For years, American Costco shoppers have looked at the Canadian food court menu — and pretty much every other international Costco menu — with envy. While our neighbors to the north have long enjoyed fried chicken strips and poutine, the U.S. menu has remained (devastatingly) tendie-free.
That might finally be changing. On May 4, 2026, Costco started testing chicken tenders at select locations. But before you rush to the food court, you should know that these aren’t quite the same as the ones found across the border.
Which Costco Food Courts Have Chicken Tenders?
The new item is currently being tested in six Chicagoland locations, including warehouses in Schaumburg and across Illinois. The tendies are listed at $6.99 for five breaded strips and dipping sauce. To make room for the chicken, though, the combo calzone is getting bumped from the menu. According to a Reddit thread discussing the tenders, the U.S. price doesn’t stack up to the value in Canada: “For comparison, Costco Canada charges CAD $6.99 for 4 strips and fries,” wrote one Redditor.
The Calorie Count That’ll Burst Your Belt Loop
The most shocking part of the new debut isn’t the price, but the nutritional label. A single order clocks in at a massive 1,640 calories. For many adults, that is nearly 80% of the recommended daily intake in one sitting. As one Redditor quipped, “Are they giving liquid uranium as a dipping sauce?”
Why the high count?
The dipping sauce appears to be a mayo-based “smoky and sweet” blend (reminiscent of Chick-fil-A sauce), which adds significant fat and calories. Plus, unlike the Canadian version, these strips are baked, not fried, because American Costco cafes don’t have deep fryers. While you might think that sounds healthier, in order to ensure they don’t dry out in the pizza oven, the meat is likely brined or injected, leading to a high sodium count — roughly 2,870mg per order.
What Early Reviews Reveal
Early testers from The Takeout and Sporked are giving the new item mixed reviews. While the portion size is described as “absolutely enormous” and the chicken remains moist, the primary complaint is the salt. Reviewers have noted that the sodium levels are so high they “overpower any other flavor.”
Additionally, because the strips are run through a pizza oven rather than a deep fryer, the breading can be thick, hard, and “grainy” compared to the crispy crunch of a traditional fried tender. Redditors are put off by how dry they look, with one user writing, “Yup. Way too much breading on them. Chicken strips and tenders are meant to be fried-that’s what gets them tender and juicy. Baked strips are dry and crusty.”
Suffice it to say, if you’re looking for the high-quality, fried experience of the Canadian food court, you might be disappointed. Fingers crossed that Costco looks to reviews during the testing phase to give Americans the tendies of their dreams.
Are you in the Chicago area? Let us know if your local warehouse has made the switch and if you’ve tried them yet.
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