Buffalo wings are deep-fried chicken wings coated in a cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. Served with celery, carrots, and blue cheese or ranch dressing. Popular in the US and worldwide.
In July 1857, the Clarendon Hotel in Buffalo featured Chicken Wings, fried on their menu. This marks one of the earliest known instances of chicken wings being served in Buffalo.
On August 16, 1894, the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser published a recipe for chicken wings, showing the early presence of this dish in Buffalo.
John Young, who moved to Buffalo from Stockton, Alabama in 1948, introduced uncut chicken wings breaded, deep fried, and served in his special tomato-based Mumbo sauce at his restaurant starting in 1961.
In 1964, at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, Teressa Bellissimo created Buffalo Wings by cooking leftover wings in hot sauce as a late-night snack for her son and his friends, which became an instant hit when added to the menu the next day.
Both Anchor Bar and John Young started selling wings in 1966, marking the beginning of the Buffalo wing craze. This year is significant in the history of Buffalo wings.
In 1969, Duff's, a local competitor of the Anchor Bar, started selling Buffalo wings despite not being mentioned in an article about the Anchor Bar in a local newspaper.
On July 29, 1977, the city of Buffalo issued an official proclamation celebrating Anchor Bar co-owner Frank Bellissimo and declared it Chicken Wing Day, recognizing the popularity of Buffalo wings.
Dominic Bellissimo, son of Teresa Bellissimo, played a role in the invention of Buffalo wings at the Anchor Bar. He suggested serving chicken wings as a snack to bar patrons, leading to their popularity.
In 1982, Buffalo Wild Wings, a large franchise specializing in Buffalo wings, was founded, contributing to the widespread popularity of Buffalo wings as a bar food and appetizer.
In 1983, Hooters, known for its Buffalo wings, was founded, further popularizing Buffalo wings as a favorite bar food and appetizer.
In 1990, McDonald's started selling Mighty Wings as an option at their restaurant locations in the United States, adding to the availability of Buffalo wings to a wider audience.
In 1993, a Philadelphia radio station hosted the first annual Wing Bowl eating contest, which has since become one of the competitive-eating circuit’s most prestigious events.
In 1994, following the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl appearances, Domino's pizza chain included Buffalo wings on their national menu, reflecting the widespread popularity of this bar food.
In 2008, Joey Chestnut set the Wing Bowl record by consuming 241 wings in two 14-minute periods.
On January 24, 2017, the history of chicken wings was discussed, mentioning the origins of Buffalo Wings and how they became popular at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.
Buffalo, N.Y. will hold its fourth annual National Buffalo Wing Festival on September 5, a two-day celebration for all things wing.