Is it a chicken tender, finger or strip? This question has sparked a culinary debate that extends far beyond the dinner table. Once considered a mere kid's menu item, chicken tenders have now become the driving force behind some of the most successful restaurant chains in the world. This year, the revenue at fast food chicken restaurants is expected to reach a staggering $61.1 billion. Their inherent blandness actually contributes to their broad appeal, making them the perfect canvas for an infinite number of seasonings and condiments.

Discovering the Origins

While it may seem like chicken tenders have been around forever, there is a restaurant in Manchester, N.H., that claims to have invented the fried chicken tender in 1974. Burger King released its first chicken tenders in the 80s, and other fast food chains quickly followed suit. In 1996, Todd Graves opened the first Raising Cane's at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, introducing diners to an entire restaurant dedicated to celebrating the tender.

Our Taste Test

Deputy Food editor Betty Hallock and I decided to conduct our own taste test to determine which chicken tender chain reigns supreme. We ordered the chicken tenders at 11 different chains, including Raising Cane's, Chick-fil-A and Kentucky Fried Chicken. We sampled them side by side to get the most accurate evaluation of temperature and textures. Prices vary based on location, whether you order delivery or eat in-store. Let the tender wars begin!

11. Burger King chicken fries

Burger King doesn't make traditional tenders but they do serve chicken fries. We paid $3.39 for four fingers. These fries were a huge disappointment. They were tiny, placid tubes that resembled fingers more than actual chicken "fingers." The taste was like long, rubbery nuggets. The Zesty dipping sauce was heavy on horseradish but not enough to save them from eternal chicken tender damnation.

10. Jack in the Box crispy chicken strips

We paid $11.11 for five chicken strips from Jack in the Box. They looked really appetizing with a nice golden color and a shaggy crust. But as soon as we took a bite, the illusion of greatness crumbled. They were greasy to the touch and had a bitter taste of old grease. The coating was crunchy but had an odd fluffy texture with breading that was too thick. Once we got past the breading, the chicken did taste like real chicken.

9. Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips

We paid $12.09 for four strips from Chick-fil-A. We're still perplexed by the brand's popularity, especially after trying their strips. Last year, the brand reported nearly $22 billion in sales. Every time we pass a location, the line extends beyond the driveway and into the street. It's the only thing my friend's kids will eat with enthusiasm. But the tenders taste like they've been dipped in sugar. So much so that Hallock commented mid-bite, "Why am I eating a cookie?" Both sugar and sugar syrup are listed in the ingredients. The chicken was moist with no oily aftertaste, but the sweetness was overwhelming. The Chick-fil-A sauce, thick and gloppy and even sweeter, made things worse.

8. Chicken Guy! fried tenders

Chicken Guy! is Guy Fieri's new chicken tender and fries restaurant. We paid $12.42 for five tenders. Fieri's tenders are wide and flat, resembling pounded and breaded chicken cutlets. There was a nice amount of seasoning and a panko-crust coating that stayed crunchy, but they were too sweet and the chicken was tough.

7. Jollibee chicken tenders

We paid $21.24 for six tenders from Jollibee. We've had great fried chicken at this Filipino fast food chain known for its chicken, gravy and spaghetti. We had high hopes for the tenders, which were of varying shapes and sizes, more like odd strips and blobs. The coating wasn't too heavy, but the taste of fry oil masked any seasoning or real flavor. It bordered on rancid, but the chicken inside was tender and juicy.

6. Kentucky Fried Chicken chicken tenders

We paid $12.92 for four tenders from Kentucky Fried Chicken. The tenders had the same shaggy coating and seasoning as the chain's bone-in fried chicken, which meant they were relatively crunchy and very salty. The chicken was tough, and you could pull away strips like string cheese. Both the KFC sauce and Comeback sauce were too sweet. Gravy is a better dipping option, although it's a bit watery.

5. Church's Texas Chicken tenders

We paid $6.99 for five tenders from Church's Texas Chicken. These were the least memorable of the bunch but not terrible. They had a pale, crisp coating and not a lot of seasoning. Dipping sauce is required, but you might want to get it from another restaurant. The gravy tasted like salty brown water, and the signature hot sauce is more sweet than heat.

4. Carl's Jr. hand-breaded tenders

We paid $12.49 for five tenders from Carl's Jr. These tenders looked like something from the kids menu. They were perfectly golden with a craggy coating. The meat tasted like juicy strips of chicken breast. The only issue is that they need to be eaten immediately as they don't retain their crunch as well as some of the others. Carl's Jr. also gets extra points for its barbecue sauce.

3. Raising Cane's chicken fingers

We paid $8.36 for four fingers from Raising Cane's. The chicken tastes and feels like actual chicken. The coating isn't as gripping as we'd like, but it's crunchy and stays that way. The fingers are a bit bland, but that's where the Cane's sauce comes in. It's like a creamy, extra peppery Thousand Island with a nice hit of acid that makes the chicken fingers and fries feel less heavy.

2. Popeyes chicken tenders

We paid $10 for five tenders from Popeyes. The Popeyes tenders are for those who prioritize the crunch factor. The coating creates a crisp, jagged armor around each piece. It's well seasoned and gives the chicken an almost buttery flavor. Some pieces are plump and moist, while others seem to be giant shards of crunchy coating. They're more of a crunchy snack than a full meal. No dipping sauce is required, but the Bayou Buffalo is pretty tangy.

1. Wingstop crispy tenders

We paid $8.99 for four tenders from Wingstop. We went back and forth between Wingstop and Popeyes for the top spot. We prefer the crunch of Popeyes, but the tenders at Wingstop taste the most like real, meaty, juicy strips of chicken. They're substantial enough for a full meal. The coating can be a bit uneven, with some parts thin and crisp and others clumpy, but overall the tenders offer a nice crunch. And if you're a ranch dressing fan, there's no comparison. The Wingstop ranch is the ideal consistency, thick enough to coat your tender but not too gloppy. It tastes like the Hidden Valley ranch seasoning packet with onion, garlic and herbs. We both agreed that these were the tenders we'd order again and ended up dipping all the other tenders in the Wingstop ranch.Sign up for our Tasting Notes newsletter for restaurant reviews, Los Angeles food-related news and more.This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.