The heat is on, Boise. A new chicken wing joint just opened. (Uh-oh, Buffalo Wild Wings!)
Chicken wing addicts have something to crow about this week.
National chain Wingstop opened its first Boise location Monday at 1575 N. Milwaukee St. Wingstop is one of the main alternatives to competing national chain Buffalo Wild Wings, which has a downtown Boise restaurant at 777 W. Main St.
Buffalo Wild Wings was Boise’s lone specialty wing restaurant, so a new Wingstop turns up the heat a notch. Not that Buffalo Wild Wings isn’t used to that. Both chains already battle it out in Meridian and Nampa.
Tucked between Firehouse Subs and Five Guys Burgers and Fries, the Wingstop in Boise isn’t offering seated dining yet. Even when it does, the modest, 1,730-square-foot restaurant won’t make it a primary focus like Buffalo Wild Wings does. Takeout and delivery are Wingstop’s bread and butter. On Monday afternoon, customers lined up eagerly for carryout.
Maybe it was because of the weekly deal. Wingstop sells 60-cent boneless wings on Mondays and Tuesdays. (A 10-piece minimum purchase is required.)
With more than a dozen flavor options ranging from Hawaiian (least spicy) up to Atomic (face-melting), Wingstop’s menu offers a bird for almost every palate. If you order only wings, no dips included, you can scarf them down in quantities ranging from 10 to 100. Classic wings will run you a little over $1 apiece.
For the price, you might as well order a combo — and go big if you have the appetite. A small six-piece with two flavors, one dip, fries or vegetable sticks, and a drink costs $9.29 for boneless or $10.99 for bone-in. A 10-piece large is only slightly spendier: $10.89 or $12.99. Wingstop also sells heftier combos — up to a 50-piece party pack.
You also can buy chicken tenders. And Wing Stop extras include Cajun fried corn, cheese fries and a triple-chunk brownie.
In a 2019 ranking of chain wings, food website Mashed awarded Wingstop its No. 1 slot. In particular, Mashed was impressed with Wingstop’s dry rubs — the Garlic Parmesan and Lemon Pepper mixtures. “You’ll be licking your fingers and even tempted to lick your napkin,” the article claimed.
Wing Dome, another chain, recently opened at Crave Delivery in Meridian. So, in reality, Boiseans suddenly have three specialty wing options on speed dial.
(Or maybe you should treat yourself and spring for Korean fried chicken from Vons Chicken or Han’s Chimaek instead?)
Whatever the case, football season can’t come soon enough.