Come hungry, leave happy.
TenderFest is bringing an all-you-can-eat chicken tender celebration to Navy Pier this Saturday, October 10, 2026, with a lineup of celebrated restaurants, chef-crafted bites, and a competition to crown the best tender.
From Harold’s and Hattie B’s to Bub City and Dave’s Hot Chicken, the event brings together familiar favorites for an incredibly crispy day on the lakefront.
What restaurants will be at TenderFest?
The festival includes a mix of Chicago staples and visiting favorites. Announced vendors include:
- Bub City
- Chiu Quon Bakery
- Dave’s Hot Chicken
- Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken
- Fat Head Chicken
- Fry the Coop
- Harold’s
- Hattie B’s
- Portillo’s
- R.J. Grunts
- Roost Chicken & Biscuits
- Sir Chicken
- Tender Crush
Celebrity chefs will compete for the best chicken tender
Beyond the all-you-can-eat offerings, TenderFest’s conTENDER Competition will put chef-crafted tenders in the spotlight as competitors battle for the title of best chicken tender. Chefs like David Choi, Jeff Mauro, Lamar J. Moore, Manny’s Delicatessen, and Josh Elkin, in collaboration with Prince St. Pizza, are among the contenders.
A Joey Chestnut competition and a supersized tender are part of the festivities
If you thought it couldn’t get any better, there will be a tender-eating competition where Joey Chestnut will be competing for a world-record attempt, and Josh Elkin will attempt the world’s largest chicken tender. Lots of world records could be broken.
When is TenderFest in Chicago?
TenderFest takes place at Navy Pier on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The event has two sessions: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m., so plan accordingly!
Tickets are available through the official TenderFest website.
- Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Location: Navy Pier, Chicago
- Sessions: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m.
This is the first time the event has been in Chicago; last month, it was in LA.
