Fast food companies love Yum! Trademarks Kentucky and McDonald's They are returning to chicken tenders as a way to attract consumers with a low-risk, high-reward bet on a familiar favorite.
Nearly half of fast-food restaurants served the chicken variety as of the third quarter, up 5.7% from the same period in 2019, according to Ignite Menu data from Technomic. More restaurants are adding chicken nuggets to other dishes such as salads and wraps.
Taco Bell, also owned by Yum! Brands have tested chicken strips in tacos and burritos. McDonald's says it's also testing versions of its McCrispy sandwich, which will be available in nearly every global market by the end of 2025.
This snack, a $6 billion fast-food category, has crossed the kids' menu. Just look at the success of Raising Cane's, which offers an all-chicken finger menu. Company I mentioned The first quarter was worth $1 billion at the beginning of this year. Its same-store sales and traffic grew by double digits during the third quarter.
It is because of the taste and value of the product, which has turned customers into loyal fans, said AG 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's why we're very optimistic about where we are and how we'll continue to deliver on this promise.”
In October, KFC launched a “Battle of the Juicy Chicken” campaign for its new tenders, which included a satirical ad attacking its competitors. KFC representatives also visited Popeyes locations (owned by… International restaurant brands), Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane's in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Atlanta to hand out free KFC samples to competing stores.
Katherine Tan Gillespie, the company's new US marketing director, was appointed less than two months before the launch.
“We have the best fried chicken in the world, so I felt like we should start fighting,” she said.
So, which chicken chain will win?
