We can all agree that chicken wings are fun. They’re always in the center of fun events like parties, game days, movie nights, celebrations, and whatnot. Also, you have to admit that even an uneventful day somehow always becomes more fun when you have chicken wings around.
In order to honor chicken wings and all the fun and joy they bring to our lives, we decided to share some amazing fun facts about chicken wings that you probably didn’t know. So let’s check them out!
National Chicken Wing Day
Unsurprisingly, there’s a National Chicken Wing Day that’s dedicated to celebrating the mighty and tasty chicken wing. It’s been celebrated every year on July 29th since 1977.
The Average American Eats 18,000 Chicken Wings In His Life
Chicken wings are hugely popular in the United States, and the consumption numbers back this up. The National Purchase Diary estimates that around one billion chicken wing servings were made in 2019. Also, one recent survey concluded that an average American eats 18,000 chicken wings in his life.
Chicken Wings are Super Bowl’s Favorite Food
The Super Bowl, the most important sports event in the country, is a big part of the previously mentioned average. According to the National Chicken Council, a record 1.42 billion chicken wings (not to be mistaken with chicken wing servings) were eaten on the day of the 2020’s Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Wing Bowl
Speaking of bowls, did you know that there was an eating contest dedicated to chicken wings called the Wing Bowl? The event was founded in Philadelphia in 1993 and was held each year until 2019. The organizers decided it was time to end the tradition after the hometown team, the Eagles, won their first Super Bowl.
Molly Schuyler is the Wing Bowl’s recorder, having eaten 501 chicken wings in one sitting in 2018. For comparison, the runner-up David T. “Wings & Things” Brunelli only managed to get down “just” 396 chicken wings.
Buffalo Wings Were Created by Accident
Buffalo wings are so popular that they almost became a synonym for chicken wings. This is amazing, considering that they were made by accident.
According to the urban legend, the owner of Anchor Bar, the birthplace of Buffalo wings, got her order mixed up and received a batch of chicken wings instead of chicken necks. To make the best out of the bad situation, she made some chicken wings using a special recipe. And the rest is history.
