History of National Chicken Wing Day

According to the National Chicken Council in the USA, deep fried chicken wings are not a new thing. They have been part of southern cooking for generations. However, the idea for cooking the wings in a spicy hot sauce came about more than 50 years ago.

In 1964, bar co-owner, Teresa Belissimo, was trying to make a late night snack for her son and his friends at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. She cooked up some leftover chicken wings in hot sauce. They were so loved that the bar put them on the menu the very next day. They were served with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks in order to cut the heat. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Cooking chicken wings in hot sauce caught on with restaurateurs around the United States. Bar owners found that selling the cheap chicken wings with a spicy sauce would increase their beer sales, making it a win-win for everyone involved.

In 1990, even McDonald’s got on board when they introduced hot wings in some of their stores. KFC followed right behind, then Domino’s Pizza came along. The trajectory continued as each place made their own adaptations to the recipe, with breading or spices or some other adjustment.

Many places continue to call these chicken wings “Buffalo Wings” as a nod to the city of the original invention. But, rest assured, these have nothing to do with the animal of the same name, and no buffalo (winged or otherwise) are harmed in the making of this delicious dish.

The Mayor of Buffalo, New York in the United States called for Chicken Wing Day to be started in 1977, and the celebration has grown into an international event since then.