A consumer has filed a lawsuit alleging that Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. has engaged in deceptive advertising. The Chicago resident claims that ‘boneless wings’ are slices of chicken breast meat that have been deep-fried. The plaintiff claims that the term ‘boneless wings’ is an incorrect descriptor and represents false advertising. The lawsuit claimed that “customers should be able to rely on the plain meaning of a produc
t’s name and receive what they are promised”.
In response to the lawsuit, Buffalo Wild Wings confirmed the allegation but claims that deceptive descriptions of menu items are common in the restaurant industry. They state that the company’s “buffalo wings do not contain buffalo and that hamburgers have no ham”. This flippant response containing an admission of the validity of the plaintiff’s claim, presumes a settlement in what
is obviously shakedown litigation. It will, however, be up to the plaintiff to quantify the magnitude of his alleged financial injury.
At best, Buffalo Wild Wings and other servers of faux wings will have to find a new name for their menu offering.