Wingstop is a popular chicken wing restaurant chain known for its wide variety of flavored wings and boneless chicken tenders. With over 1,500 locations worldwide, Wingstop offers customers a choice of 11 wing flavors and 8 seasoning flavors for their boneless wings and tenders. But with all these enticing options available, many Wingstop patrons wonder just how many calories are in one of their boneless chicken tenders.
The Basics on Wingstop Chicken Tenders
Wingstop’s boneless chicken tenders are made from all white meat chicken breast that is breaded and fried. An order of 5 tenders comes with your choice of Wingstop’s 8 seasoning flavors, which include Mild, Hot, Atomic, Mango Habanero, Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Hickory Smoked BBQ, and Garlic Parmesan. The tenders themselves are cooked without any added sauce or seasoning and the dry seasoning is only applied after cooking. This allows customers to switch up the flavors without having to order entirely new entrees.
Wingstop offers two sizes of boneless chicken tenders – 5 tenders or 10 tenders. Both sizes come with fries and ranch dressing on the side. Customers can also upgrade to waffle fries instead of regular fries for an additional charge.
Nutrition Information on Wingstop’s Website
According to the nutrition information provided on Wingstop’s website, here are the calories and macronutrients in their boneless chicken tenders:
- 5 tenders (with preferred seasoning) – 330 calories, 42g protein, 18g fat, 14g carbs
- 10 tenders (with preferred seasoning) – 670 calories, 84g protein, 36g fat, 29g carbs
These nutrition facts are based on Wingstop’s standard boneless tenders with the customer’s choice of dry seasoning. Specific calorie counts may vary slightly depending on the exact seasoning selected.
Calories Can Vary By Location
It’s important to note that the nutrition information provided by restaurant chains is meant to reflect average values across all locations. The actual calorie counts for items at a specific Wingstop location may vary for several reasons:
- Variation in food preparation and cooking methods between locations.
- Differences in the suppliers and exact type of ingredients used.
- Inconsistencies in portion sizes at some locations.
For example, a 5 piece order of tenders at one Wingstop might be slightly smaller or less breaded than another location, resulting in a minor difference in calories. So while Wingstop aims for uniform nutrition across all restaurants, some natural variation inevitably occurs when food is made in-house.
Typical Calorie Ranges
Taking into account the natural variation between locations, here are the typical calorie ranges for Wingstop chicken tenders:
| Menu Item | Calorie Range |
|---|---|
| 5 Wingstop Boneless Tenders | 300 – 350 calories |
| 10 Wingstop Boneless Tenders | 650 – 700 calories |
Based on customer reports, 5 tenders typically fall between 300-350 calories, while 10 tenders range from 650-700 calories. But to get the most accurate nutrition numbers for your specific Wingstop location, your best bet is to check the calorie board in the restaurant or ask for their latest nutrition brochure.
Tips for Ordering Lower Calorie
If you’re looking for ways to reduce the calorie count of your Wingstop tender order, here are some tips:
- Opt for 5 tenders instead of 10 tenders.
- Choose a lower calorie seasoning like Lemon Pepper.
- Order a side salad instead of fries.
- Ask for light breading on your tenders.
- Use half the ranch dressing provided to save calories.
- Share your tenders and split an order with a friend.
You can also build your own custom tender meal on Wingstop’s website and app. This allows you to play around with components and quantities to create your ideal lower calorie combination.
How Wingstop Tenders Compare to Other Chains
Wingstop’s boneless tenders are quite comparable in calories and nutrition to other popular fast food chains. Here’s how they stack up against the competition:
| Chain | 5 Tenders Calories |
|---|---|
| Wingstop | 300-350 |
| Raising Cane’s | 310 |
| Zaxby’s | 340 |
| Chick-fil-A | 450 |
Wingstop and Raising Cane’s have nearly identical calorie counts in the 300s for 5 tenders. Zaxby’s is also quite close at 340 calories. Chick-fil-A’s tenders skew a bit higher at 450 calories for 5 pieces. So Wingstop remains one of the lower calorie options if you’re chicken tender craving.
Ways to Calculate Calories
If the calorie counts for Wingstop vary by location, how can you be sure of the calories in the tenders you’re ordering? Here are some options:
- Ask the restaurant – Request to see the latest nutrition info at that specific Wingstop.
- Check online – Search for nutrition calculators that provide estimates based on average tender sizes.
- Weigh the tenders – Use a food scale at home to weigh your tenders for calorie math.
- Compare similar items – Look up comparable tenders from chains like Raising Cane’s.
Getting an exact calorie count per tender can be tricky outside of lab conditions. But using estimates from the restaurant itself or online calculators gives you a good ballpark figure.
Does sauce affect the calories?
One question that often comes up with Wingstop tenders is whether adding sauce adds more calories. The answer is that Wingstop’s dry seasoning rubs do not add any significant calories to the chicken tenders.
The dry rubs are a combination of spices, herbs, and some salt. A dash of cayenne pepper or garlic powder doesn’t contain any calories. So dipping your tenders in the Cajun or Lemon Pepper seasoning brings lots of flavor without extra calories.
Of course, if you add one of Wingstop’s wet sauces like Ranch or Bleu Cheese on top, that will tack on some additional calories. But the dry seasonings themselves are essentially calorie-free ways to add excitement to your tenders.
Can sauces skew the counts?
Since Wingstop’s dry rubs don’t affect calorie counts, are there any other factors that could alter the nutrition info? One possibility is the oil used for frying.
Wingstop fries all of its wings and tenders in a blend of canola oil, corn oil, and beef tallow. If a specific location were to use higher ratios of corn oil or beef tallow, the tenders could absorb slightly more oil and thus take on more calories.
However, Wingstop maintains strict quality control standards to ensure all its restaurants are following the same cook procedures. So any differences in oil types used is likely to be minimal and only result in tiny calorie fluctuations.
Conclusion
So how many calories are really in a Wingstop tender? Based on the company’s nutrition data and customer reports, 5 Wingstop boneless chicken tenders contain approximately 300-350 calories depending on the specific location. This puts Wingstop on the lower end of the calorie spectrum compared to other fast food chains.
While calorie counts may vary slightly across Wingstop locations, you can feel confident that their tenders will be in the same ballpark. Focusing on ways to reduce calories like opting for a 5 tender meal, skipping fries, and limiting sauces will allow you to enjoy Wingstop’s crispy breaded tenders without going over your calorie budget.
The next time your boneless chicken tender craving strikes, head to Wingstop for a fix. Just be mindful of the total calories in your full meal and order sensible sides to keep your meal nutritious. With some small tweaks, you can satisfy your comfort food urges at Wingstop without derailing your health goals.
