Companies love fast food Yum! brands' KFC and McDonald's is getting back to chicken tenders as a way to attract customers with a low-risk, high-reward bet on a favorite.
Nearly half of fast food restaurants served the chicken item as of the third quarter, up 5.7% from the same period in 2019, according to Technomic's Ignite Menu data. More restaurants are adding chicken tenders to other dishes such as salads and wraps.
Taco Bell, also owned by Yum! Brands, has been testing chicken strips in tacos and burritos. McDonald's says it is also testing versions of its McCrispy sandwich, which will be available in almost all global markets by the end of 2025.
The snack, a $6 billion fast food segment, has overtaken the children's menu. Just look at the success of Raising Cane's, which offers a whole menu of chicken fingers. The company reported its first billion-dollar quarter at the beginning of this year. Its same-store sales and traffic grew by double digits in the third quarter.
That's because of the taste and value of the product, which has turned customers into loyal fans, said AJ Kumaran, co-CEO of Raising Cane.
“They're looking for everyday value. They're not looking for a gimmick,” Kumaran said. “And we can deliver that. So we are, because of that, very optimistic about where we are and how we will continue to deliver on that promise.”
In October, KFC launched a “battle of chicken tenders” campaign for its new tenders, which featured a satirical ad calling out its competitors. KFC representatives also visited Popeyes locations (owned by Restaurant Brands International), Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane's in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Atlanta to hand out free KFC samples in front of competing stores.
Catherine Tan-Gillespie, the new US chief marketing officer, was hired less than two months before the launch.
“We have the best fried chicken tenders in the world, so I felt we should start a fight,” she said.
So, which chicken streak will win?
