Boneless wings are still wings, judge rules, as chefs take a bite of the battle
Are "boneless wings" really wings, or just fancy chicken nuggets? Court ruling sparks fresh debate among chefs about popular menu item terminology.
A federal judge has seemingly ended a debate that's been going on for years: Are "boneless wings" still considered chicken wings?
In a Feb. 17 decision, U.S. District Judge John Tharp Jr. dismissed a lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) for the chain's use of the term "boneless wings."
The suit was brought by a customer who argued that the name was misleading, claiming he expected an actual chicken wing without the bone.
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES ON WHETHER BUFFALO WILD WINGS CAN KEEP 'BONELESS WINGS' ON MENU
The customer, named Aimen Halim, said that BWW's product was more like a chicken nugget — a complaint that Tharp said had "no meat on its bones."
Tharp pointed to a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision that said no reasonable diner thinks "chicken fingers" are made from fingers.
Does this lawsuit put the debate to bed — or is there still a bone to pick? Fox News Digital talked with chefs to find out.
Carlo Filippone, founder of the meal prep brand The Chicken Pound, said he sees both sides of the argument.
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"A consumer unfamiliar with the brand may not understand the branding… BWW's boneless wings, however, are a menu item," said Filippone, based in New Jersey.
"In the scheme of things, the consumers were not sold pork as chicken wings. They were sold a version of 'wings.'"
In terms of his personal opinion, Filippone said he sees a boneless wing as closer to a nugget, due to his experience in food production.
"But if I were simply a consumer… my mind would process that as an actual chicken wing," he added.
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Darin Leonardson, a chef and the CEO of consulting company Transformed Culinary Solutions, based in Texas, told Fox News Digital he believes boneless wings do "qualify as wings in today’s food culture."
"While the classic Buffalo wing has deep roots in tradition, the boneless version has created accessibility for a much wider audience," he said.
He added that preferring boneless wings isn't always about pickiness. In senior living scenarios, for example, residents might struggle with eating bones but would "still want the flavor and experience."
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"It allows more people to participate in something that feels fun and familiar," he said.
While he remains a fan of bone-in wings, Leonardson said he appreciates the creativity that other chefs have brought to the concept — even cauliflower wings.
"The idea has evolved in a way that includes more people at the table," he said.
Leonardson added, "At the end of the day, great food should balance tradition, flavor, health and accessibility — and boneless wings absolutely have a place in that conversation."
Ashley Carnahan of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
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