Saddened by These - 2

Tender: Charcoal Grill Chicken Tender

Classification:  Upscale

Date & Time: 8:30 PM, Thursday November 14, 2013

Intro:  The Charcoal Grill in Burlington, WI is known for decent food.  Figuring that this place would fall into the upscale category, I couldn't stay away from ordering the tenders.  What ensued was pure disappointment.

The Order:  At a $6.99 price point, I knew my supply of tenders would be sufficient.  To go with the tenders I also ordered a side of fries to go along with the the 2 dozen bacon wrapped water chestnuts my crew had coming.  As always, I ordered a side of ranch to accompany the tenders.

The Meal:  The disappointment began as soon as I received my tenders.  Their dark brown color immediately led me to believe they had been over cooked.  The disappointment was encouraged by the fact that my tenders were served on plate by themselves.  The restaurant should certainly have included the tenders in the basket that contained perfectly golden waffle fries.

These were some of the worst tenders I've ever experienced.  Extremely crusty, dry, and flavorless is describing them nicely.  I found myself dipping these tenders very deep into the ranch sauce which ran out after only 3 of my six tenders.  My foul mood prevented me from ordering another side of ranch from the waitress.  I found myself considering revising the scoring system to include 0 tenders.....a thought I never thought I would have.

I found myself chugging through the tenders so that I could finally eat something pleasurable.  Though sick by the time the tenders were gone, I devoured the perfectly golden and crispy french fries.  The real star of the meal was the bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  They were served in a pool of some sort of Asian sauce that was other worldly.

Charcoal Grill Chicken Tender Score:  

Outer Layer - 2/10 

Chicken - 3/10

Overall - 1 Strip Basket

These tenders probably deserve a 0, but 1 tender will hold you over until your water chestnuts arrive.  No one should have to experience these tenders.  The water chestnuts are the go to option on the Charcaol Grill's menu. I would recommend a burger, water chestnuts, wrap, pizza, and even a salad before the tenders.  Even if the restaurant was out of all the other food and all they had was tenders, you would be better off going hungry.


 A Nugget on the McNugget:  At the Beijing olympic games, Usain Bolt ate an estimated 1,000 McNuggets in the 10 days he spent there.

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The Hunt for the World's Best Chicken Tenders - 1 - Gonzo for Go Cup

Tender: KFC Go Cup/KFC Crispy Strip

Classification:  Fast Food

Date & Time: 1:30  PM, October 31, 2013

Intro:  Today I sampled the hottest craze in the Chicken Tender community.  The KFC Go Cup is a cup, split into two semi circles, one side is  filled with 2 KFC Crispy Strips, and the other with a side of wedges.  They offer other Go Cup options, but lets be real, the tender cup is the only true option.  I've had it many times before today's judgment, and in my mind may be best value in chicken tenders today....or so I thought.

The Order:  My visit couldn't have started off worse.  The drive-thru was unusually busy for 1:30.  After waiting for the only other car in line to order, it was my turn.  As I rolled down my window I was welcomed by an onslaught of wind and rain that made ordering a real chore.  After the order was made I was welcomed by a cold uninterested woman.  There was no "Hello," she only mumbled "$2.62"

The Meal:  The crispy strips are the main attraction of the Go Cup. The strips themselves offer an excellent cripsy outside powered by the Colonel and his secret blend of spices. The chicken was steaming, flavorful, and tender.  I recommend eating the KFC crispy strip without any diping sauce.  The tender is usually so good that to dip it in anything would be a mistake.  The only drawback of the Go Cup is the side of wedges.  I'd much rather trade the wedges for an extra tender.

KFC Go Cup Tender Score:  

Outer Layer - 8.1/10 

Chicken - 8.3/10

Overall - 3 Strip Basket

KFC's Go Cup is an excellent option for a quick on the go snack, and $2.62 is a steal for 2 crispy strips and some wedies from KFC.  If  you want to make a meal of it though I suggest purchasing two Go Cups.  Its overall score could have easily been a 4 or 5 strip basket, but the potential for these tenders to sit around a while in a warmer really hampers its ability to shine on a regular basis.  The KFC crispy strip is severely affected by sitting around.  The outside becomes not as crispy and the chicken dries out rapidly.  When they are fresh they can take on any tender from any classification, but its inconsistencies will always make the KFC Crispy Strip just a serviceable chicken tender.


 A Nugget on the McNugget:  In Japan there is no 10 piece McNugget option, but you can get a 9 piece.

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The Hunt For the Worlds Best Chicken Tenders - 0 - The Tender Facts

The Hunt For the World's Best Chicken Tenders - The Tender Facts

This blog has been created to shed light on an often under appreciated American hero....the Chicken Tender. The goal is to provide an unbiased and fair assessment of the local chicken tender fare.  By following this blog readers will gain an understanding of the do's and don'ts when making their tender decisions.   Also falling in the realm of chicken tenders are delicacies known as boneless wings, nuggets, and strips.

Tender Class - Chicken tenders are available at nearly every restaurant. For this reason, each tender that gets reviewed will fall into a classification.  The classifications will allow readers to better select which tenders make the most sense for them at that time.  The classifications are as follows:

Frozen - These are the tenders you cook yourself.  They inlcude options from Banquet, Perdue, and Tyson.  The tenders in this class vary wildly in taste and quality.  Tenders in this class require a large amount of dipping sauce as they are usually somewhat bland and flavorless.  If your tight on cash though, this is the class you want to dable in.  Buying in bulk is an option here, and is highly recommended.

Fast Food - This class is self explanatory.  It includes restaurants such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, White Castle, and Carl's Jr.  Although this classification includes some of the most dangerous and addictive tenders, their quality can often suffer because they are prepared ahead of time.  A consumer eating out of this class often enjoys a fair amount of tenders for a very fair price.  Another drawback of this class is that it is common to under order and be left feeling hungry at the end of your meal.

Upscale -  This classification includes bars, bowling alleys, and restaurants such as Applebee's.  These tenders are always made when you order, so take some more time to arrive in your mouth.  The wait is usually worth it as the tenders arrive hot and fresh.  Dipping sauces at the establishments also seem to be of a higher quality than the Fast Food classification.  The biggest drawback of the Upscale class is often price.  Tenders here often run 2 to 3 times as much as the Fast Food, but the increased quantity and expected increase in quality should be enough to offset this.

Specialty -  This classification is where the celebrities of the chicken tender world reside.   Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Hut Wing Street, local eateries who flaunt their tenders, and homemade tenders all fall into this classification.  Price here can be all over the board.  Dipping sauces are of the highest quality and an expanded variety will be found at most locations.

Rankings -  Each tender that is reviewed will receive three rankings.  The outer layer, chicken, and overall will all be evaluated.  The outer layer and chicken will be scored on a 0-10 scale.  The overall score is based on the number of tenders I would order in a typical chicken tender basket meal.  This scale runs 0-7 tenders.

Although this blog's primary concern is the chicken tender, it will also feature reviews of other fine eats like nachos, garlic bread, and potato chips.  Comments are always welcome, and please let me know if you think there is a tender out there that I should review.

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