New York (CNN Business) Chicken wing prices are going through the roof. So Wingstop, a chain known for, well, wings, is now selling chicken thighs. But getting Americans on board could be a challenge. On Monday, the restaurant launched a virtual brand called “Thighstop” which serves crispy thighs, with or without sauce.
Yes, chicken wings had been popular for many years before Wingstop arrived, but most restaurants relegated these savory bites to appetizer or side dish status. Wingstop, on the other hand, wanted to serve only chicken wings and make them the star of the plate. By doing so, it has garnered a legion of diehard fans.
In fact, all of the following Wingstop menu items are reportedly made without dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, and soy ingredients. However, their frying oil does contain soybean oil. They do not appear to cook any milk, eggs, fish, or nuts in their fryers, but verify their protocols with your server.
Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, nationally recognized nutritionist and healthy cooking expert, examined the Wingstop menu and picked out the foods she thought were the worst for you as well as the ones that won’t cost you an entire day’s worth of sodium and trans fat. Here’s the breakdown of the best and worst Wingstop menu options.
1. Is Wingstop owned by Pizza Hut?
Ans. No. Wingstop is currently owned by Roark Capital Group. Our beloved aviation-themed wing chain was founded (in 1994) by businessperson Antonio Swad who also happens to be the founder of Pizza Patron. It was acquired by Gemini Investors in 2003 who sold it to Roark Capital in 2010.
Ans. Blame Covid-19 for it. The pandemic has severely affected poultry production and distribution which has inevitably led to chicken wing shortage. Shortage equals disrupted supply which leads to surge pricing. Still, compared to B-dubs and some other popular wing chains in the US, Wingstop is way cheaper.
Ans. The popularity of a plant-based diet has witnessed massive growth in the last few years.
Ans. Craving for some delicious Wingstop wings but worried about gluten allergy? The good news is that the traditional bone-in wings of Wingstop are non-breaded, hence gluten-free.
Ans. Wingstop wings and tenders are deep-fried in soybean/rapeseed blended oil. If you are trying to avoid greasy food at all costs or have a soy allergy, Wingstop is not the place to be. Mind you that their ranch dip and blue cheese dip also contain soy.
Ans. As a matter, they do sell small cups of their legendary sauces. I’m a sucker for their mango habanero sauce and would buy some every time I’m at WS.
Ans. All Wingstop wings and tenders are breaded except their classic jumbo bone-in wings. However, since both breaded and non-breaded wings are fried in the same oil, make sure to call the restaurant to confirm whether the wings are breaded or not.
Sharing is caring, don’t forget to share this post with friends !
