A Close Look at Chicken Wing Consumption Data

Chicken wings are a true staple of the American diet. From sporting events to casual get-togethers with friends and family, there’s a high probability wings will be involved.

In today’s environment, in large part because there’s been a shortage in sporting events such as March Madness, there’s actually an overabundance of wings. They’re available at grocery stores, and they’re certainly available for pickup and takeout at some of your favorite restaurants.

But who really holds the crown in chicken wings, and how many of them are usually consumed?

Rightfully so, Buffalo, New York holds the title of the original “Buffalo Wing.” The name of the product was no coincidence. Believe it or not, the history of how buffalo chicken wings came to be can be traced all the way back to 1964. However, a lot has changed since then. Wings have, well, taken flight, and the data demonstrates how consumption and branding of chicken wings has grown over the years.

Wing Consumption Statistics

The National Purchase Diary (NPD) group recently reported a five percent increase of wings being served when evaluating updated data. Yes, it’s obvious that Americans are ordering, eating, and enjoying chicken wings. Toward the end of 2019, the NPD’s vice president, David Portalatin, shared with the public that Americans have consumed around 1 billion servings of wings in one singular year. That translates to approximately 942.5 million servings.

Chicken Wing Creativity

Food experts have several reasons to explain the growth behind consuming chicken wings. One of the biggest factors is sheer volume of chicken wing restaurants and foodservice establishments. With volume comes the need for creativity and innovation, and our national, regional, and even single-store operations haven’t disappointed.

New restaurants and establishments have opened many doors for consumers and lovers of chicken wings. Exploring flavors is one element that keeps chicken wing sales on the rise, for example. By varying menu options and particularly sauce choices, restaurants can keep menus fresh with a range of flavors from typical buffalo sauce to Nashville hot.

The Future of Chicken Wings

Accessibility plays a major role in the growth of industry and businesses related to chicken wings, especially in the age of social distancing and self-quarantining. It’s next to impossible to function without some advances in technology, whether that be communication platforms such as social media or equipment innovations that can help make food production and our new era of takeout and delivery service more effective.

The social media aspect is so important, it’s worth mentioning again. The reality is restaurants are finding it increasingly difficult to reach customers in the age of the coronavirus, and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be reliable communication channels for educating the public on operation hours, pickup procedures, and even daily specials. In fact, in almost every type of operation, customers are depending on it.

Yes, we’re missing out on a lot of our nation’s most beloved sporting events. Yes, watching sporting events often goes hand-in-hand with eating chicken wings. But no, we don’t have to give up one of our most enjoyed comfort foods just because we’re all sheltering in place.

Whether you’re on team flat or team drum, with wings you can #BeatTheQuarantine.

Let our experts at Pitco help you crunch the data for how to best implement chicken wings into your menu, especially in today’s post-COVID environment. Schedule a free virtual fryer consultation with us, and learn more.