Hold onto your membership cards, because Costco just quietly dropped one of the most talked-about food court items in years — and it’s not a hot dog, a pizza slice, or even a churro. It’s chicken tenders. Five crispy, golden, breaded chicken breast strips for just $6.99, and the internet has thoughts (loud ones).
Costco members in Canada and Australia have enjoyed food court chicken tenders for years, which means U.S. shoppers have spent a long time watching from the sidelines with serious food envy. Now that wait appears to be ending — at least for a lucky few.
How the Tenders Went Viral
It all started with a single TikTok. A shopper posted a video showing the food court menu board at a Costco in Schaumburg, Illinois, and there it was: “Chicken Strips,” five pieces with dipping sauce, $6.99. The clip blew up almost instantly, racking up thousands of views as people zoomed in on the menu board like it was a treasure map.
Turns out the tenders had been rumored for months. Costco employees were talking about a possible rollout back in early 2026 on Reddit, with some saying the new item would replace the food court’s combo calzone — a menu item that, let’s be honest, never quite reached rotisserie-chicken levels of fame.
“I heard food courts in the US are getting chicken tenders, yet there has been no further information communicated about them,” one Costco employee wrote on Reddit months before the item actually appeared.
So far, the tenders have only been spotted at select Chicagoland warehouses as part of what appears to be a regional test run. There’s no confirmed nationwide rollout yet, and even Costco employees say they haven’t gotten official word on where — or if — the item is headed next.
1,640 Calories Later…
Here’s the part that really got people talking: the full order clocks in at a whopping 1,640 calories. That’s more than some people’s entire daily recommended intake, all in one crispy little basket. Naturally, the comment sections have been split right down the middle — half the internet is horrified, the other half is already planning their next food court run.
Reviews of the tenders themselves have been a little more mixed than, say, the eternal glory of the $1.50 hot dog combo. Some tasters loved the crispy, golden breading. Others found the seasoning a bit too salty for their taste, with one reviewer joking they could only make it through a single tender before their body told them to stop. Either way, if you’ve been dying to compare notes with your Canadian and Australian Costco friends who’ve had tenders on their menus since 2023 and 2024, respectively, now might be your chance.
Where to Find Them
Right now, the chicken tenders appear to be limited to a handful of Chicago-area warehouses, so don’t be shocked if your local food court hasn’t caught on yet. If you want to know what else is worth ordering while you wait, we’ve already ranked our top 5 Costco food court items, and if you’re a fan of food court hacks, you’ll love the viral cookie sundae hack that’s been taking over TikTok too.
Costco has been busy shaking up its food court menu all year, from a brand-new hot dog combo to fresh sundae flavors, so a nationwide tender rollout wouldn’t be shocking. Just don’t expect an official announcement anytime soon — Costco tends to let its food courts speak for themselves (usually through a single blurry TikTok video).
Should You Try Them?
If crispy chicken and a serious calorie splurge sound like your kind of Saturday, keep an eye on your local warehouse’s food court menu board. And if you happen to spot them, snap a photo — this is officially the most-hyped Costco food court item since the calzone tried (and mostly failed) to steal the spotlight.
Have you tried Costco’s new chicken tenders yet? Let us know in the comments, and keep checking back with GroceryGoodies for the latest on every viral Costco, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Amazon grocery drop.
