When planning to start a poll to celebrate National Chicken Wing Day (July 29), it's important to remember how passionate people are about things they are passionate about. How when someone falls in love with a chicken wing – whether it is love at first bite or love built over years of repeated nom-nommery – that love can often be monogamistic. Is that a word? If it is, it would mean "No other wing will ever pass these lips! My wing is king!"
We like what we like, and we're not afraid to defend our territory. Is that a Cincinnati thing? An East Side vs. West Side thing? Something ingrained in us as part of the "I live in Deerfield Township, not Mason" thing? Or is everyone, everywhere, just as passionate about their chicken wings? I wouldn't know. I've never left Cincinnati.
Anyhoozle, I decided to make a poll to see what chicken wings people like the most 'round these parts. Twitter's a good place to host a little poll sesh. So, I started with the big chains. Buffalo Wild Wings vs. Buffalo Wings & Rings vs. Quaker Steak & Lube vs. Wingstop.
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The Cincinnati-based Buffalo Wings & Rings (extra wet, please) came out victorious in the poll, with 34.5% of the votes. Not far behind was Buffalo Wild Wings (mmmm, Spicy Garlic) with 30.3%. Quaker (Thai 'R' Cracker is the best, fight me) logged a respectable 24%. But where, oh where, was the Wingstop love!? 11.2%? Maybe it's because they have no spicy garlic option on the menu. At least that's my take. Wink wink, nudge nudge, @wingstop.
Not surprisingly, some Twitter folk had some opinions to share. Hooters got a fair share of shout-outs. As did Pontiac BBQ. Wild Mike's, did, too. @RedlegsBearcats said, "Those G-Funk wings at Midwest Best are incredible. Smoked, crispy deliciousness." I've never been, I'll have to give 'em a shot!
Some folks weren't having the chain wings at all. @theCliftonAve said, "Midwest Best BBQ, Knockback Nat’s, Wild Mike’s, Pontiac... literally about a dozen tavern’s across the metro."
We love the "shop local" vibe! So, hopefully we made up for it with our localized poll off of some of the more popular suggestions. So, Round 2 commenced with Wild Mike's vs. Knockback Nat's vs. Pontiac BBQ vs. Crossroads.
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Knockback Nat's and Wild Mike's ran away with this one, with Nat's winning by a narrow margin. But it appears the biggest mistake made was not including some of those hidden wing gems.
@Iamcharny said, "This could have been limited to 2 places and you could have had an engaged debate. None of the 4 listed come anywhere close to The Oak Tavern or Mt. Lookout Tavern. Not even close..."
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@sambreezy_nati said: "How is oak tavern not listed. Cmon now."
Well, 🤷 ... I guess we all have a lot more research to do!
We should all be happy to get out the Wet-Naps and do that saucy research work. Because it is important. Because in the way-too-spicy world we are living in these days, #NationalChickenWingDay is here to bring us together and not tear us apart. Let us all raise a wing together and celebrate with a dunk in blue cheese dressing. Because it's objectively better than ranch.
Happy holidays, chickens.
Send us your empty plates tonight by tagging @ENQThingsToDo on Twitter. Or @food.innati on Instagram. Or email me at rtodd@cincinnati.com and maybe we can do this again tomorrow. Because it's never a bad time to think too much about chicken wings. But, tomorrow is also National Chili Dog Day, so ... y'all might be busy.
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