Best chain chicken wings...?

Long story is the city sent me a nastygram complaining I had too much trash in my back yard. Said trash was branches from a wind-damaged maple tree. I have no means of moving them short of renting a U-haul pickup, and there is more tree trimming (see electric chainsaw thread) so I buy an electric saw, rent the truck and get to work. Seven hour later, the four loads of logs/branches are at the city mulch site, the truck is washed and back at U-haul, and I'm completely wiped out. I go to the local Eagles club (Aerie 2730) but they're closed and I'm on a mission to drink beer and consume Mass Quantities. I go to Applebees with my book ("Terms of Enlistment" which is Mil/SF ala Heinlein and pretty good, on balance). I'm so hungry that everything on the menu looks great but the server, to my amazement, tells me to skip the full rack of ribs and get the wings scheduled to go half-price at 9pm. I ended up eating two servings. The wings were better than I expected but not as good as the local "CJ's" wings. CJ's was closed on Sunday so that didn't matter in this case, but I've never heard much good about Hooters and Buffalo Wild Wings has disappointed me every time I've been there. So, finally, my question: recommendations on wings from national chains?

My town just got a buffalo wild wings and I was all excited to try them, what a rip off, and not even good flavor. I stick with the local places by me that have wing nights. I did like smokey bones wings when I had them though.

Wing Stop is good if they're an option. BWW has been ok, but nothing mind blowing. I usually stick to a couple local places for wings so I haven't been to a chain for them in a while.

GRM is the only car website where people can start a paragraph complaining about local bureaucracy, cross through U-haul rentals, chainsaw purchases, and latest best-selling books, and end with a recommendation for chicken wings.

Quaker Steak and Lube's Buckeye Barbeque is pretty good. The place is a travesty though so get them from the takeout window.

There is only one place to eat chicken wings, and that is the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY - where the chicken wing as we know it was invented.

In reply to EvanR:

Not a chain. If he asked for the best wings then that would be a thread longer than the hotlink thread. He asked for decent chain wings. So... like which hamburger do you like better? McDonalds or Burger King. FWIW, the Anchor "buffalo" wings are just red hot, worcestershire, cayanne and butter and kinda suck ass.

SVreX wrote: GRM is the only car website where people can start a paragraph complaining about local bureaucracy, cross through U-haul rentals, chainsaw purchases, and latest best-selling books, and end with a recommendation for chicken wings.

Yeah, but it was more interesting than simply reading, "What chain makes good wings?", wasn't it? I didn't even get to the baby rabbits!

Quaker Steak And Lube.

I make no apologies for liking Zaxby's wings a lot.

Buffalo Wild Wings blows. Sad but true.

We have a growing chain in the Southeast run by a former NFL player called Ker's Wing House. They're darn good. i think they're in Florida and Texas now.

stroker wrote:

SVreX wrote: GRM is the only car website where people can start a paragraph complaining about local bureaucracy, cross through U-haul rentals, chainsaw purchases, and latest best-selling books, and end with a recommendation for chicken wings.

Yeah, but it was more interesting than simply reading, "What chain makes good wings?", wasn't it? I didn't even get to the baby rabbits!

Oh! Oh! Tell me about the rabbits George!

The problem with nationwide chains is any given location can be some of the best, or the worst wings you have ever had.

QSL by us used to be great. Then they went to E36 M3 and closed earlier this year. I have had some great and terrible experiences at BWW too.

we have a local chain with 4 locations, Buffalo Wing Factory, its been years since I have stepped in one of those but it was a staple in high school and college.

Logans Roadhouse used to sell a platter of 20 breaded wings for $14.99. They were actually pretty good, nice and crispy and the sauces were ok, a lot of food for your money. Then they changed up the menu and thats no longer on there.

Kroger's Deli

Wing dome.

nepa03focus wrote: My town just got a buffalo wild wings and I was all excited to try them, what a rip off, and not even good flavor.

you people need help, BWW is great. the one in town has terrible service so we just carry out but we enjoy that deliciousness atleast once a week

also walmart has surprisingly good wings and chicken projects at there grill/deli area, not sure about now but it use to be that you could get a big bucket with 3 different options for 10 bucks

very hungy now.

also, if you're in the buffalo area, Duff's is a good alternative to making a trip to Anchor bar.

failboat wrote: The problem with nationwide chains is any given location can be some of the best, or the worst wings you have ever had. QSL by us used to be great. Then they went to E36 M3 and closed earlier this year. I have had some great and terrible experiences at BWW too. we have a local chain with 4 locations, Buffalo Wing Factory, its been years since I have stepped in one of those but it was a staple in high school and college. Logans Roadhouse used to sell a platter of 20 breaded wings for $14.99. They were actually pretty good, nice and crispy and the sauces were ok, a lot of food for your money. Then they changed up the menu and thats no longer on there.

What the berkeleying berkeley is this sacrilege?

I'm a fan of Wings Over (your town here). Locations cover the Mid-Atlantic, North East, and Mid West.

I'm a snobby hipster so I refuse to eat at chain restaurants.

I also don't eat wings.

Philistines.

JG Pasterjak wrote: I make no apologies for liking Zaxby's wings a lot.

I'll second that one.

Wild Wing Cafe (not to be confused with BWW) also has some good wings, but they're pricey.

But right now my favorite wings place is a hole in the wall joint called So Good Wings instead of a chain.

Don't know if you'll have them there, but I like Wing Stop. I stand by the food quality as well. I used to work for one. One of the cleanest places I worked.

edizzle89 wrote:

nepa03focus wrote: My town just got a buffalo wild wings and I was all excited to try them, what a rip off, and not even good flavor.

you people need help, BWW is great. the one in town has terrible service so we just carry out but we enjoy that deliciousness atleast once a week

I've been to 3 or 4 Buffalo Wild Wings in the region, and the wings at all of them have sucked. Sucked majorly, in fact. And the "boneless" wings are even worse than the regular ones.

For the common chain restaurants, I've had good wings at Ruby Tuesday's and Chili's, though I usually get something else at Chili's. If you're just grubbing and don't mind a cheap fast-food ambiance (or foam takeout containers), Wings To Go is the Five Guys of chicken wings around here.

My problem with Bdubs is that their sauces and dry rubs are halfway decent... but the wings themselves are berkeleying atrocious. Overcooked and half the size or smaller what a real chicken wing is.

If you're going to give me toothpick wings, sell them to me by weight, not count. And then take them out about 45 seconds earlier, goddamnit.

Chain wise, I like QS&L over BWW, but the local dives seem to have the best.

There used to be a Gumbys Pizza in town that had good meaty wings. I liked those a lot but are closed now.