I waited tables in college, and Buffalo Wild Wings was the perfect place to go after my shift ended for a late dinner.
They were open super late (I was often eating at 11 pm or later), the wings and appetizers were great fuel, and somehow there was always a game on – even at midnight!
It was a great hangout spot for me and my fellow servers.
And it still is today! But there’s only one problem…
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When it comes to the food…there are a TON of great chicken wings out there today.
And lots of places competing for “best chicken” – many of whose fans would claim they’ve actually beaten Buffalo Wild Wings.
They make a good argument – but are they right?
Well, that’s up to you to decide…starting with one of my personal favorites:
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Where you’ll find them: Bonchon has about 140 locations worldwide (they were founded in South Korea); they’re currently in 24 states and expanding rapidly.
All about the wings: As you know, generally there’s a trade-off between sauce and crunch. Bonchon has solved this conundrum by frying their wings twice to ensure they’re extra crispy, even though they’re also extra saucy! You can get soy garlic, spicy, or Korean BBQ flavor – personally, I recommending going half and half on the soy garlic and spicy.
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Where you’ll find them: There are over 2,000 Wing Stop locations, and they’re in almost every state aside from the usual rural suspects (Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Vermont, Maine).
All about the wings: Wing Stop has great flavors across the heat spectrum – you can go from mild options (like Old Bay, garlic parmesan, and lemon pepper)…through their medium menu (spicy Korean Q, original hot, hot honey rub), all the way up to mango habanero and their hottest, called simply “Atomic.” Plus, their buffalo ranch fries are fantastic.
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Where you’ll find them: Slim Chickens was founded in Arkansas but has expanded to a whopping 35 states!
All about the wings: Slim Chickens wins on sheer variety – they have 14 sauces to toss their wings in, including some off-the-wall options like gravy, cayenne ranch, their eponymous slim sauce, and my personal favorite – blue cheese. After all, if you’re going to dip the wings in blue cheese anyway, why not cut out the middleman?
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Where you’ll find them: There are almost 1,000 Zaxby’s in the USA, almost exclusively in the South and Midwest. (The two exceptions? Utah and Alaska.)
All about the wings: Plump and juicy, Zaxby’s wings are the perfect vehicles for the sauces they toss ’em in (I recommend “nuclear” if you’re into spicy – otherwise, get the hot honey mustard or the teriyaki)…and then the sauces you dip them in too. Try their Zax sauce for a nice zesty contrast with whatever you picked to toss the wings in.
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Where you’ll find them: Domino’s has over 14,000 locations worldwide and is in every state many times over. Their great wings are just a quick phone call or app order away!
All about the wings: If you’re skeptical, I 100% get it. After all, Domino’s is known for their pizza, not their wings. And let’s face it – they can’t compete on number of flavors or anything like that. And also – their honey BBQ wings dipped in blue cheese are truly some of my favorite wings. The hot buffalo wings are solid, too. And of course, you can wash it all down with some of their loaded tots.
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Where you’ll find them: Nathan’s may be the “taste of New York,” but it’s now in 17 states and 15 foreign countries (including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Panama, Ireland, and Kazakhstan).
All about the wings: Nathan’s is of course famous for its hot dogs, not its wings, but honestly their hot wings are surprisingly good. You only get three flavor choices – bbq, hot honey, or buffalo – but they make up for the limited selection with sheer quality. Also, make sure you get onion rings and one of their hot dogs.
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Where you’ll find them: Popeyes has thousands of locations across the US (over 3,000 at last count), and it’s everywhere except Wyoming and Vermont.
All about the wings: You know Popeyes for its crispy tenders and biscuits, but honestly their wings may be the most underrated item on their menu. Try the roasted garlic parmesan wing sauce or their new Louisiana garlic wing sauce for an extra kick.
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I couldn’t leave without giving Buffalo Wild wings a shoutout. After all…they’re the standard against I compare everyone else for a reason!
Where you’ll find them: Buffalo Wild Wings has over 1,300 locations nationwide, and they’re in all 50 states. If you need one, it’s there.
All about the wings: So many flavors, so many options! B-Dubs (as it’s affectionately called by many fans, me included) has so many delicious options for when you’re craving some great, messy wings. Make sure you add a house sampler and their buffalo chicken tots to round out the perfect gameday feast!
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So there you have it – seven Buffalo Wild Wings competitors who all have a shot at the crown.
And each of them has a compelling argument to make, for sure.
But there’s really only one question that matters…
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Are they right?
Or is Buffalo Wild Wings still your favorite chicken wing?
Let us know in the comments!
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