 |
| Wingstop Flavors Ranked: All 14 from Worst to Best |
Whether you're waiting for the Big Game or just want to eat some wings, Wingstop, a popular chicken wing chain, promises to come through with major flavour. Are you confused by all the different wing flavours? Don't worry—we'll tell you which Wingstop flavours should be at the top of your plate. Every Wingstop has a lot of players, just like your favourite football team. Some are better than others, though.
There was a mix of honey-sweet chicken and wings that are so hot they'll burn your mouth, of course. Which Wingstop flavour did you like best? Let's talk about the best things to order for dinner while the refs look over the play. That is, until Wingstop brings back hot honey (oh how we miss that flavour) — for good.
14. Hot Mango Habanero
Mango Habanero is the clear loser, and it's the only flavour we think you should stay away from. It's not quite trash, but our taste testers turned away in disgust in a house that loves heat. Habanero is harder to get than most spicy flavours because it tastes strongly of plants and is very hot compared to other peppers you can get without having to order them in specially.
Too bad Wingstop hasn't done a good job of harvesting its habaneros here. The mango doesn't really stand out, even though it could have balanced out the normally pleasant green habanero taste with something sticky, sweet, or even earthy. That pepper takes away from the taste of the wing long before it gets too hot. And yes, this one is pretty spicy, but at least it won't make anyone cry. While capsaicin junkies will be disappointed, Wingstop at least got the heat level right where it should have been.
It's a shame because that was the only flavour that really heated things up, but it was gone after the first bite. Wingstop should cut the habanero in half, add a hot pepper with a milder flavour, and then add more mango to make it a little sweeter. If it's still not spicy enough, add another hot pepper with a milder flavour. Habanero has a very strong flavour, and this wing might do better with less reserve so it can focus on what it does best: burn your tongue.
13. Hickory-smoked BBQ
We usually really like hickory barbecue, but this one seems to be coming from a whole different place. No one is mad, but we honestly thought a big name like Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce would do better. Not only does it taste smokey, but it also tastes dark, like soy sauce. For a moment, you might think it was some kind of glaze that goes on top of teriyaki, but unfortunately, this is not Mr. Yashida's. It's also not a very interesting barbecue sauce, which is what it's supposed to be. It's too sweet and too salty, and the only thing that makes it taste okay is the smoke. But even that takes it to a level that it can't handle. At that depth, this submarine is not safe for the water. It wouldn't surprise us in the least if this was just extra Teriyaki mixed with just enough hickory barbecue to avoid being an expensive washbasin. Now that's just a guess, let's stick to what we know for sure: this is meh.
The hickory flavour is clear, but the consistency as a whole tastes like something that should be thinned out before being spread on wings. If you leave it as is, it would be better as a dipping sauce for fries, which are good because they are bland. This sauce doesn't take you anywhere of note, and a little goes a long way. Keep the hickory for when you order five pieces. It will wear you out eventually if you're going big.
12. Cajun
We really wished we liked this more. Using these exact spices and sauces, Louisiana Rub comes in very high on this list. Adding Lemon Pepper makes the balance just right. That would be better in Cajun country if they let the Original Hot sauce shine or turned down the volume so the spices could be heard. Only parts of the seasonings that you can see after the spicy sauce are that there are too many of them (maybe to keep them from getting buried), and they're still wasted on the hot burn.
It's likely possible to make these better, and the first step is to make the spices into a sauce instead of just sprinkle them on top. They never get a chance to shine on stage. We think this is just Original Hot messing up the performance because of a heckler in the crowd. You should order the real thing, but keep reading to find out why that's not our first suggestion when you have to have something spicy.
11. Hawaiian
We couldn't figure out what Hawaiian food tastes like. Does it mix ginger and soy sauce into pineapple? It could also be coming from somewhere else. A Geek Outside thinks it might smell like papaya, which would make it musky, but we can't find it. Wingstop isn't saying much about it; they only say it tastes like a mix of citrus fruits and Asian spices. It might still have pineapple or papaya in it, but neither of those are citrus fruits. Interesting.
No matter what, Hawaiian is a really nice flavour. The thing that makes it great at first might be what kills it, though: its richness makes it heavy after a while. Five of these is enough to make your mouth water, and even people who really like this flavour probably can only handle ten before they get too salty. Hawaiian is a dish that you should split if you want to keep it so satisfying.
Hawaiian does what it's supposed to do, but it doesn't leave much of an impression beyond how intense it is compared to how deep it is. Yes, that's good, but you have to really like the three main ingredients for them to stand up to strong flavours like butter, garlic, and lemon.
10. The Original Hot
We are aware that this is one of the most popular flavours and may even be the most-ordered by volume. It has the same high-quality buffalo plus herb profile that was found in mild. So why isn't this higher on the list? To begin with, there's too much in the middle. Mild makes you really taste what's going on, while Atomic hurts your tongue like you begged to be hurt. This song, like Cajun before it, tries to be both but fails at both. It does a better job than the other one, though, maybe because the spices are mixed in more.
