For decades, one of the biggest debates in the chicken wing world has been flats vs. drums—which one is better? People take sides, argue over which has the better meat-to-skin ratio, and even fight over who gets what at the dinner table.
But have you ever stopped to ask: Why are we even having this debate?
The real question isn't whether flats or drums reign supreme. It's why we aren’t getting the whole wing anymore. Somewhere along the way, the industry split the wing in two and started selling them as separate pieces—without most people even realizing it.
The Anatomy of a Chicken Wing
A whole chicken wing has three parts:
The Drumette – The meatier section that looks like a mini drumstick.
The Flat (or Wingette) – The middle section with two bones and tender meat.
The Tip – The small, pointy end, often discarded or used in stocks.
Traditionally, chicken wings were served whole. You got one wing as one piece, which meant more value, more flavor, and a more natural eating experience. But somewhere along the way, the restaurant industry hacked the wing in half, turned it into two separate pieces, and sold them individually.
Why Did This Happen?
Like most things in the food industry, the shift from whole wings to split wings comes down to money, convenience, and perception.
1. Profitability Over Portions
When restaurants started deep-frying and selling wings, they realized they could double their sales by splitting the wings in two. Instead of selling one whole wing, they could charge the same amount (or more) for two smaller pieces—effectively getting twice the inventory from the same amount of chicken.
2. The Rise of Bar Food & Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings, which exploded in popularity in the late 20th century, helped solidify the practice of splitting wings. As bars and restaurants sought easier-to-eat, more dippable portions, serving flats and drums separately became the standard. The tip? It was often tossed or repurposed for broth, further streamlining the process.
3. Consumer Psychology
Somewhere along the way, people forgot they used to get the whole wing. We got used to seeing two pieces as "one wing order", even though it’s technically half a wing. The food industry conditioned us to accept less for the same price, and most people never questioned it.
Are We Paying More for Less?
When you order a 10-piece wing basket at a restaurant, you might think you’re getting 10 wings. But in reality, you’re only getting five actual chicken wings, just cut in half.
Think about that. You’re getting half the product for the same price. The wings weren’t always like this. Once upon a time, you could get a whole wing for the same value.
So, why aren’t more people talking about chicken wing appropriation?
Bringing Back the Whole Wing Movement
If you’ve ever had whole wings—whether from a home cookout, a traditional Asian restaurant, or certain BBQ joints—you know they just hit differently. The flavors stay locked in, the meat doesn’t dry out as fast, and it just feels more complete to eat the entire thing.
Some restaurants and foodies are starting to push back against the split-wing standard and advocate for bringing back the whole wing. But to make a real change, consumers need to demand whole wings and start questioning why we’ve been paying more for less all these years.
Final Thoughts
The flats vs. drums debate is fun, but it distracts from the bigger issue—we’ve been tricked into eating half a wing while thinking it’s a whole one. The commercialization of wings has changed the way we eat them, but maybe it’s time to reclaim the full wing experience.
Next time you order wings, ask yourself: Do I want my whole wing back? Because once you see the trick, you can’t unsee it.
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