A Robot Named 'Wingy' Is Coming To Buffalo Wild Wings In 2022

To help alleviate the continuing labor shortage, Buffalo Wild Wings is planning to start using a robot that can cook chicken wings (via 1851 Franchise). Buffalo Wild Wings' parent company, Inspire Brands, has partnered with Miso Robotics, the company that created Flippy the Robot, who, you might have guessed, flips burgers. The burger-flipping bot was established at multiple White Castles, per Eater. And now Wingy will get a chance to spread its, um, "wingies." 

According to a press release by Miso Robotics, "Flippy Wings is an all-new edition designed to meet the specific needs of restaurants, particularly those that specialize in buffalo wings." Its purpose is to maximize the number of wings that are cooked while minimizing the time that takes and the waste it makes. Wingy's abilities include frying chicken wings, lifting them, and placing them in a heated holding area. In its statement, Miso Robotics says that the robot uses "AI vision" to recognize the wings. 

Wingy the robot has already been tested by Miso Robotics. According to the company's findings, using the robot creates a huge reduction in oil spillage while increasing the rate of food production by 10-20% (per Miso Robotics' press release). CEO of Miso Robotics Mike Bell has high expectations for Wingy, sharing in the statement, "From day one, Flippy Wings will cook more food with less waste and save staff for higher value contributions." Bell goes on to explain that the robot can efficiently cook an array of wings – breaded, fresh, or frozen – and states the robot is safer than traditional friers.

One of the robots is now at Inspire Brands' Atlanta, Georgia-based Innovation Center. Before making its way to Buffalo Wild Wings, Wingy will be set up at the company's ghost kitchen, Allowance Kitchen, for another test run. The goal is to have Wingy installed and running maximizing service in a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant by sometime in 2022.