Spreading Their Wings
CityBird Tenders Expands to Indiana
Writer / Noah Alatza
Photography Provided
A fast-growing regional eatery specializing in chicken tenders has opened its first Indiana location. CityBird Tenders officially started operating in late August at a location off of 116th Street near Cumberland Road, adjacent to Torchys Tacos.
The franchise started in the Cincinnati area, and has since grown to six locations in three states.
Fishers is an amazing community and we ultimately made the final decision because of the location, says Melanie Bowling, brand ambassador for CityBird Tenders. We had a couple of other concepts established in northwest Indiana and the Indy metro, so we are familiar with the area.
CityBirds menu features their signature chicken tenders and sandwiches, salads, and other staple side dishes like french fries and coleslaw.
The food sells itself, Bowling says. What separates us from the competition is that everything is thoroughly thought out and made from scratch. It is tested and tasted again before we serve it to our customers.
She says everything is made in-house, from the chicken tenders and CityBird spices to other seasonings, sauces and dressings.
These are chef-inspired recipes, she says. While we try not to change the menu too much, we do make subtle changes and seasonal offerings just to keep it fresh. We work with the freshest ingredients and are constantly preparing our foods with the finest ingredients.
Bowling says CityBird Tenders stands out from other local restaurants featuring chicken tenders simply because of the quality.
When you visit, our tenders may be smaller than our competitions other, bigger chicken tenders, she says. The difference you will find is the breading-to-tender ratio. You cant beat it. They are breaded in-house, fresh every day. Throughout the day we have someone solely focused on breading them and frying them up. You can taste the chicken tender in every bite you take. It has a nice, juicy consistency you cant find anywhere else.
Despite only being open for a few months, CityBird Tenders has generated plenty of positive community buzz according to Bowling.
The reviews so far have been nothing short of positive, she says. Theres always room for opportunity for every concept, and I will say we are geared more toward a grab-and-go approach.
CityBird Tenders also delivers through third-party services including DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats. Online orders are also accepted on the CityBird mobile application, available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
Bowling says the eaterys leaders also want to play a proactive role in community involvement. We participate in fundraising for schools or other nonprofits looking for donations, she says. Thats something we want to be involved in.
Expansion is also likely in the coming months. Bowling says the CityBird Team is looking at opening multiple locations in central Indiana as early as 2023.
For information on fundraising opportunities, email melanie@keystone-foods.com.
CityBird Tenders is located at 11595 Whistle Drive, Suite 130 in Fishers. Call 317-288-2256 or visit citybirdtenders.com to learn more.
