Federal judge dismisses lawsuit over Buffalo Wild Wings’ ‘boneless wings’
(NBC, KYMA) - A federal judge has ruled that Buffalo Wild Wings can keep the name "boneless wings" on its menu, rejecting a lawsuit that claimed the item is misleading.
In a 10-page decision, U.S. District Judge John Tharp Jr. said the sports bar chain can continue using the term, even though the product is "essentially chicken nuggets."
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by Chicago-area resident Aimen Halim, who argued that the name led reasonable customers to believe the item was deboned chicken wings made entirely from wing meat.
Halim claimed he purchased the product at a Buffalo Wild Wings location in Mount Prospect, Illinois, expecting traditional wings.
After learning the item is made from slices of chicken breast that are breaded and fried, he argued he would not have bought them, or would have paid less.
He alleged financial harm due to what he called deceptive marketing, but the judge ultimately ruled the plaintiff failed to provide enough evidence to support the claim, allowing the popular menu item to keep its name.
