I tried chicken tenders from 5 major chain restaurants, and one emerged as the MVP

• Casual-dining chains understand the importance of embracing football season to attract customers.
• We tried chicken tenders from five chains to determine the best option for game day.
• Chili’s and Buffalo Wild Wings impressed us the most with their crispy and customizable tenders.

Football season is here, and restaurant chains are stepping up to serve crowd-pleasing tailgate favorites.

In a new series, “Tailgate Taste-off,” Business Insider is pitting some of these chains against each other to determine which makes the best versions of popular game-day foods.

If you’re wondering what to order the next time you catch the game at a local Chili’s or Buffalo Wild Wings, or if you’re uncertain which chain offers the best value when ordering in, this guide will help you make the most of your football season dining experience.

Chain restaurants know the value of embracing football season to attract customers, from offering family-style and game-night combos during football season to leaning into commercial advertising during televised games.

For the first edition of “Tailgate Taste-off,” we ranked chicken tenders from five chain restaurants — Applebee’s, Chili’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, and Wingstop — based on taste and value.

Here’s how the five chain restaurants’ chicken tenders ranked, from our least to most favorite.