12 Fried Chicken Chains Ranked From Worst To Best

There's something special about chicken chains in the world of fast food. If chicken is on your radar, there's a good chance you've got some serious love (or even hatred) of certain chains. Customers become more like fans in this segment of the fast food world, so I approach this ranking with some trepidation, knowing that some of my favorites probably won't be yours.

In any case, I was astounded by just how many chicken places have cropped up around me. There were both ones I remember from my childhood, like KFC, and newer chains, like Huey Magoo's, which is quickly building momentum. Between all of these chains, I set out to decipher which was the very best. To keep them on an even playing field, I ordered chicken tenders from each location, tasted them, and ranked the chain based on the vibes of the restaurant, flavor and texture of the chicken, and even the variety of offerings on the menu.

So while you're no doubt beginning to scroll to find out where your favorite chain landed, I recommend keeping an open mind to the other chains, too. You may just discover a new favorite or two.

Kentucky Fried Chicken proves that just because a business has been at it for a long time, doesn't necessarily translate to a better product. KFC has sold chicken in some form since 1930. It's the one I've known the longest, so it's the first one that comes to mind, even if it's far from my favorite.

In every metric I considered, KFC missed the mark. The vibe of the restaurant I visited was simply sad. The staff didn't seem remotely happy to be there, and except for the upbeat music playing, no one seemed to be enjoying their time. I didn't stick around long, other than to order and grab a picture before returning to the car to taste the chicken.

The tender very much matched the feel of the restaurant. Altogether, it didn't taste particularly fresh. It had a rather chewy texture, and I found that the breading was just barely there. Not to mention, the meat inside was dry and even stringy. I may have had better luck trying KFC's famous coleslaw.

I will fully admit that I went into this tasting expecting certain chicken chains to perform pretty well. PDQ was one of them, and I anticipated that it would land toward the top of my list. This wasn't the case. The feel of the restaurant as well as the quality of the chicken tender just didn't hit where it needed to break even the halfway point of my list. The PDQ location had funny videos playing on the television screens, but the chain doesn't do a whole lot to create a culture within the space or any kind of loyalty to the brand, like I saw some of the other small chicken chains do.

The breading on these chicken tenders was heavier than some of the others I sampled, but they were also bigger than others. One of the highlights of the PDQ menu was its milkshakes and I loved the sauces here, but if you strip those away and look strictly at the chicken and overall experience of being in the restaurant, it wasn't very positive. Perhaps the chicken would perform better with more samples, but with this tasting in particular, PDQ did not hit the mark, placing second to last on my list.

My first experience at a Slim Chickens restaurant happened solely because the name of the chain is so very catchy. On my first visit, we enjoyed milkshakes and appetizers, so I can attest to the quality of the fried pickles dipped in the creamy ranch dressing, but my visit for this tasting didn't have the same results.

On this second visit, the chicken was not at all what I hoped it would be, thus the reason for the rather low ranking. I feel like you shouldn't need a floss pick to clean up after your chicken meal, but that's exactly what I felt after Slim Chickens. Picking out chicken for the next half hour, I had plenty of time to think about the fact that I had tried several other better tasting pieces of chicken. The texture of my meal may have been a result of my late in the evening visit, but even still, it wasn't a great experience.

On the flip side, my husband ordered an Oreo milkshake during our visit, and we both thought it was delicious. I also liked the decor of the restaurant, but it was different from my first experience at a different location. My first visit, our restaurant had patio-like furniture with red grated tables. Here, there were more traditional tables; I liked this variance in decors; it was a nice touch.

One of the best parts of my job is getting to visit restaurants that I've not been to before. I'm a little ashamed to say that this was my first trip to Wingstop, and I admit that I probably didn't get the chain's star item. I wanted to compare chicken tenders between all of the different chains, so even though I went to Wingstop, I still got tenders.

The location I visited was very small, and seemed to be running mostly a takeout business. There was a kitchen behind the counter, and a single table, so there wasn't a whole lot of room to even hang out and wait for your order. If I visited for dinner or lunch, this would be disappointing, but for takeout, it's perfect. Even still, the very small location didn't do much for my feelings about the chain, but I was more disappointed in the staff. Rather than being welcoming, they were a little standoffish and even seemed a little reluctant to be serving.

