Chicago Man files lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings, alleging the restaurant chain falsely advertises its boneless wings as the real deal, when in reality he believes they’re nothing more than chicken nuggets.

According to court documents obtained by WGN, plaintiff Aymen Halim filed the complaint Friday in the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois against Atlanta-based Buffalo Wild Wings and Inspire Brands Inc., which the complaint says “is responsible for the warehouse, preparation , advertising, marketing and selling the product “Buffalo Wild Wings”.

The complaint seeks to challenge what it calls “false and deceptive marketing and advertising of Buffalo Wild Wings Boneless Wings,” and goes on to say, “Specifically, the name and description of the Products (such as “Boneless Wings”) would lead reasonable consumers to believe that the Products chicken wings actually.’

Halim claims that Buffalo Wild Wings’ product description leads customers to believe that their boneless wings are boneless chicken wings composed entirely of chicken wing meat, when the product is actually deep-fried chicken breast slices as chicken wings, and in composition are more similar to chicken nuggets.

It all starts in January 2023, when Halim bought boneless wings at Buffalo Wild Wings in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and thought just that: the boneless wings he purchased were made entirely from chicken wing meat.

When Halim learned that Buffalo Wild Wings boneless wings were not boneless chicken wings, he said he would not have bought them or paid much less for the product.

As a result, Halim said he suffered financial loss due to the restaurant’s “false and deceptive conduct.”

Halim goes on to compare Buffalo Wild Wings to other fast food chains such as Papa Johns and Domino’s in the complaint, noting that both companies sell products like Buffalo Wild Wings boneless wings, but don’t call them that.

Papa Johns calls the product “Chicken Poppers” and Domino’s calls it “Boneless Chicken.”

Another part of Halim’s complaint details how the practice of selling boneless wings has become more common, where he cites a 2009 article from New York Times.

“… [I]In restaurants from Sarasota to Seattle, the menu features an incredible piece of poultry: a small piece of chicken breast that is fried and covered in sauce and sold with the brio of a marketer as a “boneless wing.” All this is happening because wholesale chicken prices have turned upside down. The once lowly wing sells for more than what has long been the gold standard of bird parts, the boneless, skinless chicken breast.’

William Neumann, New York Times

Halim is suing for relief from violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (ICFA), breach of express warranty, common law fraud, and quasi-contract/unjust enrichment/restitution. The full text of the complaint can be read below.

WGN News has reached out to Buffalo Wild Wings Brand Communication for comment.