What Happened To Burger King's Chicken Tenders?

Unfortunately, most good things in life eventually come to an end, including some of our favorite fast food dishes. Over the years, we've witnessed dozens of items go by the wayside, like Chick-fil-A's bagels and McDonald's fried apple pie. Some discontinued items hit harder than others. For example, Burger King's discontinued chicken tenders are still ruffling feathers. The original Burger King chicken tenders were first introduced to the public in 1985 and remained on the regular menu until 2012. They made a brief reappearance in 2018 before going back into the vault.

Burger King tried to rework the original version, offering crown-shaped tenders and eventually revamped the tender to appear more like their competitor's nugget. The company's tweaks didn't necessarily work in their favor, and even after changing the recipe, the nuggets were not a hit. Eventually, the tenders were permanently removed, though variations on the tender have made appearances. Even though they've been officially unavailable for five years, that hasn't stopped loyal fans from begging the chain to bring tenders back. There are Reddit threads and Facebook groups dedicated to the OG tenders, with hopes of seeing a comeback.

While we can assume (for now) that chicken tenders are a thing of the past, Burger King has tried to console fans with other fried chicken items. The chain does offer chicken nuggets (which replaced the tenders) described in a 2013 statement from  global chief marketing officer Flavia Faugeres  as being made with white meat dredged in a "crispy, tempura-style batter." (via Chicago Tribune) The nuggets are touted as "crispier" and tastier than prior versions. The chain still offers chicken fries, which one person on Reddit compared as a close second to the chicken tenders. Another person shared their thoughts on the similar chicken fries, writing, "Miss these [chicken tenders] so much. Chicken fries remind me of them, but not quite."

Burger King hasn't stopped trying to win over customers with its chicken offerings. Its latest twist is called fiery nuggets. These chicken nuggets turn up the heat with a fiery glaze made with chiles and spices. Like tenders, fiery nuggets were only available for a limited time through the summer of 2023. Burger King also offers a spicy twist on chicken fries with its ghost pepper chicken fries, but these, too, will only be available for a limited time.