The Chain You'll Want To Avoid When It Comes To Fried Chicken

The restaurant who can rightfully claim the title of "best fried chicken" is a hotly contested topic, with many loyal fans arguing that their favorite spot reigns supreme. Some people prefer their chicken skin crispy with meat that is falling off the bone, while others prefer a lightly battered chicken tender that is covered in spices. Whatever your preference, there is a fast food restaurant that likely fits the bill. However, there are certain fast food chains with fried chicken options that just don't measure up.

In a Daily Meal ranking of the best fried chicken chains based on crunch and flavor, Checkers was one of the biggest letdowns. Checkers, also known as Rally's depending on the region, is a fast food chain that does have fried chicken options on the menu, although the chain isn't exactly known for it. We recommend skipping the chicken options unless you prefer your meat to have a bland, unmemorable flavor and texture.

Checkers' menus offer a choice of many fried chicken options, including chicken tenders, sandwiches, chicken bites, and sauce-covered wings. While the options are plentiful, one Daily Meal writer claimed the flavors and textures are "nothing to write home about." In our opinion, Checkers is home to some of the worst fast food chicken tenders on the market, and the chain's wings aren't much better. The chicken is said to be seasoned with a signature fry seasoning, but the blend of spices still does not provide a flavorful bite. Ultimately, there is nothing egregiously offensive about the quality or taste of the chain's chicken, but there are so many other fast food places that offer better, more flavorful options that it makes Checkers a less than ideal spot to visit when you're craving fried chicken.

Checkers has locations in 29 different states across America, serving a wide menu of American style fast food including burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fries, and sweet treats like funnel cake fries and shakes. The chain totally embraces the idea of fast food, rarely offering patrons a place to sit inside and most of the chain's locations have only drive-thru and pick up options. While the chain is known to be reasonably priced and offers fast service, the chicken options don't leave much of a mark.

The fried chicken options at Checkers left us unimpressed, but that does not mean the fast food chain should be written off altogether. While Checkers' hot dogs didn't wow us much, placing tenth on Daily Meal's ranking of fast food hot dogs, and the burgers have received majorly mixed reviews from fans online, there is one item that almost everyone can agree is worth the trip to Checkers — the french fries.

Checkers french fries are coated in a seasoned fry batter before being fried and then seasoned again, providing the perfect crunchy exterior while the potato inside stays nice and soft. One user on Reddit claimed that "[Checkers] fries make it the destination." This same batter coats the chain's mozzarella sticks and fried pickles, two other sides that are highly regarded amongst Checkers customers. While it's recommended that you skip Checkers' fried chicken, you definitely don't want to miss out on the battered and fried sides. For those without a Checkers location close by, you can also snag a bag of Checkers fries from the frozen aisle at certain grocery stores and heat them up yourself. Fans have claimed that air frying the store-bought version of Checkers fries tastes just as good as the ones served by the restaurant.