Illinois’ Favorite Chicken Wings Might Surprise You

There are all types, flavors, and dipping sauces for chicken wings.  With bone or without?  What style if there is a bone in it?  What type of sauce are you putting on it?  Wet sauce or dry rub?  We haven't even started talking about dipping sauces yet.

No matter which way you prepare, dip, and devour, America loves chicken wings.  But, what is Illinois' favorite way to enjoy wings?  Turns out it's similar to much of the country, which is even more surprising.

Where are the best places in the Quad Cities for chicken wings?

If based on a couple of pictures you are already craving some wings, these are the best places in town to get your wing fix.

Yelp ratings tell you to check out these as the top 5 places.

1. Kitchen Brigade
2. Luli's Restaurant and Bar
3. Van's Pizza
4. Gunchie's
5. Hooters

According to Locals Love Us, the best places in town for chicken wings are;

1. Buffalo Wild Wings
2. Filling Station
3. Hooters
4. Wingstop
5. Van's Pizza

How Iowa Likes Their Chicken Wings

Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois all prefer their wings the same way.  But one midwest state sticks out as an anomaly.  Iowa.

According to a recent survey, Iowa wants honey bbq boneless wings with a side of ranch.  Only two other states, Indiana and Maine, agree with Iowa's choice of wings.

Illinois Likes Wings The Same As Others

The survey found 11 distinct wing orders.  And the top one in the country was also the favorite of Illinois.  Buffalo sauce boneless wings with ranch.

While that is Illinois' favorite combination for wings, the majority of Americans (63%) prefer their wings to be bone-in.  Meanwhile, 51% of Americans consider boneless wings to just be chicken nuggets.

Yet, that is the preference of most states and of Illinois.  And of myself as well!  I don't need to be fighting with a tiny stick to get the meat I need.  Then you have the awkwardness of trying to get that last little bit of meat between the 2 bones.  That is all just terrible.  Give me a nugget and a fork any day.

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Can we also just take a minute and talk about the names of the bone-in wings?  "Drummies" and "flats".  I've never called either of those by those names.  They are the legs and the wings.  I guess people don't want to call them by the actual part of the chicken they are eating so they've gone with "drummies" and "flats".  Maybe that is why people still prefer the bone-in as well cause they aren't sure what part of the chicken is the nugget.

Every year America consumes about 1.33 billion chicken wings in some form.  And while there are certain things we'll disagree about in the great wing debate, there are others we can agree on.

56% of people on the survey said it's not good to eat wings on a first date.  I mean, you'll find out a lot about somebody really quick but that feels like a way to not get a second date in most circumstances.