Are You a Wing Warrior? Discover the Temperature of Your Chicken Wings Program with Our New Quiz

The popularity of chicken wings and consumer demand for variety continue to create new revenue streams for bar and restaurant owners. With this piqued interest, many foodservice operators are considering a wing program to expand their menus and attract more consumers. But the market is hot, and there’s often a lot of competition. So how can restaurants take wings to the next level to find a competitive advantage?

The Wing Craze: Exploring the Soaring Popularity and Profitability of Chicken Wings

Fried chicken wings landed in restaurants and sports bars for the first time in the mid-1960s. Originating in Buffalo, New York, bone-in and boneless chicken wings took over the country, becoming a game-changer for bars and restaurants. Between 1970 and the 1990s, the popularity of the chicken wing hit icon status. Sports bars, restaurant chains, and hotels began recreating menus to meet customer demand. The speed with which boneless and bone-in chicken sales increased is mainly due to the fusion of sports watching with quick, easy-to-eat menu options. 

The expansion of the chicken wing market has been vital in sustaining long-term growth and success for sports bars, hotels, and chain restaurants. Because of that innovative blend of live entertainment, libations, and bite-sized snacks, billions of chicken wings are eaten by Americans each year. Whether sold in a basket with piping hot french fries or as a stand-alone, wings consistently drive higher profit margins for foodservice operators. Here are a few reasons why:

Low Cost

Relatively inexpensive compared to other meat cuts, chicken wings are sold in bulk at reduced prices. Allowing restaurants to benefit from economies of scale.

Versatility

From simple seasoning to elaborate sauces, versatility allows restaurants to offer a wide range of wing options. Cater to different tastes and preferences. Chicken wings can be an appetizer, a main course, or a bar snack. Use wings in various ways for more menu options and maximized sales.

High Demand

Chicken wing sales are always consistent. Don’t worry about waste. Customers seek bone-in and boneless wings for social gatherings, sports events, and comfort food.

Discovering the Hottest Innovations and Trends in Chicken Wing Flavors

The world of chicken wing sauces is diverse and exciting. Chefs have countless ways to experiment with unique flavors and appeal to customers worldwide. If sports pubs and hotel chains want to remain a popular destination for chicken wings, the answer lies in extending beyond traditional flavors. Hungry patrons, even regulars, tire of the same buffalo and honey mustard flavors. What truly makes chicken wings stand out is the wide range of options beyond traditional hot wing flavors. While some sauces may sound unconventional, each complements the texture of fried chicken wings. Innovate with ingredients to create in-house wing sauces that bring in new crowds. Try flavors such as chocolate cherry, peanut butter & jelly, alfredo, caramel, and harissa.

Getting creative also impacts beverage sales. Most customers prefer to avoid pairing spicy siracha wings with red wine, so offering a sweet mango sauce may attract more wine lovers. Diverse chicken wing menus widen your customer base, attracting sports enthusiasts, families, and couples seeking a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere. By offering a variety of innovative and well-balanced sauces, foodservice operators attract more customers and capitalize on the chicken wing market.

Are You Ready to Sizzle? Find Out the Fiery Rating of Your Wing Program with Our Quiz

How do customers rate the heat and flavor of chicken wings served in your foodservice establishment? Pitco’s fry team created a quick and easy quiz to help foodservice operators gauge the heat of their chicken wing program within eight clicks.

It’s as simple as answering a few multiple-choice questions from Pitco’s custom online quiz: