Wings are a staple of US cuisine, but with so much choice, it can be hard to find the perfect spot for the best chicken wings in the country.
Although they are a simple appetizer, any chicken connisseur knows that the perfect chicken wing can be hard to pull off, and ultimately, you’re looking for that combination of flavor, juiciness, and a nice kick of seasoning from the rub.
Whether you’re a classic buffalo fan, or someone who craves something a little hotter; we have the definitive ranking of the top 15 chain restaurants for the best chicken wings in America.
How are the wings being judged?
There are lots of wing options out there, and in order to be fair to the country’s chicken delicacies, we’re going to be comparing like with like. That’s right, we’re not talking about boneless wings here (because everyone knows that’s a chicken nugget with sauce).
We’re looking at good, old-fashioned chicken wings and assessing them for their juiciness and chicken quality, flavor options, and of course, the crispiness on that all-important skin.
We’ll go over the general assessment of each chain restaurant’s wing quality, and then give our overall verdict so you can get to ordering ASAP.
The 15 best chicken wings in the US: A definitive ranking
15. Domino’s
These wings from Domino’s get great points for their chicken quality. The wings are consistently medium in size, so there’s no skimping here. On top of that, the meat pulls off the bone really nicely. You can order up to 40 of these (perfect for your next tailgate party), and they come in a meager, but decent for a pizza chain, range of flavors: BBQ, Hot, Sweet Mango Habanero, Mild, and Plain. The wings are crispy, but more because they have a fatty quality rather than the skin itself being crisp.
The verdict: There’s good and bad here. Sauce good, fatty bad, size okay.
14. Chili’s
The wings at Chili’s are huge, and the chicken is great. They come in portions of 12, and you get to pick two flavors. Their sauces range from plain to mango habanero, but the honey chipotle is the real star of the show, and they’re not shy with their sauce portions. The only downside? The skin could be crispier.
The verdict: You’ll have to sacrifice some of the crispiness for the sheer amount of delicious sauce.
13. TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays do wings for just 50 cents every Monday from 5pm until closing, and you don’t want to miss out on these ones. Sizes do vary, but the chicken is incredibly succulent and the range of sauces is small but mighty. The best flavor? The apple butter BBQ. The only downside is that the sauces can be overpowering and salty. Crispiness is on point though.
The verdict: Just do yourself a favor and order extra napkins with these.
12. Dave and Buster’s
If you can get past the 12th birthday vibe of Dave and Buster’s, you’re actually in for some pretty good food that can be eaten whilst you beat a child at air hockey. The wings are big, but the chicken quality could be better. However, they have a great skin that’s super crispy, and they have all the flavors you’d expect (Cajun, lemon pepper, spicy Korean, buffalo, and garlic parmesan.)
The verdict: A good middle-of-the-road option if you want classic, no-nonsense wings.
11. Little Caesar’s
Pizza, Crazy Bread, and buffalo wings; it doesn’t get better than that for a game night party. Little Caesar’s wings are definitely better than their pizza and although they don’t have a huge range of sauces, the ones they do have are the classics. The only downfall is that they used to make bacon and cheese-crusted wings, which they discontinued.
The verdict: Bring back the bacon honey mustard wings.
10. Applebee’s
Applebee’s is a default kind of place. You know what you like, and you know exactly what to expect. The wings range from honey BBQ to hot buffalo, they’re an average size, and they are satisfactorily crispy. The only issue is that if you want any heat kick at all, you’ll need to order the hottest option because there’s not much spice up for grabs.
The verdict: If you like things really spicy, these may not be for you, which is a shame because they’re delicious.
9. Zaxby’s
Let’s be honest for a second, Zaxby’s is downright tasty. They are a chain and they have incredibly flavorful food, so flavorful, that your stomach might regret those full-on spices the next day. The chicken is flavorful to the point you’ll find it hard to stop eating. Additionally, although the wings are a little small, the hot honey mustard sauce combined with the patented Zax Sauce has a nice tang. The crispiness level is average, but the sauce makes up for it.
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The verdict: Zax sauce on everything is always a good time.
8. Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is a lesser-known chain that specializes in rustic-style dining in log cabin-style eateries, with beer glasses that are frozen so you always have a cold one to go with your wings. Their wings are cooked low and slow over hickory wood so are naturally tender, crispy, and flavorful before you even add a sauce. They don’t have many sauces, but they do have some wildcards which a chicken wing aficionado who is sick of eating buffalo will appreciate. Choose from classic hot, tikka, bourbon teriyaki, and garlic parmesan.
The verdict: Smoky, juicy, and delicious.
7. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut has the best wings out of all the pizza chains, and you can tell that they are freshly fried which makes them extra crispy. The chicken quality is just okay, but you won’t care once you have them slathered in their BBQ sauce.
The verdict: This BBQ is gold tier, nearly better than the pizza.
6. Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box is everyone’s best late-night spot, and they recently released their chicken wings that went down a treat with fans. The wings come in portions of 6 or 12 and can be served as a combo with fries. They come packaged nicely in a box with a generous portion of three ranch dips for extra flavor. Choose from garlic parm or buffalo sauce, and the wings are breaded so they’re really crispy.
The verdict: Jack in the Box can make anything taste good.
5. Quaker’s Steak and Lube
If you’re a fan of Man V. Food, you’ll probably remember this former car garage turned all-American diner. They have a wing challenge so hot, that you need to sign a waiver before you dig in. They now have 30 chains across the Midwest, and the food is seriously good with a homemade feel.
The verdict: An underrated spot for true chicken wing fans. The only reason they aren’t the best is because there aren’t enough of their restaurants.
4. Slim Chickens
Slim Chicken’s is a fried chicken chain that originated in Arkansas and is less well-known than other chains. However, their fried chicken is really authentic and is served with fresh fries and Texas toast. Their inferno wings are actually spicy enough to blow your head off, so it’s the perfect spot for a spice fanatic.
The verdict: A true underdog in the fast food world, especially when it comes to wings.
3. Hooters
Yes, Hooters does actually have good food. They are serious about their bar menu, which means that the wings are always going to be good. They’re smoked, well-sauced, and come in a great size that provides the perfect sauce-to-meat ratio. They also do three types of wings, including their original recipe ‘Daytona Beach’ naked wings which are delicious and a little healthier.
The verdict: Hooters isn’t just some sleazy sports bar, the food is actually really good.
2. Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has a crazy amount of sauces up for grabs, so much so, that they can kind of be overwhelming to a chicken wing amateur. That being said, they have something for every taste, and the bottom line is that wings are what they do, so they’ll always be great quality and super crispy.
The verdict: Want to be spoilt for choice? Choose B-Dubs.
1. Wingstop
Wingstop is a relatively new fast-food chain that has been making waves with foodies across the US and has recently branched out with worldwide stores. They have 14 sauces and rubs, and their chicken is of great quality. The fries are also excellent. If you can’t decide on what sauce to choose from, we’ve ranked them for you.
The verdict: These are hands down, the best chicken wings in America.
If you’re in the mood for something other than wings, check out our definitive ranking of the best fast-food restaurants in 2024.