Okay, that's why Original Hot is right in the middle of the spicy flavours. But it's still very popular for a reason: the hot sauce is great, and people who like buffalo, Frank's Red Hot, or Tabasco love it. That thin, classic red pepper flavour is thickened just enough to do well. This isn't the best example of what can happen when you add enough herbs and spices to simple classics to make them look trendy. Also, spicy food is fun to eat, and sometimes that's all you need to feel good.
9. Simple
It surprised us that the plain chicken wing was still really tasty on its own, thanks to good breading and a fry job that gives you the pleasures of a crunchy piece of chicken. What it loses in huge amounts of sauce, it makes up for by staying dry and crispy. It also lets the meat and breading shine, showing that they're more than just a great base for hot and barbecue sauces.
That's right, the plain chicken wing tastes pretty good by itself. The herb taste is nice, and the wings don't get soggy without the sauce. These are great because they let the breading, meat, and oil shine through. Plus, if you're really hungry, you can eat a lot more of them than some of the other flavours on this list.
The fact that this non-flavor did so well when you thought it would be near the bottom of the list because it didn't have anything to wear shows how good it is. This shows that the best party outfit isn't always something fancy.
8. Very hot Korean Q
Spicy Korean Q tastes more like a general sweet-and-sour sauce than a Korean flavour. It's made of ginger, garlic, Sriracha, and red pepper that has been crushed. It's like gochujang for cheap. This sauce is lighter and in the middle of the flavours, which works in its favour. It's a good choice for a large order because it will please a lot of different tastes. It has a deus-ex complexity and is a little hot and a lot sweet. At first, it doesn't taste very good, but by the end, it turns into something a little stronger with some heat. This is a nice, substantial surprise after a vague and mild beginning.
It seems like a missed chance to have gone all out and served Korean-style fried chicken with sauce. The way Korean fried chicken is made is different from most others, and the results are almost impossible to beat in this field. Because it's double-fried, the spices inside are sealed in between a very thin crust that stays together even when it's crispy. If Wingstop had tried to get this, it would have easily taken the top three. The textures go together perfectly.
Still, things aren't going too badly. If this doesn't have doenjang hiding in it, the fermentation of the Sriracha is what makes it a little better than the gochujang alone. And if you have extra, it's simple to eat a pound by yourself.
7. Parmesan with garlic
It's strong, like most of the other things on this list. The intensity knows when to stop, unlike a lot of it, so even if you're gasping for air by the end of a basket, the buttery, garlicky taste and the umami from the parmesan will make you want one more wing.
We might have even put this one a little higher, but garlic and butter are basically cheat codes for happiness, and we like how some of the flavours that came before it played to their strengths to really please the people who were looking for them instead of trying to please everyone. Like Original Hot, Garlic Parmesan tastes like it should be the base for many other flavours. But for now, it's just locked down a profitable taste spot, and you can't argue with the results. It's fine to stick with what you know works, especially when you're ordering fast food to feel better.
6. Not bad
It tastes like buffalo wings, but better. Sorry, true-buffalo fans, but while you fight over what makes it real, this milder but more elevated version has a lot more complexity, and it all works well together. The first Anchor Bar recipe was good, and we'll make it again, but this one is better. Although we're not sure what makes this different (maybe not using butter?), it looks like the sauce has some extra herbs and spices in it. Any way you look at it, Mild has a little more depth, and it unfolds to show you that. Those spices keep the fun going even when it gets hot outside.
That being said, this mixture doesn't add anything new to buffalo sauce, so it's not clear why it's not labelled as such. These days, if you use that Frank's Red Hot profile or a copy of it, you're already more than halfway to buffalo wings.
5. The atom
Atomic gives you just the right amount of heat to melt your fillings sometimes. Even though it's not Nashville Hot Chicken, Atomic hits your taste buds hard without making your stomach hurt all weekend. Instead, it gives you a nice burn or tingle the rest of the day. Do not worry! It's not that bad that you just ate a good meal.
You're not here for the taste, which tastes like Original Hot that has been sped up. We can't tell if there's a difference other than condensing it. After several tastes, mango habanero seems to be the spicier flavour. This pepper could teach mango habanero a lot about how spice can mask some tastes. Even though it's very spicy, it tastes good on its own. You won't get much of that great taste. Tonguetown's high Scoville level makes all of your senses react strongly to the taste.
Just to be clear, we do need to take away some points. When you put a lot of Atomic sauce on the wings, it soaks up the breading very quickly. But if you like hot tastes, this is what you need. As far as buttkicking goes, this is a lot of fun.
