You want the PERFECT chicken finger?

You've come to the right place. I was sitting in my car today, pondering where to go to get lunch and I started thinking about Zaxby's chicken fingers. Why? Because they FRIGGIN' ROCK that's why!
Too bad I could not find a Zaxby's where I was. There IS one near my new house up in Suwanee, but I am also trying to not eat fast food during the week. I need to get back to my target weight for Roomie's wedding. I need to drop about 7 lbs. and I should be good.

But why was I craving Zaxby's? Is that really the best chicken finger I've ever had? They are the best thing going right now, but over the years, this guy has packed away some pretty tasty chicken fingers/tenders/nuggets.

Some of my first memories EVER are getting Chicken McNuggets with my PeePaw while coming home from Preschool. Those MAC Nuggets as he used to call them were great. Little bits of goodness. They held a place in my heart until I got old enough to actually taste and recognize what I was eating: Chicken piecesparts. I am sure there were beaks and claws and whatever in those things. Recently MickyD's fixed them and they are quite good again, especially with that honeymustard they throw out there, but when I have other options, I have to go elsewhere.
Grade Components: A+ for the memories, C- for the taste. D for the batter. Final C

Salisbury Country Club. OK, so maybe this is cheating, but I used to make the ones where I would literally cut the chicken breast, then dip them in the buttermilk, into the breading and into the deepfryer. Some of the best EVER! Too bad I only worked in the kitchen for 9 months. I miss the food from Salisbury, but not the cleanup.
Grade: D- for memories, A+ for taste. A+ for batter. Final- B+

Wendy's. The five nuggets for 99 cents is tough to beat, but they are fuzzy. Not sure if that is mold or just weird batter.
Grade: N/A for memories (these can around in college. I was into the JBCs. C- for taste. D for batter. Final- D. Stick to the junior Bacon cheeseburgers!

Burger King. The chicken fries are weird, but kind of cool. I remember the commercials were funny enough (with the box of fries talking smack to the chicken.) that I thought I owed it to BK to try them out. If a commercial is cleaver enough, I will honor the company by testing out the product. While I prefer the Chicken sandwich, the chicken fries are a tasty alternative.
Grade: Memories B (funny commercial), Taste B-, batter C, Final- B-.

Guthries. We had a Guthries within walking distance from Creswell in Athens and you could go and get either a box or a plate. It was the same thing, only the box was to-go while the plate meant you were staying. And the rumor was that the sauce could clean a penny. That sauce was so good (better than Zax's Sauce. Yeah, sorry.) The bread was tasty as were the fries. Good sweet tea too. And the BEST part, they ONLY made chicken fingers, so they ALWAYS had them. And you didn't have to wait like you do at Zaxbys. AND, you could get a BUCKET of fingers. A freaking BUCKET. Too bad they closed the Guthries and turned it into so other Zaxby's knockoff. I heard there is one near Chamble-Dunwoody, but I haven't had a chance to explore over there.
Grade: Memories A- (I stopped going after I moved from the dorms. Starting hitting up Zaxby's. IT WAS CLOSER!), Taste A, batter A. Final A. Great sauce!

KFC. I have never thought that KFC was as good ever since I had Zaxby's and Guthries. The batter is just...enh. I like the popcorn chicken, but I have bad memories from one particular KFC visit. I don't want to get into it but it affected my future visits to the KFC.
Grade. Memories D. Taste C-. Batter D. Final- D+. I like the mashed potatoes though...

Chick-fil-A. The NUGGETS are the thing here. In Midlothian they had a C-F-A in the mall and when I got to Georgia, I thought it was so weird that they were stand alone. I also wondered is Sbarro was stand alone down here. The chicken sandwich is pretty good (sans pickle.) but the nuggets the the thing. I've tried the strips, nah. Go with the nuggets, but make sure you can go at a time when they AREN'T busy so they can finish cooking them. For WHATEVER reason, when the Chick-fil-as get busy, they stop cooking the nuggets when ONE starts to float so sometimes not all of the nuggets are crispy. If the nuggets are crispy, drop them in a mixture of the BBQ and mayo, and you are GTG!
Memories-B (too many times uncrispy!) Taste A when crispy C when not. Batter A. Final- we must give two grades A- or a B-. But the waffle fries have grown on me and I love the sweet tea. But don't be so stingy with the MAYO!

Arby's. I used to get the Chicken Fingers and Curly Fries EVERY Wednesday when my Dad would take me out to eat for our one night a week dinner. I'd scarf down these things (with a mixture of Arby's Sauce and Honey mustard) so I could get a peanutbutter sundae. I remember they were really good, but I don't get them anymore. Maybe if I can't get the peanutbutter sundae, there isn't any point eating the chicken fingers. OR maybe I can buy my own sundae and don't have to perform like a circus seal, so I cut out the middleman or in this case the middlefood. Dunno.
Memories-B+ Taste C+, Batter C, Final- 79.5 C+/B-. The Arby's Sauce made these worthwhile.

Locos. The chicken "fingers" were always flat and you could tell that they were the frozen kind. BUT, the honeymustard even Wifey likes and she hates honey mustard. She used to get the chicken fingers I think JUST for the honey mustard. She dipped EVERYTHING in the honey mustard. She would put the chicken, the fries, the garnish, even a quick finger swirl. THEN she stole my Gobbler because she realized she could just order a side of honey mustard for her fries.
Memories A+ ( I love me some Locos! I wish there was one in Suwanee!) Taste B-, Batter C Final B+.

Zaxby's Whether it is the fingers (to die for, with the batter..) the fries (seasoned, just how I like), the texas toast (nice and buttery) the Zax's Sauce (no Arby's sauce or Guthries, but still daggone good) or the sweet tea, I think I would choose Zaxbys as my final meal if I was on death row. I would. That is pretty much the highest honor I can give a chicken finger. Now if ONLY bacon could SOMEHOW get thrown in there......
Memories A+. Taste. A+ (but make sure you are crispy, see: Chick-fil-A). Batter A+. Final A+. Frankly, the BEST chicken finger out there.

Failing to make the cut-Popeyes (cajun-enh), Hardees (don't remember them. that's bad), Church's (Never had them), Applebees (nothing to write home about), Chili's (the chicken crispers are just too battery or something.) Kayson's (I wouldn't get them again.)