the sample.

For many, the price tag can be a tough sell for the quality delivered. Orders of the tenders are available in one, two, four, or eight pieces, with pricing starting at about $2.70 for a single tender and rising to around $15.60 for the eight pack. While the order can be a tricky one to open the wallet for, those who adore the tenders are well pleased with their choice while the disappointed ones have to rely on the sauce.