It seems the restaurants specializing in chicken strips are experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately. One of the relative newcomers is Zaxby's. They promise "Full of Flavor & Made to Order". Somewhat distressingly, they publish the calorie count of their meals right on the menu, which can be a bit of an eye-opener. I ordered the 4-piece combo, which clocks in at 1240-1570 calories. Given that I bypassed the coleslaw, dipping sauce, and most of the fries and toast I imagine my meal was a bit less than that. Probably extremely healthy, right!?
The tenders are a bit different from most. The breading is somewhat heavy and dark and the chicken has more of a smoky flavor compared to most. The chicken is fairly juicy and has a favorable consistency, but I cannot help but be haunted by the continued smokiness. It is overpowering and, I believe, is a detriment to the strip. The strips are better than typical fast-food fare, for sure (Arby's, Sonic, etc...), but I prefer other competitors such as Slim Chickens, Freddy's, and Applebees. The toast was pretty nasty for some reason and the crinkle-cut fries are a bit too under-fried and potato-y. As a result, I felt like I was throwing away half the meal by mass.
Overall, I am glad they tried something new, but they just didn't work for me. I will probably go to Zaxby's at least once more given that I have some remaining balance on a gift card. However, after this I will likely be finished with them; there are too many other options out there that can beat Zaxby's on taste and price.
