Fast food companies like Yummy! Brands KFC and McDonald’s are turning to chicken tenders again to lure consumers with a low-risk, high-reward bet on a well-known favorite.
According to Technomic’s Ignite Menu data, nearly half of all fast food restaurants served chicken dishes in the third quarter, a 5.7% increase from the same period in 2019. More restaurants are adding chicken tenders to other dishes like salads and wraps added.
Taco Bell, also owned by Yum! Brands tested 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 markets around the world by the end of 2025.
The snack, a $6 billion fast food category, has transcended the children’s menu. Just look at the success of Raising Cane’s, which offers an all-chicken fingers menu. The company reported its first billion-dollar quarter earlier this year. Same-store sales and traffic increased by double digits in the third quarter.
This is because of the taste and value of the product, which have turned customers into loyal fans, said AJ Kumaran, co-CEO of Raising Cane.
“They are looking for everyday values. They are not looking for a gimmick,” Kumaran said. “And we can keep that. That’s why we’re pretty optimistic about where we are and how we’re going to continue to deliver on that promise.”
In October, KFC launched a “Chicken Tender Battle” campaign for its new tenders, with a satirical ad slamming 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 competitors’ stores.
Catherine Tan-Gillespie, the company’s new U.S. marketing director, was hired less than two months before launch.
“We have the tastiest fried chicken tenders in the world, so I felt like we should start a fight,” she said.
So which chicken chain will prevail?
