Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Buffalo Wild Wings' 'Boneless Wings'

Court rules 'boneless wings' is a common industry term, not a literal claim about deboned chicken.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing Buffalo Wild Wings of false advertising over its 'boneless wings' menu item. The court ruled that the term 'boneless wings' describes a cooking style rather than a guarantee that the product is derived from deboned chicken wings, and that reasonable consumers understand this industry terminology.

Why it matters

The decision reinforces prior rulings that common food terms are judged by everyday understanding, not strict literal interpretation. It highlights the 'reasonable consumer' standard courts use in evaluating food labeling claims, focusing on whether an ordinary consumer would actually be misled rather than whether a term could be dissected into a technically inaccurate meaning.

The details

The plaintiff had argued that Buffalo Wild Wings' 'boneless wings' - made from breaded, sauced chunks of chicken breast meat - was misleading because it does not consist of actual chicken wings with bones removed. However, the judge ruled that 'no reasonable consumer would believe that 'boneless wings' are wings that have simply had their bones extracted.' Instead, the court said the phrase has become widely understood in American dining culture to refer to bite-sized pieces of white meat chicken prepared in the style of traditional wings.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2025.

The players

Buffalo Wild Wings

A restaurant chain headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and owned by Inspire Brands.

U.S. District Judge John Tharp

The federal judge who dismissed the lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings.

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What they’re saying

“No reasonable consumer would believe that 'boneless wings' are wings that have simply had their bones extracted.”

— U.S. District Judge John Tharp (Court opinion)

“Our guests understand that boneless wings are made from premium white meat chicken and prepared in the flavor styles they love.”

— Buffalo Wild Wings (Company statement)

The takeaway

This case highlights the 'reasonable consumer' standard courts use in evaluating food labeling claims, focusing on whether an ordinary consumer would actually be misled rather than whether a term could be dissected into a technically inaccurate meaning. It reinforces that common industry terminology, even if not strictly literal, is generally not considered deceptive if it aligns with consumer understanding.