Is Chicken Wing Boycott Coming in Buffalo, New York?

The price of wings has skyrocketed since the pandemic, causing some to cut back on the Buffalo original delicacy. One user on Twitter/X is proposing the good people of Western New York stop buying them. Here’s why.

Chicken Wing Prices Skyrocket

Wing prices skyrocketed during the height of the pandemic. A supply shortage caused by the slaughter of chickens due to disease caused the original issue, and prices have remained much higher ever since. In fact, the cost of all food has been noticeably up due to inflation. The overall price of food is up by 2.6% year over year (As of January 2024, US Inflation Calculator). It’s been more difficult to buy groceries, let alone eat at restaurants as menu prices have increased by 5.1% year over year (January 2023 to 2024, National Restaurant Association).

Wing Prices Come Down

For wings, a year ago the price came down drastically year over year. According to CNN, it fell 22% from January 2022 to January 2023 and was $2.65 a pound. As of this week, the USDA reports the average price for wings at Supermarkets in the Northeast is only $1.99 (USDA). That was considerably lower than peak prices, which were well over $3 and even $4 a pound.

With the price coming down, restaurants in the home of the wing presumably have dropped prices too, right?

Wing Prices Remain High in Buffalo

While the cost of wings has come down, the cost of everything to make them is up. Cooking oil, ingredients for sauces, labor, shipping, and several other factors play a role in what restaurants are charging for wings.

READ MORE about the cost of wings right now in Buffalo, CLICK HERE and see the cost of wings at famous spots in WNY at the end of the article.