I ordered an eight-count of bone-in traditional Buffalo wings at the restaurant I visited in Massachusetts. They cost $12.19, excluding taxes and fees, and came with celery sticks and sides of ranch and blue cheese.

I live in New York City, but I had to travel further afield to try the chain's wings because many of my local TGI Fridays restaurants have closed.

In early November, the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Reuters reported that it was facing $37 million in debt, which led to some underperforming restaurants closing.

The TGI Fridays location I visited in Massachusetts is locally franchised and owned, so it's not included in the larger brand's bankruptcy filing.

Unlike some of the other chains I tried, TGI Fridays also doesn't appear to make its own Buffalo sauce.

On the menu, it's advertised as simply Frank's Red Hot Buffalo. While I do like that brand of sauce, I could easily make the same wings at home, which made it feel less unique.

I also thought they were slightly smaller than some of the other wings I tried.

Business Insider reached out to TGI Fridays for comment but did not receive a response.

Though I liked the crispy skin and texture of these chicken wings, as well as the tender meat inside, I thought they were lacking in sauce and flavor.

Overall, I probably wouldn't order these again.

At my local Applebee's in Brooklyn, an order of nine classic bone-in wings costs $18.99, excluding tax and fees. They came with celery sticks and sides of ranch and blue cheese.

Applebee's partnered with the NFL this year as the league's official grill and bar partner after finding a major crossover between their customer base and NFL viewers.

"We know our guests are football fans," Applebee's chief marketing officer Joel Yashinsky told Business Insider.

Since Buffalo wings are a favorite among football fanatics, I was excited to see how the chain fared.

The wings were a rich red-brown color and fried to a crisp.

The Buffalo sauce had a nice balance between the heat and the more savory, buttery flavor, making for a balanced bite. I thought the meat inside was pretty juicy, and I loved the sheer size of these wings.

My only real complaint was the price — $18.99 for a plate of wings felt pretty pricey, even though the wings were on the larger side. However, the price will vary depending on which location you visit.

At the Massachusetts location I visited, an eight-count of bone-in Buffalo wings cost $14.99, excluding tax and fees. They came with two dipping sauces: ranch and blue cheese.

However, the wings cost slightly more, $17.99, at the Chili's location I typically visit in Queens, New York.

I've tried these wings before and commented that they could have been slightly saucier and crispier. However, when I tried them this second time, I didn't encounter those issues.

They were perfectly crispy and almost dripping in sauce.

The Buffalo sauce had a strong buttery flavor with just the right amount of heat. The chain is also known for its ranch dipping sauce, which paired very nicely with the wings.

Though the wings were smaller, I thought they packed more flavor than the ones from Applebee's and TGI Fridays.

The chain's Buffalo bone-in wings are arguably Buffalo Wild Wings' most famous menu item, so I was eager to see how they would stack up against other chain restaurants' wings. I certainly wasn't disappointed.

I ordered a six-count of traditional Buffalo wings through the Buffalo Wild Wings app for $12.49, excluding tax and fees, and a side of ranch.

The wings were crispy and had a light coating of Buffalo sauce that covered every part of the wings.

There was a selection of both drumsticks and flats, but I noticed that the drums were particularly meaty.

The chicken meat inside the wing was moist and tender, and the crispy skin and slightly sweet, just-spicy-enough sauce added a lot of flavor. Overall, these were really solid Buffalo wings.

I also thought these wings were a great value for the money and would definitely order them again.

I ordered 10 classic bone-in wings for $17.29, excluding tax and fees.

Wingstop doesn't offer Buffalo sauce on its menu, but it does have its Original Hot sauce, which is the chain's version of Buffalo. I ordered them with a side of ranch.

The sticky sauce clung to my fingers as I ate these wings, which were the perfect size: not too big, not too small, and just the right amount of tender chicken meat.

The sauce had a lot of levels, balancing between a strong vinegar flavor, to buttery, and topped off with a layer of spice that was slightly smoky yet not overpowering.

The Wingstop wings stood out as the spiciest among all the chains I tried. However, the heat didn't overpower the flavor — instead, it enhanced it.

Each element, from the crispy seasoned skin to the tangy undertones of the sauce, came through distinctly. These wings balanced bold, spicy flavor with a depth of taste, making them the best chain-restaurant Buffalo wings I tried.

Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, Wingstop has grown a cult following over the years for its chicken offerings, from its wings to its recently released chicken sandwich, which has caught the attention of Gen-Z consumers.

Wingstop does have dine-in options, but I felt it was more authentic to the Wingstop experience to order in.

I ordered four crispy tenders plain with a side of honey mustard sauce from my local Wingstop in Brooklyn, New York, for $10.39, excluding tax and fees.

