Why is Buffalo Wild Wings getting sued? Lawsuit explored

One of the most popular fast food restaurant chains, Buffalo Wild Wings, has found itself in legal trouble over its popular chicken wings. A class action lawsuit filed in Illinois on March 10 alleged the chain of deceptive business practices over claims that its "boneless wings" are not wings but just chicken nuggets.

The lawsuit filed by Aimen Halim, plaintiff of Chicago, additionally alleged that the fast food chain had practiced "false and deceptive marketing and advertising" over the said mislabeling of its popular chicken wings.

Filed in the United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, the lawsuit has named two defendants, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. and its parent company, Inspire Brands, Inc.

the said boneless wings in question reagrading the lawsuit (Image via Buffalo Wild Wings)

The plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit have stressed that the fast food chain uses meat from different parts to make the said chicken wings rather than using real deboned chicken wings.

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Buffalo Wild Wings is yet to give an official statement on the matter

The lawsuit filed in the Chicago Court on March 10 reads as:

“The name and description of the Products (i.e., as 'Boneless Wings') leads reasonable consumers to believe the Products are actually chicken wings.”

Specifying what a regular customer may believe from the label, the lawsuit further states:

“In other words, that the Products are chicken wings that have simply been deboned, and as such, are comprised of entirely chicken wing meat.”

Representing hundreds and thousands of Buffalo Wild Wings consumers around the country, the class-action lawsuit seeks “damages, injunctive relief, restitution, declaratory relief, and all other remedies that the Court deems to be appropriate.” While the suit does not mention an exact momentary amount, it could turn out to be a major setback for the fast food restaurant chain.

It all seems to have started in January this year, when the plaintiff went to a Buffalo Wild Wings location in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and ordered "boneless wings." As per the plaintiff, he took the dish for face value, thinking that boneless wings are made of deboned chicken wings.

However, it turned out to be "misleading" when he later found out that the said boneless wings were just deep-fried meat from a chicken breast. As such, the plaintiff not only seeks monetary compensation from the fast food chain, but also hopes for the court to order the brand to stop using such misleading practices and to give the said "boneless wings'' a better name.

Stressing on how other fast food chains like Domino's and Papa John's make it clear by the name of the product itself, the lawsuit says that the fast food chain should change the name for its "boneless wings" if they are not made from real chicken wings. The lawsuit also urges the court to put a hold on such deceptive marketing practices:

"This clear-cut case of false advertising should not be permitted, as consumers should be able to rely on the plain meaning of a product’s name and receive what they are promised."

While Buffalo Wild Wings is yet to give an official statement on the matter, they seem to have acknowledged the lawsuit as they shared a tweet soon after. The tweet offers a fun take on how the chain's boneless wings ate all the white chicken meat, and the buffalo wings are 0% buffalo.

As of now, the lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. The class action lawsuit, which involves multiple plaintiffs, including Aimen Halim and defendants Buffalo Wild Wings and Inspire Brands, Inc., is yet to be approved by the court. Further details on the matter can only be made clear once the court has approved the lawsuit to continue.

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Founded in 1982 by Jim Disbrow, Scott Lowery, and others, Buffalo Wild Wings is an American casual dining restaurant and sports bar chain in the United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the fast food chain has its business spread all across the globe in countries like the United States, Canada, India, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

Specializing in chicken wings and sauces, the fast food restaurant chain also serves a number of other fast food options like Buffalo-style chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken leg burgers, tacos, salads, desserts, beverages, and more.