A chicken only has two wings—an anatomical fact that poses a challenge for restaurants that focus on chicken wings. For several years, demand by both operators and consumers has outstripped supply, which has jacked up prices.
That could turn into an especially sticky problem in the first quarter of 2018, when the Super Bowl, NCAA basketball playoffs and peak hockey season converge and demand peaks.
At Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar, the food cost for bone-in chicken wings is now 40%, says Gary Huether, president and co-founder of the regional chain. “Ten years ago, wings averaged 89 cents per pound, with a food cost of about 15%-20%,” he says. “Wings and light beer were my least expensive buy. Now, it’s the opposite.” Like Buffalo Wild Wings, which raised menu prices for bone-in wings late last year, Arooga’s bumped up its own by 10%. But neither operator stopped there—both are applying several other strategies to push customers toward more profitable items. Here's how.