I ordered these tenders plain, but they also come in all of the chain's signature sauces, from lemon pepper to Buffalo. I liked the ability to customize my tenders according to my preferences.

The tenders paired well with the honey mustard, which was creamy and had an ideal level of tanginess. I also thought the classic breading had a nice amount of flavor and peppery seasoning.

Each Wingstop tender had a different amount of juicy chicken meat, with some pieces being thicker and more satisfying than others. While the flavor was spot-on, I found myself wishing there was a bit more meat in each bite to really hit the mark.

These tenders would make a decent addition to a spread of wings from Wingstop, especially for folks turned off by spicy food.

Next time I order from Wingstop, I'll probably stick to their specialty: their wings.

Business Insider reached out to Wingstop for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

I visited my local Applebee's in Brooklyn, New York, to try these chicken tenders.

Applebee's partnered with the NFL this year as the league's official grill and bar partner after finding a major crossover between their customer base and NFL viewers.

"We know our guests are football fans," Applebee's chief marketing officer Joel Yashinsky told Business Insider, adding, "This season, we've been all in on the NFL."

Data collected by Applebee's in April showed that 64% of its guests were interested in or very interested in the NFL, and about 34% had watched the NFL in the last 12 months, which informed the chain's football season strategy, Yashinsky said.

While the chain is consistently lauded for its boneless wings, I haven't heard much about its chicken tenders.

At my location, the chicken tender plate typically costs $12.99, excluding tax and fees. However, I ordered them as part of the chain's "2 for $2X" deal, which also allowed me to get an order of boneless wings and a classic cheeseburger.

They were really crispy, but slightly on the smaller side. The serving size of the honey mustard was also smaller than the Wingstop version.

However, unlike Wingstop, these chicken tenders came with a generous serving of fries, which I thought made this meal an excellent value.

I appreciated the seasoning on the breading, which was a highlight since this chain serves its tenders plain without coating them in signature sauces like those available at Wingstop, Chili's, or Buffalo Wild Wings.

My only complaint, other than the smaller size of the chicken tenders, was just how fried they were. I thought the breading was a little overcooked, to the point that it left a dry, almost burned taste in my mouth.

However, this could have just been the batch I received and not standard for all Applebee's chicken tenders. I reached out to Applebee's about my experience, but they did not respond before publication.

TGI Fridays has run into financial trouble in recent months. In early November, the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Reuters reported that it was facing $37 million in debt, which led to some underperforming restaurants closing.

The TGI Fridays location I visited in Massachusetts is locally franchised and owned, so it's not included in the larger brand's bankruptcy filing.

I ordered a four-piece tender meal for $15.69, excluding tax and fees. It came with a side — I opted for mac and cheese — and honey mustard.

They still had the signature finger shape I typically look for in a chicken tender.

This honey-mustard dipping sauce was less creamy compared to the other chains I tried. However, I was mostly judging the chicken tenders on their own, not the sauces they came with.

I was impressed by these chicken tenders and would definitely order them again the next time I visit TGI Fridays for game day or just a standard dinner out.

However, I thought the breading was just slightly too thick and underseasoned to rank them higher than the top two chains.

Business Insider reached out to TGI Fridays for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Chili's has been killing the game lately — with traffic and sales on the upswing leading up to football season, the chain is arguably in a league of its own.

The chain told BI in April that a return to commercial advertising has been a major part of the brand's efforts to increase brand awareness over the past couple of years. This includes during sports seasons. Sports Business Journal reported that in 2023, Chili's spent 38% of its TV advertising budget on live NFL action during games.

Value has also been a focus for the chain in the past year. It has expanded its "3 For Me" menu and offers happy-hour beers starting at $3.

"We're focused on creating a lively, social atmosphere that makes Chili's a great spot to watch the game," Chili's chief marketing officer George Felix told BI.

"Of course, we understand that some people prefer to watch the game from the comfort of home, which is why we also offer everyday favorites and party platters for takeout and delivery," he added.

I ordered a four-count of Chicken Crispers for $14.99, excluding tax and fees. The meal also included fries, mac and cheese, and two sauces.

The tenders are available in a variety of flavors, such as Nashville Hot, Honey Chipotle, Buffalo Ranch, barbecue, and Buffalo.

I paired my chicken tenders with ranch and honey mustard and was impressed by the creaminess and flavor of both sauces. However, the chicken tenders really hit it out of the park.

It was peppery, slightly salty, and just crispy enough to not overpower the chicken meat inside. Plus, for the price, you also get a lot of food.