Even though the staff wasn't all that warm, the chicken was. Biting into the tender, it was clearly freshly cooked, and not greasy in the slightest. I noticed an extra thick breading here with a great crunch to it, and that was enjoyable. Nothing about the tenders stood out, and it felt similar to other chicken tenders I've gotten for a quick meal, or even around an amusement park. All told, it was nothing too exciting. The poor rating here is reflective of the restaurant and the staff.

Raising Canes has an aura around it similar to Chick-fil-A. It's ultra upbeat with the music and decor, but that didn't translate particularly well to the staff. I had never visited a Raising Canes before this article, so I was expecting an experience similar to what you get at a Chick-fil-A; after all, the Mashed bros awarded Raising Canes as the chain with the top chicken sandwich.

I'm happy to report that the chicken was obviously made fresh. Unfortunately, it was so fresh that the breading was just falling off. While munching on the tender, more often than not, I came away stripping away the fried bits — it was like it hadn't adhered. This was the only chain with such an issue. This breading was a whole lot drier than some of the others. I felt like I had to drink a lot of water to rehydrate afterward.

In college, Buffalo Wild Wings was one of my favorite regular places to go for dinner because it was always a guarantee those Buffalo wings would taste so good. I would always get boneless wings, and my favorite appetizer was the chili cheese dip. I probably overdid it on the Buffalo Wild Wings in those years, and as a result, haven't been back a whole lot since then. Since I graduated from college over a decade ago, the sit down restaurant feel has certainly changed a lot since then, and restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings are getting less and less busy. That was definitely the case here, as I walked into an nearly empty Buffalo Wild Wings in a very busy tourist area.

The restaurant feel didn't hold, but the chicken was better than I expected. Granted, it was a little chewy, and the breading was more substantial than I was hoping for, but it was pretty well seasoned. The flavor here, even without sauce, was pretty impressive. Not to mention, if you are a big sauce fan, Buffalo Wild Wings offers an impressive array for you to choose from. Between the menu offerings and the flavor of the chicken, this chain leaned toward the middle of the list, and it was the feel of the restaurant that kept it from being even higher.

Walking into Zaxby's, I was floored by how much of a departure it was from a typical fast casual restaurant. The colors of the restaurant and just the general feel had all the look of a sit down restaurant. This really helped the chain's overall vibe, and although it's not something you would immediately think of, the feel of Zaxby's compared to some of the other chain restaurants is significant. I could imagine this as an ideal road trip stop if you're looking for something that is a little more comfortable than fast food.

Those who prefer minimal breading on their fried chicken tenders will enjoy these, as I found them to be not super crunchy, but rather lightly breaded and soft. The tenders were tasty, even if there wasn't a whole lot of seasoning on the chicken.

This is one chain that has a lot going for it in terms of its environment, and the rest of the menu definitely deserves a second look too. Although it's not my favorite of the choices for flavor, I certainly wouldn't discount it, especially if you're looking for a relaxing meal in a nicer space.

I've been to Popeye's on several occasions, but I've never visited a Popeye's quite as new as this one. Everything was very crisp, but still had that Southern classic fried chicken feel to it. It also had the feel of a fast food restaurant, where all the action happened in one big communal space, which isn't necessarily bad, but the fact that it was so new definitely helped.

Popeye's chicken was rather unique from others I tried because it had an ultra crispy, nearly fried cornflake texture to it (perhaps that's why Anthony Bourdain couldn't resist it). I found that the tenders were a little on the skinny side, but I was impressed by how flaky, and yet not greasy, they were. I found that the breading was a little on the dry side, so a drink was absolutely necessary. It was a nice touch that even a simple order of fried chicken tenders comes with a biscuit, even if it wasn't the most delicious of biscuits. Popeye's is a solid contender for one of the best chicken chains out there, and with some slight improvements to the space, it would definitely rank higher.

