Images via Wingstop
While certain fast-food chains had been forced to close shop in response to a chicken shortage, Wingstop—famed for its chicken wings—isn’t backing down in spite of a short supply and price hike in the poultry part.
Instead, the company is winging it and, in its own words, “hacking” its branding by opening Thighstop, a virtual restaurant specializing in chicken thighs.
Customers who need their fried chicken fix can choose between bone-in or boneless thighs, with the same 11 flavors still available, by ordering from DoorDash or Thighstop.com. Orders will be fulfilled from 1,400 locations nationwide for delivery or carryout.
Border restrictions have thrown a spanner in the works in maintaining chicken supply, affecting shipping timeliness and labor, CNBC reports. To pile on the burden, chicken-producing powerhouses were struck by a winter storm in Texas, creating a slowdown in production.
The demand has predictably jacked up chicken prices, most especially for preferred parts like wings. “Even small gaps in the supply of wings can cause big fluctuations in price,” explained Tom Super, senior vice president of communications at the National Chicken Council.
The US Department of Agriculture noted that chicken wings cost US$2.72 per pound on average last week, almost 20 cents higher than they were priced at the same period last year.
Nevertheless, when faced with the hiccup months back, Wingstop saw it as an opportunity and planned ahead.
“Wingstop pioneered the concept of chicken wings as a center-of-the-plate item,” the company responded in a press statement. “Although Thighstop is in its infancy, we’ve been exploring bone-in and boneless thighs as center-of-the-plate options for some time now as a way to offer fans new ways to enjoy Wingstop’s bold, distinctive and craveable flavors.”
Image via Wingstop
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