USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Fast food chains are constantly dreaming up new innovations to set themselves apart from a crowded pack. That includes plenty of gimmicks that seemingly have no reason to exist but managed to make it out of the test kitchen, which is the case with a new offering from Wingstop that pairs poultry with Sour Patch Kids.
I’ve spent well over a decade keeping tabs on the fast food industry during my time writing things on the internet, and during that span, I’ve covered a wide variety of brands that have unleashed some wildly unexpected culinary creations that are essentially designed to make you do a double-take when you discover they exist.
That includes KFC’s infamous Double Down sandwich, a pie from Pizza Hut that features hot dogs stuffed into the crust, and the Doritos Locos Taco from Taco Bell, a chain that has really mastered the art of turning heads thanks to its track record of boundary-pushing additions to its menu.
Wingstop isn’t really known for entering the fray, but it’s certainly done that with a new item that’s rolling out just ahead of Halloween.
Wingstop channeled the power of Sour Patch Kids for its newest offering
As things currently stand, Wingstop offers 14 different flavors at its nearly 2,800 locations across the United States (that number is 15 if you consider “plain” a flavor).
Most of them are pretty standard options you’d encounter at many places specializing in the art of deep-fried wings, but that is not the case with a new one that the chain understandably described as “unhinged” in a press release announcing the upcoming drop of a Sour Patch Kids collaboration.
Wingstop
What have been dubbed the “Wicked Punch” wings are coated with a “SOUR THEN SWEET REDBERRY glaze” before being coated with “bitz” of the pucker-inducing gummy candy, a combination that will certainly help you hit some carb and protein macros if you aren’t in a place where you’re overly concerned about calories.
Wingstop’s CEO acknowledged the combo will probably give many people pause but asserted, “It has no business being this good.” I haven’t had the chance to try them myself, but I could see that flavor profile working in theory (although the texture of the candy seems like the biggest wild card).
You’ll get the chance to find out if he’s telling the truth when they’re released to the general public for a limited run that will kick off on October 27th and end on November 5th. However, Club Wingstop members will be able to order them through the restaurant’s app or website (which you’ll have to use if you want to get your hands on them) starting on the 23rd.