Of all the chicken restaurants I visited, Chick-fil-A was by far the busiest. So busy, in fact, that both of the drive-through lanes were completely full, and so was nearly every parking spot. My wait to order was longer here than any of the other chains. It's understandable, of course, it has one of the best fast food chicken sandwiches. In line the whole time, I couldn't help but wonder if it was worth it, and while I will hardly say that Chick-fil-A is the best chain out there, in my experience, it's good, if a little bit overhyped. As I've come to expect from Chick-fil-A, the staff and the environment were immaculate, and the vibes here were good, and I had an overall positive experience.

The food wasn't quite as good as the environment, but my complaints were still minimal. Like Zaxby's, there was very little crisp in the breading of a chicken tender from Chick-fil-A, and the breading was just less substantial overall. That said, I was impressed by how moist the chicken was. You simply bite down with very little resistance, but oddly, the chicken isn't terribly juicy, but just soft. Chick-fil-A ranks highly overall because I always enjoy the atmosphere, and I've found it to be pretty consistent. Granted, if the chicken tenders were even better, and a little more on the juicy side, there's a good chance it would be even higher on the list.

Bojangles was another restaurant I had never been to before prepping this piece, and I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised. The interaction I had with the staff felt like it was trying to be Chick-fil-A, but with more Southern charm.

Like Popeye's, my tenders came with a biscuit, but this one was much better than Popeye's. It felt more homemade and was definitely plumper with plenty of butter flavor. The Bojangles sauce is a honey horseradish, which was super unique, and very good with its chicken. The texture was crispy without going overboard, and I also found the seasoning and juiciness of the chicken to be impressive. I have no real complaints with Bojangles, simply that the top two spots were exceptional.

Flavored lemonade is one of my vices. On the day I visited Huey Magoo's, it was serving apple cider lemonade, and I absolutely couldn't resist. Inside, the atmosphere was very upbeat, and while comfortable, the decor was not quite as impressive as Zaxby's, but definitely more cozy than some of the other chains.

Most of the time, Huey Magoo's serves meals rather than a la carte chicken tenders, so although my order came in a too-large styrofoam container, the chicken was excellent. It was ultra juicy and well seasoned, but I can imagine some customers feeling that it was a little too salty.

The chain calls itself the fillet mignon of chicken, and with how tender it was, I can say that this felt accurate. While Huey Magoo's doesn't earn my top spot, it doesn't mean I don't love it. This is the place to go if you're looking for an excellent, basic chicken tender. It simply wasn't in first place because Chicken Guy! elevated the chicken tender, rather than falling in line with an already great product like Huey Magoo's did.

Guy Fieri's chicken restaurant, aptly called Chicken Guy!, was my top pick for chicken chains. My closest Chicken Guy! location is located on Walt Disney World property at the shop and dining district called Disney Springs. Although there are plenty of tasty food options at Disney Springs, if you're looking for a quick bite, Chicken Guy! is an excellent choice.

As I did with all the rest of the chicken restaurants, I picked up an order of three chicken tenders. As soon as I opened the bag, I remembered just how absolutely huge these chicken tenders are. They seemed to be pounded out so they are a little bit flatter, but that doesn't compromise the flavor or juiciness. Instead, it offers more space for the breading to coat for a consistent bite throughout.

Chicken Guy!'s tenders were very different from a typical chicken tender or finger — there is actually a difference between tenders and fingers. The breading is not super thick or overly crispy. Rather, it is a very even coding of spices and breadcrumbs. In this way, it is so exceptionally flavored that it's hard not to fall in love. Simply put, the chicken feels special.

To pit these chicken chains against one another, my family and I did a mini chicken road trip throughout our area over the course of a of couple evenings. I would run into the restaurant, make my order, take my photo, and dash out to the car where my husband and I would each sample a chicken tender.

From there, we ranked chicken chains based on my experiences within the restaurants, the texture and flavor of the chicken tenders, and sometimes additional menu offerings. More often than not, the texture and flavor of the chicken was the most significant factor, though the environment certainly played a part in my ranking. In terms of my experiences and the vibes of the restaurants, I looked for places that were enjoyable to be at for decor, staff, and even the music. For flavor and texture, I wanted chicken that was well seasoned with a juiciness to it and nice, tender bite. Chicken that was stringy or dry performed quite poorly.