leaving town tomorrow so just needed something easy. we hadn’t been here in a few years and I guess inflation ruined them too. these are my “tenders”, two bits each. AirPods for scale.
my daughter got the 4 “tender” meal and they were the same size.
edit: there was no line tonight. They’ve redone the drive through and also I guess now that it’s a rip-off nobody goes - and students are gone. I won’t be back though. I do prefer MCHC but youngest liked canes better before tonight anyway.
Walmart has "famous chicken fingers" that is canes dead on then you go to the dressing isle and get chicken finger sauce which is Canes sauce also dead on. Now you have way way cheaper canes and canes sauce. You're welcome.
EDIT: I meant to specify that both are "great value" products.
Are those tenders in the hot deli case or in the freezer section?
They are frozen strips. Yellowish bag and Great value brand. At the Walmart off of mulberry they have them in the open top freezers between the fresh meat and the freezer isles.
Gonna try this!
Shrinkflation is real, and it's intentional.
Companies know they're reducing portion sizes over time.
I remember when that place was new: a 3 piece was basically 3 full chicken breasts & the line for the drive through would back up so far it would block traffic on College.
Now a 5 piece is basically the same amount of meat as what was a single chicken strip used to be, and I can't remember the last time I saw the drive through full.
Part of that is the drive thru takes about 3 hours to get through on a slow day
Also, they started doing Door Dash so there isn't a reason to drive there anymore
Yes! I knew I remembered those strips being huge. I went back like 10 years ago and they were smaller, but not yet as small as chicken nuggets like in OP’s.
I grabbed a pound of tenders from king soopers a few nights ago and I was impressed with how many I got, how fresh they were, and how inexpensive they were. They weren’t awesome, but it fit the bill.
Yeah, king Soopers and Safeway both have good chicken. I mean. $8 for an 8 piece chicken is unbeatable. They heat up in an air fryer great.
And with some generic tender sauce, they gave the same vibe as some bigger name tenders.
Making chicken strips at home is so easy once you get the right seasoning blend. Shrinkflation and rising prices have me cooking at home a lot more.
Air fryers make it even healthier.
Yeah my wife makes some good ones but fridge is empty since we’re headed to Arkansas tomorrow.
Share recipe pls
Copycat Cane's with Cane Sauce Here
Mine is halfway between Cane's and Chick Fil A brined chicken. (Firehouse subs sells 5 gallon pickle buckets for $4. And they'll leave it full of pickle brine if you ask. Cheaper than I can make it myself and I use it as a base to pickle veggies too.)
Cut chicken breast and/or thighs into 1.5" strips. Substitute for chicken tenderloin when on sale. Place in bag with 1 cup pickle brine, shake and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.
Prepare dry dredge: 2 cups flour 3 tbsp corn starch 3 tbsp rice flour (optional, great crunch) 1 tbsp garlic powder 1/2 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp black pepper 1 pinch cayenne pepper 2 tsp smoked paprika 1-2 tsp salt (less salt if longer marinade time) Pinch of msg (optional)
This can be made in bulk ahead of time then use a scoop at a time depending on how much you're making.
Pat chicken dry
Heat oil to 375 in heavy pan
Dredge chicken directly for a lighter Chik-Fil-A type breading or add buttermilk/cream to dredge for a thick pancake batter consistency.
Batter chicken and fry in small batches, about 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Rest on paper towels. Don't let the oil temp drop below 325 when adding cold chicken.
Cane's sauce:
1/2 cup real mayo 3 tbps ketchup 1.5 tbsp worchestershire sauce 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Combine and let sit in fridge at least 15 min. Add a pinch of corn starch if you want thicker consistency.
How about a copycat recipe for Music City's green chili tenders? That's the real life hack I need.
Haven't had them, but I can usually get pretty close if I get a chance to try them a few times.
You’re the best! Thank you!!
It looks like it came with some air pods.
Sounds good
Before Covid they were HUGE. Now they’re 1/4 the size. Disappointing.
Canes sucks. Go to comet chicken instead. It’s way way way better
We only go to Comet Chicken now too. Canes gives such small portions now.
Comet is good, but music city clears
Music city is great too. I won’t pit two bad bitches against each other.
Agreed. Both are good. Oh... Primus sucks, too.
Nice
The Jerk chicken thigh sandwich from music city is top tier Fort Collins food.
Comet is better chicken quality and for Nashville style. Music City is better if you want it hot, but less consistent. Love em both.
Comet!!!
comet is pretty hit or miss. sometimes you get nice good pieces, others they are rubbery having been sitting out a while. the spice/seasoning you ask for is also a gamble.
