A federal judge has swatted away a lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings, ruling that “boneless wings” don’t need to come from actual chicken wings — a decision that protects one of the restaurant chain’s most popular menu items from legal challenge.
U.S. District Judge John Tharp Jr. dismissed the case brought by customer Aimen Halim, who claimed the restaurant chain had deceived consumers by selling what are essentially chicken nuggets under the more premium-sounding “boneless wings” label. In his ruling, Tharp wrote that Halim “did not ‘drum’ up enough factual allegations to state a claim,” adding a pun that might make even Buffalo Wild Wings’ marketing team proud.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleged that customers were paying higher prices for boneless wings under the false impression that they contained meat from actual chicken wings, rather than the cheaper breast meat they’re actually made from.
But Judge Tharp wasn’t buying it. He determined that reasonable consumers understand “boneless wings” is simply a “fanciful name” for a product that has existed for over two decades. “Boneless wings are not a niche product for which a consumer would need to do extensive research to figure out the truth,” Tharp wrote in his decision.
What’s in a name? Quite a lot, according to the judge, who compared “boneless wings” to other non-literal food descriptions. Drawing from an Ohio Supreme Court ruling, Tharp noted that “a person eating ‘chicken fingers’ would know that he had not been served fingers,” just as diners ordering boneless wings shouldn’t expect actual deboned wings.
Standing to Sue, But No Wings to Fly
While the judge found that Halim had standing to bring the lawsuit based on claims of economic harm, he ultimately determined there wasn’t enough evidence to suggest Buffalo Wild Wings had engaged in deceptive practices that would mislead reasonable consumers.
The plaintiff had argued that customers would either pay less or avoid purchasing the item altogether if they knew the boneless wings were actually made from chicken breast. But the court found this argument didn’t have enough meat on its bones.
Technically, the case isn’t completely cooked. Judge Tharp has given Halim until March 20, 2026, to file an amended complaint. That said, the judge expressed significant skepticism about the plaintiff’s chances, stating that “it is difficult to imagine that he can provide additional facts that would demonstrate that Buffalo Wild Wings is committing a deceptive act.”
The ruling represents a significant victory for Buffalo Wild Wings, which has been selling boneless wings since 2003. The chain can continue marketing its popular menu item without having to make potentially costly labeling changes or face damages for alleged deception.
For consumers still confused about what they’re ordering, the message from the court is clear: when it comes to boneless wings, what you see is what you get — chicken nuggets by any other name would taste as sweet, especially when doused in buffalo sauce.
