Southern fried chicken chain Zaxbys enters Manhattan’s chicken finger fight with first UES location

Winner winner … you know the rest.

Beloved Southern chicken chain Zaxbys has, at long last, landed in Manhattan, thereby expanding its territory in the tender takedown.

Known for its famous fingers and signature sauces, Georgia-born Zaxbys opened its Upper East Side location at 1267 First Avenue (between 68th and 69th Streets) last week, and celebrated with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting on October 8.  

“New York is one of the most influential food cities in the world, and we’re incredibly proud to introduce Zaxbys to this market,” said Bernard Acoca, Chief Executive Officer of Zaxbys.

“Whether it’s Southern transplants looking for a taste of home or New Yorkers discovering our Chicken Fingerz and signature sauces for the first time, we’re excited to share the Southern hospitality and bold flavor experiences that have made Zaxbys a fan favorite for more than 35 years.”

Zaxbys, which was founded in 1990 and boasts more than 1,000 locations across 24 states, made its NY debut earlier this summer with a Bronx location at 3260 Boston Road.

Zaxbys foray into the New York market could put heat on rival tender peddler Raising Cane’s, threatening its dominance in the city.

Raising Cane’s was first to the game, opening its first New York location in 2023 with an 8,000-square-foot global flagship store in Times Square.

“From exclusive menu innovations inspired by New York’s iconic food culture to community-focused experiences and surprise moments for fans, the brand will be showing New Yorkers how to Zax,” Zaxbys promised.

The rivalry between Zaxbys and Louisiana-based Raising Cane’s—often dubbed the “Chicken Tender War”—is one of fast food’s most intense battles.

Many a content creator has made their mark and their money by comparing the two.

A recent Reddit thread was titled simply “Zaxbys is better and I’ll die on that hill.”

While both brands offer nearly identical platters (chicken tenders, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, and a signature mayo-and-pepper sauce), their business philosophies and flavor profiles differ widely.

Still, as both brands continue to expand their tender territories, they often build directly across the street from one another, intensifying local brand-loyalty wars.

Both brands’ signature sauces (Zax Sauce and Cane’s Sauce) feature a similar base of mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cane’s Sauce is famously mixed fresh by hand in every store daily.

Meanwhile, Zaxby’s deals exclusively in factory-sealed sauces but offers an expanded list of flavors including buffalo, teriyaki, and sweet heat.

McDonald’s is reportedly joining the fray.

The brand is preparing to test hand-breaded chicken menu items in nearly 200 restaurants across the US and Ireland next year.

It’s part of McDonald’s plan to snatch market share from competitors like Zaxby and Raising Cane’s, both of which hand-batter and -bread chicken daily in restaurants around the country. 

Zaxbys promoted the new UES opening in a series of Instagram posts featuring its jersey-wearing avian mascot Coop.

Fans were hype.

“This is equivalent to Mandami becoming mayor,” commented one chicken enthusiast.

“The north ain’t ready for that Zax sauce,” prophesied another.

“My dreams are coming true,” exclaimed a third.

“You don’t understand how long I’ve been vocally manifesting this. And it’s not only in NYC, but in my neighborhood!!! THANK YOU for making my wildest dreams come true!!!!,” mused another.