I'm a food reporter who went to Zaxby's for the first time and it's my new go-to chicken chain

When I walked into the location at lunchtime, there were a few people in line waiting to order and one other person waiting for their food. The location I visited also had a drive-thru, but I decided to eat inside in order to get the full experience.

It took only a few minutes to get to the front of the line and place my order. The service was quick and friendly, while the menu included classic chicken tender combos as well as wings, salads, and sandwiches. I decided to try out the chain's famous chicken tenders to see how they compared to others I've had in the past.

There were two large containers of iced tea and a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine for all of the chain's soft drink options. I decided on a lemonade, which sounded really refreshing on the hot North Carolina day I visited.

However, given that it was so hot out, I decided to keep cool and eat my meal inside.

I chose a booth in the back of the restaurant to eat my meal, but there were also tons of free tables scattered around.

I also asked for a side of honey mustard and Zaxby's famous Zax sauce. My meal cost $9.89, excluding taxes and fees.

It was perfectly buttery and paired well with the other menu items.

It tasted mostly of vinegar and had a tart, refreshing taste. I thought it was really similar in flavor to coleslaw I've gotten from Popeyes in the past.

The breading was perfectly crispy and super flavorful, with a slight sweetness. These chicken tenders were thick and contained a lot of juicy, white-meat chicken, which I really enjoyed.

The chicken tenders held their own without sauce but were really taken to the next level when dipped in the tangy Zax sauce. Zax sauce tastes similar to Raising Cane's sauce, but I found it to be just ever-so-slightly less flavorful. However, it was more flavorful than Chick-fil-A sauce, in my opinion, and was undeniably delicious when paired with the fries and chicken tenders.

I found myself craving even more than the five chicken tenders I was given.

I thought they were well-seasoned and perfectly fluffy on the inside, but crispy and flavorful on the outside. I was also given a very generous serving.

It was just Minute-Maid lemonade from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. However, I thought it was subtly sweet, without any added pulp, and paired nicely with my meal.

The chicken tenders really blew me away, and I thought I received a very generous amount of food for the price. The fries, coleslaw, and toast were all flavorful, delicious additions, and I also enjoyed the chain's signature sauce.

I will definitely be stopping by Zaxby's for a chicken tender combo the next time I'm in the South — and I'll definitely try some of the chain's other options, too.