I used to get canes after my night shifts back around 2021. The tenders were really big and juicy. The caniac combos were i think onky like 11 or 12$ too. Went a couple weeks ago and really disappointed in the size of the tenders
I went there on Tuesday, ordered the 6 piece and got a 4 piece. I didn't realize until I got home so way to late for me to bother going back and complaining. Pretty much decided it was the last time im going back.
I stopped going there when I found out the company endorced and contributed to MAGA / Trump. Looks like their food hasn't improved since then.
Same with Dave’s hot chicken
That's so funny I literally was driving by there and realized it had been awhile since I had to navigate around the line backed up to college and figuring they went downhill
They redid it with 2 lanes and outside order takers too - but the fact that it's now awful probably is most of it.
Tap N Handle has some of the best tenders right now.
Canes has always been marginal at best.
Best thing about Canes was the TX Toast. I never understood the hype because it was all soggy within minutes of leaving the drive thru. That sauce hits though.
It’s just…tasteless white bread. I don’t get it.
That's the funny part. And it's the best thing of the whole combo
Music city or bust
If you operate a restaurant at such thin margins that you have to resort to this, just shut it down.
This is what shuts down a whole damn lane of northbound College Ave!? (Though I've noticed it hasn't really been the case lately.)
Yeah thats the one. They've redone the drive-through chik-fila style though - 2 lanes and outside order takers. No back up tonight.
Don’t despair, in just a few months you won’t be able to get into the Costco parking lot with all the idiots lined up for In n Out .
Huzzah!
You should see how much chicken they waste! Takes 4 mins to fry chicken, has to be out in less than 3 mins so much is wasted because you have to predict what people will order. Wish this place would close up shop.
I avoid the place because I find it bland and hate lines, good to know they also rip the customer off
Missed opportunity to hit Music City just up the street. Quick meals - tasty tenders- good vibe.
Canes is trash.
Music City Hot Chicken is where it's at
I never get airpods when I go there!
Always was.
They've been a joke for years. They've been shrinking their tenders ever since 2015.
That's so sad!
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Been telling people canes has been getting smaller. They were not like this a couple years back.
You get earbuds with orders now?
Go to MCHC instead 🙄 the fact you even waited in that line is a joke lol
No line tonight. Probably every but me knew it sucks now.
I used to live in the apartments right behind MCHC and man I miss it. I’d go to black bottle for a bit then go to town on some of that hot chicken and then stumble home. And their mac and cheese is amazing after a beer!
The only chicken that comes close is The Post in Lafayette/Louisville. I know they’ve got more locations but they’re not the same as that one.
The Post off Broadway in Denver is good at worst. But I've been in one day and couldn't get past a Thigh piece. It was unusually large and the size of a small plate. I tell people it's pricey unless you go with 3 others. My only problem is their biscuits don't hold up well trying to make a Jerry rigged chicken sandwich. But fine on their own.
We had a Post here for a while, didn't survive.
Probably because we had it catered tonight sorry
I do have two left over if you want them?
Hey man sorry about that! I was on fry then and hit the penjamin a little too hard and mightta fucked that up 😬😬 come back in and say Jays got you a free box combo.
I got two massive tenders from Dave's. MCHC has also shrunken their tenders.
“All that is solid melts into air, all that is sacred is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind”
Damn, I thought their generous portions was the main part of their appeal
Agree. Went there about a month ago and the portions were so small and the price had gone up. Decided it wasn't worth it anymore. Want to know why the stock market is up but we all are getting less? Well, this is a perfect example. They will continue to make the same or more profit while we pay more and get less. Just sad that this is now part of the "everything sucks now".
People hate that I say their chickens seasoned with water bc it tastes like that. They're a joke, always have been and their political stance should make yall laugh bc if they're complaining about ingredients cost huh, almost like there was a fault there 🤔 but I digress
They're also known for stiffing hardworking teenagers they take advantage of, and poor attitudes from bosses/owners. Iydk
On GOD. Nor even worth it anymore. Canes is one of the worst cases I’ve seen.
Why anyone would opt for Raising Canes over Music City in Fort Collins will always be a mystery to me.
Boom. Anemic birds. That places sucks
Yeah the last time I had Cane's I said that was it. Same thing. little shrimpy chicken tendies. Pass for $20.
Free AirPods Pro? Pretty sweet!
As a "native" born and raised in Foco.... I have literally never even gone to Raising Canes lol
Thanks, Obama!
Wait until you find out what that frier oil is and what it does to your arteries!
Plus it sucks
Just had them for the first time in Chicago today…best fuckn chicken I’ve ever had. Full. Stop. Sorry it looks like you got chinced brother.
Go to Birdcall. Better portions & food.
Show me who forced you to go there. I'll take care of them for you!
nextdoor.com
The tenders did not make any gun shot sounds.