KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte): Price & Calories
A quantity build rather than a listed menu product; the price and nutrition below are for the pieces you actually receive. Three KFC Original Recipe tenders à la carte run about $5.99 to $390 calories, 36 grams of protein, no sides, no drink. This is the combo's engine sold bare, and for protein-first orders it's one of the quietest good deals on the board.
◐ REFERENCE FIGURES · INDEPENDENTLY TRACKED · 31 AUG 2026
Grade = this item's percentile across the whole menu: 40% price-per-calorie + 40% price-per-protein + 20% sodium penalty. Full formula.
KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) price
| Option | Price | Calories | Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 piece | $5.99 | 390 | ◐ REF. |
National reference pricing on the audit date. Franchises set final prices; a spread of about a dollar between locations is normal.
The Ledger · price history on recordWhat this item has cost
| Date | Price | Move |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $5.99 | opening entry |
Tracked at $5.99 as a quantity build; the single-piece price is where the movement shows first. Tenders reprice by the piece: watch the à la carte single, which moves before the combos do.
Fact checkWhy other sites disagree about this item
À la carte tender prices are the web's favorite thing to misquote, because the combo price gets pasted against the bare product constantly: $8.69 "three tenders" listings are everywhere and describe the bundle. Bare three-piece: $5.99 national reference, dated above. If a site's tender price includes a biscuit in the photo, you're looking at the wrong number.
Full nutrition, per serving
| Nutrient | Per serving | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 390 | 20% |
| Protein | 36 g | 72% |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g | 9% |
| Total fat | 18 g | 23% |
| Saturated fat | 4 g | 18% |
| Sodium | 1,050 mg | 46% |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0% |
| Fibre | 1 g | 4% |
Where the sodium lands
1,050 mg, 46% of the daily value, all brine and breading. Cleaner than any combo configuration by simple subtraction; the sauce cup you add back is 150 to 200 mg of it returning.
AllergensAllergens
Contains: Wheat, Soy, Milk, Egg. Shared fryers and prep areas mean cross-contact is possible; confirm with the restaurant if you have a severe allergy.
The buildWhat’s in the KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte)
| Component | Sold on its own | Published calories |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Original Recipe tenders | KFC Single Original Recipe Tender · $2.29 | 130 as sold alone |
| Dipping sauce | part of this build only | not published separately |
Component figures are the standalone items’ published values; portion sizes inside a build can differ, which is why this site never adds them into an unpublished total.
How to order the 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) today
Three tenders à la carte is a quantity build rather than a listed product: order single Original Recipe tenders in the app, or take the 3 pc. combo. The figures below describe exactly what arrives when you order it that way.
The listed alternative is the Single Original Recipe Tender; the counter math on this page still applies piece for piece.
How to order the 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) today
Three tenders à la carte is a quantity build rather than a listed product: order single Original Recipe tenders in the app, or take the 3 pc. combo. The figures below describe exactly what arrives when you order it that way.
The listed alternative is the Single Original Recipe Tender; the counter math on this page still applies piece for piece.
What is in a 3 pc. Tenders?
The same whole-muscle tenderloin strips that anchor the 3-piece combo, minus the entourage. What you give up: fries, biscuit, drink, about $2.70. What you keep: the chicken, the crunch, and a macro line, 36 g protein at 390 calories, that most protein bars would envy.
A sauce cup usually rides along on request; it isn’t printed on the à la carte line but stores include one without ceremony.
How it is made
Straight off the tenders line, boxed without the steam-generating companions, which means bare tenders actually hold their crust longer than combo tenders. The rare KFC order that improves by subtraction.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Macro trackers logging lunch, anyone pairing chicken with food from elsewhere, and the add-a-protein order alongside a side or a salad from home. At $1.66 per ten grams of protein it undercuts the combo‘s rate meaningfully.
If fries and a drink were happening anyway, the combo’s bundle price beats assembling: this page is for when they weren’t.
Is it worth the price?
The stealth macro order: combo engine, à la carte price.
The value grade holds without the sides because the tenders were always the value; the fries and drink were always the margin. Against the breast at $5.49, three tenders trade 3 g of protein for boneless convenience and better crunch retention; a fair swap most days. The one warning stays quantity-shaped: at two orders of these you’ve bought 5-piece combo money without its discount.
