Buffalo Wild Wings vs Wingstop:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Wingstop had more branded searches than Buffalo Wild Wings among wing chains in the United States. Wingstop had about 7.5 million branded searches, while Buffalo Wild Wings had 5 million. Wingstop made up 53.2% of all wing chain searches we track, and Buffalo Wild Wings accounted for 35.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about wing chains, both Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop appeared in all three answers. Wingstop was mentioned before Buffalo Wild Wings in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Wingstop, about 50% more searches than Buffalo Wild Wings
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Wingstop, named ahead of Buffalo Wild Wings in every answer
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Top wing chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, both Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop showed up in all three answers. Wingstop was listed before Buffalo Wild Wings in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Wingstop3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Buffalo Wild Wings3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Hooters2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Pluckers Wing Bar2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Bonchon2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Wing Snob0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about wing chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best wing chain in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which restaurant chain in the US has the best chicken wings?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the most popular wing chains in the US?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wings near me”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“chicken wings near me”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 23, 2026.
Is Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six wing chains we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Wingstop, Buffalo Wild Wings. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Wingstop | Buffalo Wild Wings | Hooters | Pluckers Wing Bar | Bonchon | Wing Snob |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48.3% | 39.5% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 1.9% | 0.87% |
| Nov 2025 | 47.8% | 39.1% | 6.4% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 0.86% |
| Dec 2025 | 48.6% | 39.8% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 0.88% |
| Jan 2026 | 48.5% | 39.7% | 5.3% | 3.6% | 2% | 0.88% |
| Feb 2026 | 52.6% | 35.2% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 51.7% | 34.6% | 6.9% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 0.93% |
| Apr 2026 | 52.7% | 35.2% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 0.95% |
| May 2026 | 52.4% | 35.1% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 2.1% | 0.77% |
| Jun 2026 | 52.6% | 35.2% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 1.7% | 0.77% |
| Jul 2026 | 52.4% | 35.1% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 2.1% | 0.77% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.8% | 35.3% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 0.78% |
| Sep 2026 | 53.2% | 35.6% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 1.7% | 0.78% |
How has the Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Wingstop was ahead of Buffalo Wild Wings in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Buffalo Wild Wings’ share of searches among wing chains in the United States moved from 39.5% to 35.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.1M to 5M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wingstop’s share of searches among wing chains in the United States moved from 48.3% to 53.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 7.5M.
How did search popularity change for United States wing chains in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Buffalo Wild Wings in the United States fell 18.3% over 12 measured months, from 6.1M to 5M in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffalo Wild Wings’ and Wingstop’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Buffalo Wild Wings
1 branded search term
- buffalo wild wings
Wingstop
1 branded search term
- wingstop
Other head-to-heads among wing chains
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