While I'd probably opt for smothering these chicken tenders in a signature sauce next time, they also hold up on their own with their crispy breading and succulent chicken meat.

Buffalo Wild Wings was founded in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, by Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery, who started the restaurant with the goal of bringing authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings to the area.

The chain has since expanded to over 1,200 locations and offers 21 different sauce options, including the chain's signature Buffalo sauce, for its classic bone-in wings, boneless wings, and tenders.

A five-count of the chain's hand-breaded tenders with no sauce or dry rub and fries typically costs $17.99, excluding tax and fees.

However, Buffalo Wild Wings was running a promotion that allowed me to order 15 boneless wings, five tenders, ranch or blue cheese dipping sauces, and fries for $19.99, so I chose that deal instead.

These chicken tenders had tiny pieces of fried breading that enhanced the texture of each bite and paired well with the tangy and fresh ranch dipping sauce provided.

The chicken tenders themselves were well-seasoned and sizable — they were probably the largest chicken tenders I tried, length-wise, and also the thickest.

The breading had the most distinctive flavor out of all the tenders I tried.

The chicken meat inside was moist and high-quality, in my opinion. These tenders from Buffalo Wild Wings also tasted the most homemade to me, which I attributed to the flaky, hand-breaded coating.

The crispy breading added a satisfying crunch without being too thick, complementing the tender, juicy chicken inside. Every bite struck the perfect balance, making these feel less like a mass-produced product from a chain restaurant and more like something prepared fresh in a home kitchen.

All of the chicken tenders I tried had something tasty to offer for game-day and tailgating season. But in the end, Buffalo Wild Wings was the real MVP.

Whether you want a classic burger, appetizer platter, or a more festive Thanksgiving-inspired meal, Applebee's might become your go-to holiday spot.

Some, but not all, Applebee's locations are expected to be open, so it's best to call ahead to confirm your local restaurant's hours and menu before arriving with the whole family.

Bob Evans is famous for its annual Thanksgiving meal, which includes slow-roasted turkey, house-made bread-and-celery dressing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans and ham, buttered corn, dinner rolls, and a slice of pumpkin pie.

Bob Evans restaurants should be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. for breakfast or the chain's Thanksgiving holiday meal, though the website recommends that guests check with their local restaurant for adjusted hours and availability.

Boston Market is set to be open for dine-in and take-out this Thanksgiving, though hours may vary depending on location.

The chain's dine-in meal includes classic dishes like roasted turkey breast or half rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable stuffing, a dinner roll, and a slice of apple or pumpkin pie.

Bravo! Italian Kitchens are set to be open this Thanksgiving, offering a traditional meal and the option to order a "Thanksgiving Feast To Go."

The chain's Thanksgiving menu includes sliced white-meat turkey, homestyle gravy, roasted-garlic mashed potatoes, Italian sausage stuffing, a seasonal vegetable, cranberry sauce, and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert.

Brio Italian Grille is also set to be open on Thanksgiving. Customers can choose from the chain's standard menu, special Thanksgiving meal, or carry out its "Thanksgiving Feast To Go."

The chain recommends making a reservation or preordering a pickup meal ahead of time, as the restaurant can get busy on the holiday.

Buca di Beppo is also slated to open on Thanksgiving. The Italian restaurant offers a Thanksgiving menu for dine-in service, including classic roasted turkey breast and side dishes. You can reserve your table online or preorder a Thanksgiving feast for pick-up.

Many Buffalo Wild Wings are supposed to be open this Thanksgiving for regular dine-in and take-out service, but you'll want to confirm with your local restaurant before making any solid plans to grab some food or catch the football game.

If you're sick of turkey by the end of the night, swing by your local Burger King restaurant. However, hours vary by location, so it's best to check before you hit the drive-thru.

This Thanksgiving, you can also reserve a table at your local Capital Grille.

The chain restaurant's pre-fixe menu, which costs $55 for adults and $20 for children, includes holiday favorites like slow-roasted turkey with brioche stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin cheesecake can also be added to the meal for an added cost.

Cracker Barrel locations should also be open for dine-in service on Thanksgiving this year.

Restaurants will be open during normal business hours, starting at 11 a.m., but guests are encouraged to check their local store hours here.

If you want to eat at Cracker Barrel on Thanksgiving, you can expect a limited menu that includes a turkey meal, available only on the holiday. The meal includes roasted turkey breast, cornbread dressing and gravy, green beans, sweet potato casserole with pecans, and cranberry relish. The meal is also served with dinner rolls and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert.

Cracker Barrel also offers a heat-and-serve Thanksgiving feast, chicken and dumplings meal, and a Thanksgiving sides assortment that comes with dinner rolls.