4. Sweet BBQ Fire
BBQ sauce is smoky, sweet, spicy, and salty. It's kind of like a free pass for bad meat when it comes to flavour. When it comes to plain Wingstop, though, it's not bad at all, as we saw when we ranked fast food chicken wings and it ruled for most of the time. So picture that solid base, which is still hot, covered in all the flavours that a classic barbecue sauce can offer, plus some heat. You get it now.
There will be a real battle for who gets to be the BBQ king among the powerful Wingstop sauces if Wingstop ever brings back our beloved Carolina Gold BBQ. The old flavour is gone, though, and Sweet BBQ Blaze takes its place. "The king is dead; long live the king!" Because the crispy Wingstop skin goes so well with the sweet BBQ Blaze, it's sure to get fans who put it at the top of the list. Let's not forget that this is not "Game of Thrones." There can be four winners in the finale if you order a mix of any flavours you want.
3. Lemon and Pepper
The lemon pepper wings are great. Before reading this article, we thought that the lemon, garlic, and parmesan-based flavours would do well in the lower to mid-levels by having strong flavours but ultimately losing to the sweet or spicy barbecue and hot sauces, which go well with any kind of fried chicken. But the category as a whole has dominated the top rankings, showing up all at once, which surprised us as we changed our minds. No one could have seen this coming, folks! This could be the most exciting fried chicken flavour ranking we've ever seen! You'll never taste anything like it again: the "Avengers: Endgame" of fast food flavours.
Lemon pepper tastes great because the lemon is so strong. Although it's not very acidic, it's just on the edge of being sweet and sour. It doesn't matter if the butteriness comes from real butter or leftover fry grease in the breading. The acidity of the wings needs some fat to fight with, and you win. The name of one of the most acclaimed cooking books of this decade is "Salt Fat Acid Heat." Here's what it means in real life.
2. The Louisiana Rub
Cajun, write this down. This is the extra kick you need to make it all come together. Louisiana Rub strikes a great balance between all the strong flavours so they all work well together. It could have easily gone down the drain with its own all-around approach. People at Foodbeast say it's a mix of Cajun, Original Hot, and Lemon Pepper, which would explain why it's so tasty. It looks like Cajun seasoning is good, but this is how it should be served: with hot sauce and an acidic splash to finish. These tastes are like a prawn boil with fried chicken, and we love them.
Wingstop has done this before. Brand Eating says that Wingstop's new Bayou BBQ combined Cajun seasoning with Hickory Smoked BBQ in May of last year. However, we don't think that pairing did much more than bury the Cajun flavour under a heavy layer of hickory smoke that never lives up to its full potential. In the same article, Lemon Garlic is also talked about, which is either the same thing as our gold-medal winner or the idea behind it.
1. Honey Rub Hot
Friends, the hype is real. Hot Honey Rub lives up to its name and also surprises your mouth in a good way. It's not too sticky, too sweet, or too hot in the mouth. It tastes both hot and spicy, and the burn afterward is nice, but not the way you'd describe it at first. That's what people in the 1980s would have called hot. Even so, hot honey does use the two things that give it its name to play rhythm, which is pretty amazing.
Let us now talk about the lead guitar. These wings have a buttery flavour that brings out their crispiness and makes the sauce a great rink to skate on. There are so many great flavours in Hot Honey Rub that it's almost impossible to pick out just one (maybe paprika?). It's easy to see why everyone on social media is pleading with Wing Stop to bring this flavour back. It's not impossible that it would get a permanent spot on the rotation once it's miles ahead of half of what's already here. These take ideas from buffalo wings and make them much better.
We used to put Lemon Garlic, a limited-time seasoning, at the top, but it's no longer available... for now. Wing Stop's test kitchen seems to be coming up with the best new ideas right now, so hurry to a Wing Stop while Hot Honey Rub is still on the menu. Then try to get it to stay on the flavour spectrum all the time.
How to do it
We compared every active flavour in one mega-delivery to find the best Wingstop order. We took a quick nibble at the point of entry to taste them at their best, and then a more substantial bite later to take notes on the taste. Aside from that, we tried to move from the mildest tastes and levels of heat to stronger and hotter ones so as not to change the profile of the next sample. We couldn't promise that some flavours wouldn't shine more than others at different stages. For example, buttery and seasoning flavours will probably keep the skin crispy longer than really wet ones if you're taking it home. But we thought it would be fair to taste everything right away and then slowly to get a sense of what it was like before and after.
As new items were added to the Wingstop menu, they were all tasted and thought about the same way during the order, even though the ones that were eaten at the restaurant instead of being delivered were usually the freshest. We mostly used textural pro-rating to account for this, but we also looked at the flavours of the release and how they changed the chicken's own taste. It might not be the best way to rank things, but the good news is that you can eat at Wingstop and disagree with them. Remember that coming up with the best Wingstop order isn't an objective process; you'll have to taste, compare, and decide for yourself. We are only showing you the best places to start.
No comments: