Wingstop is testing chicken thighs at several locations as chicken wing prices continue to skyrocket

• Wingstop is trialing bone-in chicken thighs at several of its locations as the price of chicken wings continues to skyrocket amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• The thighs are currently being tested at seven locations, including two in Denver, Colorado and El Paso, Texas.
• Unlike other restaurants, Wingstop has seen a boost in sales over the last several months.

Wingstop is trialing bone-in chicken thighs at several of its locations as the price of chicken wings continues to skyrocket amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The introduction of thighs to Wingstop's menu could help the chicken chain put a damper on inconsistent costs related to chicken wing price fluctuations, according to Wingstop's chairman and CEO Charles Morrison during the company's Q3 earnings call on November 2. According to a report by Bloomberg citing the US Department of Agriculture, the price of wholesale chicken wings in the Northeast is at its highest in the last decade.

The thighs are currently being tested in seven locations, according to analysts at Gordon Haskett Research Advisors. This includes Denver, which is now charging $6.79 for five thighs. To compare, the same store is currently offering 10 bone-in wings for $11.69 and 10 boneless wings for $6.

The new bone-in thighs are also being offered at locations in Glendale and Golden, Colorado, and El Paso, Texas.

"Our research suggests it will be a fan favorite, and we're excited for all Wingstop fans to get to try it soon," Morrison said during the company's Q3 earnings call on November 2.

In addition to the new menu item, Wingstop has increased the price of its wings, according to Bloomberg, and has negotiated with its main chicken supplier to handle the fluctuating wing costs.

Despite the volatility of the chicken wing market and the coronavirus pandemic's effects on the restaurant industry, Wingstop has remained strong throughout the past several months.

In April, Wingstop's same-store sales skyrocketed by 30% year over year, a further increase from its late March sales which saw an 8.9% increase. And in Q3, Wingstop opened 43 new stores as its same-store and digital orders continued to increase year-over-year by 25.4% and 62%, respectively.