a new class action lawsuit filed in Illinois alleges that chicken chain Buffalo Wild Wings is engaging in «deceptive» business practices over claims that its «boneless wings» are actually just chicken nuggets.

The lawsuit was filed March 10 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by plaintiff Aimen Halim, who currently resides in Chicago, on behalf of himself and many other potentially affected individuals throughout the country for what the plaintiff said are «false and misleading.» Marketing and Advertising” of Buffalo Wild Wings Boneless Wings.

“The name and description of the Products (ie, as ‘Boneless Wings’) would lead reasonable consumers to believe that the Products are actually chicken wings,” the lawsuit states. «In other words, that the Products are chicken wings that have simply been deboned and, as such, are composed entirely of chicken wing meat.»

Halim’s lawsuit states that in January of this year, he purchased Boneless Wings from Buffalo Wild Wings in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and that based on the name and description of the menu item, he believed they were real wings that were boneless.

“Unbeknownst to Plaintiff and other consumers, the Products are not wings at all, but slices of chicken breast meat fried as wings,” the lawsuit reads. «In fact, the Products are more similar, in composition, to a chicken nugget than a chicken wing.»

“Had Plaintiff and other consumers known that the Products are not actually chicken wings, they would have paid less for them or not purchased them,” the lawsuit continues. «Therefore, Plaintiff and consumers have actually suffered injuries as a result of Defendants’ deceptive practices.»

Defendants named in the lawsuit include Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. and parent company Inspire Brands, Inc.

Contacted for comment, a representative from both companies pointed to a Twitter mail on the official Buffalo Wild Wings Twitter account.

«It’s true. Our boneless wings are all white meat chicken. Our burgers are ham free. Our buffalo wings are 0% buffalo,» the post read.

«This clear case of deceptive advertising should not be allowed, as consumers must be able to trust the plain meaning of a product name and receive what is promised,» the lawsuit says. “This is particularly true in a case like this, where consumers value real wings, and where Defendant has no valid reason to mislead consumers, other than to promote a cheaper product alongside its real chicken wings.”

The subsequent filing points to the fact that other companies sell products comparable to Buffalo Wild Wings’ “Boneless Wings” and avoid the use of the “wings” moniker. These include Domino’s Pizza, which has a menu item called «Boneless Chicken», and Papa John’s, which has a similar menu item called «Chicken Poppers».

«It should be noted that Domino’s Pizza and Papa Johns also sell real chicken wings, and that a restaurant called Buffalo Wild ‘Wings’ should take just as much care, if not more, in how it names its products,» the statement reads. demand.

The lawsuit also states that “if Buffalo Wild Wings were transparent with its customers, it could easily change the name of the Products” to “boneless chicken” or disclose on its menu that the Products are actually made from chicken breast meat. “Buffalo Wild Wings is well aware of this issue, but has refused to change its practices,” the lawsuit continues.

The lawsuit purports to represent an estimated «thousands» of consumers across the country who, like Halim, purchased the chain’s «Boneless Wings» at one of the chain’s more than 1,200 locations.

Halim is seeking “damages, injunctive relief, restitution, declaratory relief, and all other remedies the Court deems appropriate,” but the lawsuit does not state an exact monetary amount.

This plaintiff is far from the first person to complain about the «boneless wings» terminology.

Last February, Ted Anthony of the Associated Press called boneless wings a «culinary lie,» along with «baby carrots» and «Chilean sea bass,» in a passionate article.

And in September 2020, Ander Christensen, a citizen of Lincoln, Nebraska, delivered an impassioned speech on the subject when the floor was opened to the public for comment during a Lincoln City Council meeting.

“We have been living a lie,” he told the council members, and many in the audience burst out laughing, though he chided the giggles from the gallery and continued his credo. “I move that we as a city remove the term boneless chicken wings from our menus—and from our hearts.”