Denny's is also planning to serve up Thanksgiving favorites again this year. Customers can preorder their Denny's Thanksgiving meal for $55 as early as November 22 for Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving celebrations.

What better way to power through your day of cooking than a morning run to Dunkin'?

While many locations are set to be operating business as usual, you might want to confirm your local Dunkin's hours before heading out, as some locations will have limited hours on Thanksgiving Day.

Although primarily known as a seafood restaurant and steakhouse, Eddie V's is also no stranger to a Thanksgiving meal.

This year, the chain is set to be open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and offer a special Thanksgiving menu with slow-roasted turkey, green beans with sundried tomatoes, brioche sage stuffing, gravy, cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, and a bread basket, in addition to the restaurant's full menu.

For the holiday, Fleming's Steakhouse has its usual menu as well as a special three-course Thanksgiving menu starting at $65 per guest that includes a choice of herb-roasted turkey, filet mignon, or prime bone-in ribeye, a starter, sides, and dessert.

All locations are supposed to open at 11 a.m., and the restaurant chain recommends making a reservation ahead of time. 

Fogo de Chão is accepting catering reservations for Thanksgiving this year and locations should be open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

The steak-house chain's Thanksgiving menu includes classic holiday dishes like a choice of two fire-roasted meats, sweet-potato casserole, Brazilian sausage and apple dressing, and cranberry relish.

When you're trying to feed the masses, a classic buffet like Golden Corral is a good choice.

Golden Corral restaurants are set to be open on Thanksgiving from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, some locations may be open even later, so it's best to call ahead and confirm your local restaurant's Thanksgiving hours.

If you don't want to dine in, Golden Corral also offers individual holiday meals to-go and holiday feasts that are available to preorder.

USA Today reported that Hooters locations should be open from 4 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving. Locations in Michigan and Dallas will operate at different hours based on the Detroit Lions and Cowboys football games.

A stack of buttermilk pancakes would certainly hit the spot on Thanksgiving morning.

Luckily, many IHOP locations are set to be operating their regular hours on the holiday, but customers should consider calling their local store to check the chain's hours first.

If your Thanksgiving meal doesn't go to plan, there's always McDonald's.

Holiday business hours may vary by location, but most McDonald's locations are expected to be open on Thanksgiving. However, it's always best to double-check with your local Golden Arches, just in case.

All Metro Diner locations are expected to be open for dine-in table service until 2:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

The diner chain also offers a take-out feast with a choice of baked ham or roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans or corn, cornbread stuffing or mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, and Hawaiian dinner rolls. The take-out option is served cold for guests to heat up on their own at home.

Most Popeyes locations are expected to operate their regular hours and menu this Thanksgiving, but Popeyes fans can also order a full-sized Cajun turkey for their at-home holiday feasts.

The turkey comes precooked, but you'll need to heat it up again in your own oven before serving. To place a turkey order, call your closest location or order one online to have it shipped to you.

Most Ruby Tuesday restaurants are supposed to be open this Thanksgiving during regular business hours from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., though it's best to call and confirm with your local restaurant before solidifying any plans. 

Select Ruth's Chris Steak House locations are expected to be open this Thanksgiving, and the chain is offering a special festive menu.

The steak house's Thanksgiving menu includes soup or salad, roasted turkey, and several side dishes, such as garlic mashed potatoes, sweet-potato casserole, creamed spinach, and green beans with roasted garlic. Guests can also preorder a full Thanksgiving dinner for pick-up.

If turkey isn't your thing, consider having Thanksgiving dinner at a steak house.

STK locations nationwide are expected to be open on Thanksgiving, though it's best to make a reservation, check the hours at your nearby location or pick up one of the chain's Thanksgiving feasts to go. 

Many Starbucks locations should be open on Thanksgiving Day for home cooks looking for their caffeine fix, though holiday hours may vary by location. 

You won't find traditional Thanksgiving fare here, but why not opt for a turkey sub and skip the cooking?

Although not all Subway restaurants are confirmed to be open on Thanksgiving Day, many are expected to be. However, you'll want to check your closest location's hours just to be sure.

Waffle House is famous for being open 24 hours a day year-round, and Thanksgiving Day is no exception.

Whether you opt for a classic waffle or get your hash browns smothered and covered, Waffle House locations should be open for all of your Thanksgiving breakfast or pre-Black-Friday-feast needs. 

Most Wendy's locations are expected to be open on Thanksgiving Day, giving people the chance to fuel up on fast-food breakfast or even a burger before their meals. However, specific hours may vary by location.

Whataburger, which typically operates 24 hours a day, should have all of its locations open on Thanksgiving Day.