Chicken wings fall victim to supply problems
Lauren Zumbach
Chicago Tribune
First came shortages of toilet paper and flour. Now, chicken wings are in short supply, forcing some restaurants to call off wing night specials and consider raising prices on the budget-friendly staple.
Bronzeville Wingz owner Nichole Jackson said she now pays about $130 for a case of chicken wings, twice the $65 she was paying before the pandemic. Her supplier also limited the number of cases of chicken that restaurants can buy each day, forcing her to make smaller, more frequent orders.
When she raised menu prices on all items by about 10% and stopped offering specials, customers noticed. Jackson posted a sign explaining that price increases were due to higher chicken prices, and most customers have understood, but it’s still affecting revenues.
LAUREN ZUMBACH
Chicago Tribune
First came shortages of toilet paper and flour. Now, chicken wings are in short supply, forcing some restaurants to call off wing night specials and consider raising prices on the budget-friendly staple.
Bronzeville Wingz owner Nichole Jackson said she now pays about $130 for a case of chicken wings, twice the $65 she was paying before the pandemic. Her supplier also limited the number of cases of chicken that restaurants can buy each day, forcing her to make smaller, more frequent orders.
When she raised menu prices on all items by about 10% and stopped offering specials, customers noticed. Jackson posted a sign explaining that price increases were due to higher chicken prices and most customers have understood, but itâs still affecting revenues.
Brinker International Reports Third Quarter Of Fiscal 2021 Results And Provides Fourth Quarter Of Fiscal 2021 Outlook
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DALLAS, April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT) today announced results for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 ended March 24, 2021, and provided a financial update for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. I am very pleased with the ongoing growth of our business as our guests are able to return in greater numbers to Chili s and Maggiano s dining rooms, said Wyman Roberts, CEO and President. This reopening trend, supported by investment in our digital platforms and virtual brands, now has us meaningfully outperforming our F19 sales and traffic results.
Wing night specials scarce as restaurants face tight supply chicagotribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chicagotribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Utah-based operator forced to innovate, revamp menu.
Increasing consumer demand and pressures in the supply chain are driving up the costs of chicken wings by as much as 50%, and some restaurant operators are reporting challenges in obtaining enough supply.
Contributing to the wing shortages and price increases have been the proliferation of new delivery-only wing concepts, such as It’s Just Wings from Brinker International, which is on track to become a $150 million brand in its first year, the company said in a conference call with analysts on Wednesday.
While large, established wing specialists say their strong relationships with suppliers will help them weather the situation, many smaller and regional operators have been struggling to stay in-stock.