Order hacks
- Ask for a sauce cup: included on request even à la carte at most stores.
- Bare tenders out-crisp combo tenders; no box-mates means no steam.
- Pair with one large side for a complete meal near $9 with macros the combos can’t touch.
- Two of these = 5-piece-combo money; scale through the combo instead.
- The kids-lunch hack: split three tenders two ways with a side beats the kids meal on everything.
KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) vs KFC 3 pc. Tenders Combo: value, computed
| Item | Price | ¢ / calorie | $ / 10g protein | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) | $5.99 | 1.54¢ | $1.66 | B |
| KFC 3 pc. Tenders Combo | $8.69 | 0.76¢ | $2.02 | B+ |
| KFC 5 pc. Tenders Combo | $12.19 | 0.84¢ | $1.82 | B+ |
| KFC 2 pc. Tenders | $4.29 | 1.65¢ | $1.79 | C+ |
Computed from the prices and nutrition on this site. When a price moves, these columns move with it; only The KF Menu publishes this table.
AlternativesCompare with similar items
KFC 3 pc. Tenders Combo
$8.69
· 1145 cal · B+
KFC 5 pc. Tenders Combo
$12.19
· 1450 cal · B+
KFC 2 pc. Tenders
$4.29
· 260 cal · C+
KFC 12 pc. Tenders Family Meal
$26.99
· 2,600 to 3,800 whole meal cal
How to order the KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte)
| Route | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Status | A quantity build rather than a listed product: order the pieces in the app or take the listed alternative. Closest current order: KFC Single Original Recipe Tender. |
| KFC app & website | The reference price on this page, plus app-only offers and Rewards points. The cleanest way to see your own store’s price before ordering. |
| Counter & drive-through | Franchise-set pricing: a spread of about a dollar around the reference is normal. AK, HI and CA run higher on KFC’s own note. |
| Delivery apps | Marked up over counter price and no Rewards earning; the delivery page ranks the routes. |
| Also inside | KFC Single Original Recipe Tender ($2.29), KFC Chicken Little ($2.79), KFC Chicken Tender Snacker ($3.00), KFC 2 pc. Tenders ($4.29): the builds that bundle it. |
| Cheaper routes | current deals change without a schedule; the app row is the truth; the standing value board (Taste of KFC, $5 Bowls, Fill Ups) usually beats a promo code. |
KFC 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) FAQs
Is the 3 pc. Tenders (À La Carte) still available at KFC?
As a build rather than a listed product: order it piece by piece in the app or take the Single Original Recipe Tender. The price and nutrition here describe the pieces you receive.
How much are 3 KFC tenders without the combo?
About $5.99 à la carte: the combo at $8.69 adds fries, biscuit, sauce and a drink for the difference. Most online "$8+ tender" quotes are the bundle misdescribed.
How many calories in 3 KFC tenders?
390 plain, 130 each, with 36 g protein. Sauce adds 45 to 150 depending on the cup; ranch is the heavy end.
Are tenders or a chicken breast better protein value?
Nearly tied: tenders at $1.66 per 10 g, the breast at $1.41. The breast wins the ratio; tenders win boneless convenience and crunch.
Do à la carte tenders come with sauce?
On request, yes: one cup is customary at most locations even without a combo. Extra cups run about 25 to 50 cents.
Can I buy 2 or 5 tenders instead?
The 2-piece exists at about $4.29; five arrive via the combo frame. Odd numbers beyond that are just stacked orders at the register.
How much sodium in 3 tenders?
1,050 mg, 46% of daily value before sauce. Ranch adds ~180 mg; the honey BBQ about 210.
Original Recipe or Original Recipe tenders?
Tenders come extra crispy as standard: there is no Original Recipe tender. The coating is the tenders' own, closer to the crispy line.
Why do bare tenders taste fresher than combo ones?
No fries and biscuit steaming the box. Subtraction is the crisp-preservation trick nobody advertises.
Where every number came from
THE KF MENU · SOURCE SLIP
3-pc-tenders · audit 31 AUG 2026
independent guide, not affiliated with KFC Corporation