How’s this for crazy:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that chicken wings were wholesaling at 68 cents a pound at the turn of the millennium. But by last year, that price had more than doubled, to $1.47 a pound.

That little tidbit comes courtesy a story on NPR today regarding the high price, and resulting “innovation,” of buffaloed chicken wings.

The upshot of the story? As wings become more popular, they become more expensive. Meanwhile, the price of chicken breast is falling. Thus, the boneless chicken wing (made from dissembled chicken breasts) emerges.

All this brings to mind one of the worst wing experiences I’ve ever had. It was at Buffalo Wild Wings (natch) where the wife and I had stopped during a Saturday playing downtown to catch an NCAA tournament game.

I remember the wings seemed absolutely artificial. They had bones, sure, but the way the meat and the bone worked together… I had the sneaking suspicion that the meat had somehow been adhered to a reusable bone-like structure.

Needless to say, I have not returned. I’ll stick with Fire on the Mountain (1708 E. Burnside) and the smoked wonders at Nepo 42 (5403 Northeast 42nd), thanks.

Where are you getting your pricey wings these days, Blogtownies?

16 replies on “The High Cost of Wings”

  1. Fire on the Mountain. Hands down. Don’t forget the original location, though: 4225 N. Interstate

    But the E. Burnside location is better, IMO.

  3. @jackattak I live around the corner from the Interstate location of FOTM, and second your opinion that the Burnside location is better… but only because the Interstate location is such a mob scene by 7 that I’m desperate for its popularity to die down.

  4. Pok Pok. You heard ,me!

    But the best wings won’t be around until the end of August at the “Night of a Thousand Wings Party”. Damn, that’s a good wing party.

  5. I get my wings……every time a bell rings.

    Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.

    Original FOTM, Interstate. Looking forward to trying the Mee-San wings, too.

  6. Pok Pok does have some incredible wings. Not buffalo style per se, but really good and really hot.

    Fire on the Mountain, of course.

    Buffalo Wild Wings sucks sooooo bad. I go there, hate it, say I won’t go back. Then a year goes by, and I forget the acute nature of the suckiness and venture back in and it sucks just as bad.

  7. @ Blabby & PAC –

    THanks for letting me know Buffalo Wild Wings sucks. I always figured it did, being a chain and all (as 99% of restaurant chains suck hairy balls), but I live Downtown and love wings so my interest was always piqued.

    Now I know. And knowin’s half the battle.

  9. 14 signature sauces at B-Dub’s.
    Sure you can find bigger wings somewhere else but for the best sauces and hands down the best place to watch games is B-Dub’s.

  10. Yeah, I’ve been more than a little creeped out by the so-called “boneless wing.” It appears to me to be what we old timers call a “chicken nugget”.

  13. the laurelwood up on NE 50th & Sandy has the best wangs in town. “buffalo sauce – extra crispy, extra saucy, please”

    especially for their fitty cent wang mondays

  14. the laurelwood brewery on 50th & sandy blvd. fitty cent wing mondays represent!! “buffalo sauce – extra crispy, extra saucy please.. and a nice hoppy IPA”

  15. The Angel Wings at Red Onion and Dang’s are stuffed with pork and shrimp and then battered and fried.

    Buffalo can suck it.

  16. PRO TIP: At FOTM you can request them to be ‘extra crispy’ just like at Laurelwood.

    *sigh* Chicken wings are one of the biggest things I miss since jumping on vegetarian bandwagon.

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