• The third book in Rebecca Yarros' "Empyrean" series comes out on January 21.
• It will pick up where dragon rider Violet Sorrengail left off in "Iron Flame."
• Warning: This article contains major spoilers for "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame."

The much-anticipated third installment of Rebecca Yarros' "The Empyrean" series is finally hitting bookshelves.

"Onyx Storm," which continues Violet Sorrengail's journey to become a dragon rider, will be released on January 21 by Red Tower Books.

Yarros' dragon-filled romantasy world became massive in "Iron Flame," and it might be difficult to remember everything that happened in the sequel before you read the third "Empyrean" book.

Check out Business Insider's recap of the major events in "Iron Flame" so you're ready for "Onyx Storm." And if you need a refresher on the first installment in the series, you can also read BI's guide to "Fourth Wing."

The rest of this article contains major spoilers for "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame."

Violet Sorrengail was reckoning with some major shocks at the start of 'Iron Flame'

When "Iron Flame" opens, Violet Sorrengail is recovering from a battle that brought her face to face with venin and wyverns, evil creatures the government of Navarre — including her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail — told her weren't real.

The battle also revealed that her romantic interest, Xaden Riorson, and other students at Basgiath, the war college Violet attends, have been secretly fighting for the revolution, and it left her friend Liam dead.

As if those revelations weren't enough, Violet also awakens at a rebel outpost in Aretia to discover the mender who saved her life is Brennan, her brother she thought had died. Instead, he has been working with the rebels under an alias since his disappearance.

Violet and her other classmates decide to return to the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath before the school's graduation. They are under strict orders to keep the venin attack — and the true cause of Liam's death — secret. Violet also decides to try to find information about Navarre's wards to help protect innocents from the venin.

During the fight, Violet's younger dragon, Andarna, exerted so much power to protect Violet that she escalated her growth process and had to fall into a deep sleep to complete her change. Violet takes her to the Vale, the home of the dragons, to recover while she returns to Basgiath with her other dragon, Tairn.

New dangers at Basgiath

After graduation, Xaden is assigned to work at an outpost called Samara, a full-day flight away from Basgiath. Xaden and Violet, who is still a student, must visit each other every seven days so her dragon, Tairn, and his dragon, Sgaeyl, can see each other because they are mated.

Meanwhile, the imposing Vice Commandant Varrish comes to work at Basgiath, keeping a close eye on Violet and her classmates who were at the venin battle.

Violet also discovers that Jack Barlowe, her nemesis from "Fourth Wing," whom she thought she killed, was resurrected. Violet is wary of Jack as he's integrated back into Basgiath, but when a first-year student tries to kill her, Jack saves her, telling Violet they're even after his attempts on her life the previous year.

Violet and her squad continue to bond as they face new challenges in a Rider Survival Course. Violet also manages to steal a journal written by Lyra, one of the First Six Riders, from the royal family with their help. She hopes it can offer insight into how Basgiath's wards function.

The danger surrounding Violet at Basgiath comes to a head when Varrish and his cronies torture her for five days for stealing the journal. Visions of Liam keep Violet sane during the torture. When Varrish taps Violet's childhood friend Dain Aetos to wrench secrets from her mind with his signet power, he surprises them all by betraying Navarre and freeing Violet.

Xaden arrives soon after, and he and Violet kill Varrish and confess their love for each other. They also decide to reveal the existence of venin and wyvern to the Basgiath student body, giving their peers the chance to join them as they flee to join the rebels.

They manage to convince around 200 riders to leave with them, including Dain, Violet's squad, and even some teachers, heading to Xaden's home, Riorson House, for safety. Mira, Violet's sister, also joins her siblings at Basgiath.

Violet and her squad join the resistance

Andarna wakes up soon after Violet arrives at Riorson House, and she now appears to be a large, black dragon. Though she has matured into a moody adolescent, her disrupted growth means her wing muscles didn't develop correctly. She will never be able to bear a rider, which is heartbreaking for both her and Violet.

Meanwhile, Violet and the other cadets from Basgiath settle in with the rebels. They continue to train alongside gryphon riders — including Xaden's ex-girlfriend Cat — which can be fraught as the riders learn to trust each other.

Ahead of a wyvern attack, Violet manages to get the wards surrounding Aretia up, though they don't work as well as those in Navarre. Lilith then gives Violet Lyra's journal during a meeting because she wants her children to be safe, and Violet taps her Scribe friend Jesinia to translate it so they can find answers about the wards.

During their time at Riorson House, Violet realizes Xaden has a second signet he has kept secret from everyone but her. He confides in her that he is an inntinsic, allowing him to read people's intentions — a signet that riders are immediately killed for having because of the dangers they pose to other riders.

The conversation also hints that Violet has a second signet that has yet to be revealed because she is bonded with two dragons.

'Iron Flame' culminates with a battle at Basgiath

Violet and her friends rush back to Basgiath when they realize venin are launching an attack on the school. When they arrive, they discover that Jack has secretly turned venin months ago, and he destroys the wards after killing his own dragon.

Dragons, gryphons, and their riders work together to defend Basgiath from venin and wyverns in an intense battle. Brennan manages to mend the wardstone Jack broke, and Jesinia finally translates Lyra's journal, telling Violet they need a seventh type of dragon to make them work.

Jesinia's discovery makes Violet realize Andarna isn't a black dragon as she previously believed and is, in fact, the seventh breed of dragon. Andarna then tells Violet she didn't hatch for 650 years, as she was waiting specifically for her.

The dragons assemble to raise the wards, and Violet nearly gives all her power to secure them until her mother steps in. Lilith sacrifices herself, raising the wards and killing the invading wyvern.

Violet rushes to find Xaden after the battle, and she discovers he has the red-rimmed eyes associated with the venin, as he took power from the land to try to protect Violet. The book ends with Jack telling Xaden there is no known cure to turning venin.

Violet won't continue her studies at Basgiath in "Onyx Storm," instead traveling to find allies to help fight the venin — and save Xaden.

• Rebecca Yarros is best known for writing "Fourth Wing."
• The third book in her romantasy series will be released on January 21.
• Yarros has already published over 20 novels, and two are being adapted into shows and films.

Rebecca Yarros has been busy for the past two years.

Since January 2023, Yarros, 43, has become a household name thanks to her bestselling novel "Fourth Wing" and its sequel, "Iron Flame."

She also released two titles unrelated to "Fourth Wing" and had two of her works optioned for screen adaptations while raising six children with her husband, Jason.

The third book in the "The Empyrean" series, "Onyx Storm," will hit bookshelves on January 21, and readers are on the edge of their seats to see how dragon rider Violet Sorrengail's story will continue.

Ahead of its release, take a look back at the prolific author's career, from writing her first novel to hitting The New York Times bestseller list with her romantasy debut.

The military defined much of Rebecca Yarros' early life

Both of Yarros' parents were lieutenant colonels, so she moved around frequently during her childhood, as she told The New York Times.

Yarros shared on her website that she enrolled in the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, for college, where she had a vocal scholarship. When she was 19, she met Jason Yarros at a karaoke bar. The New York Times reported that he was a private in the Army at the time.

The couple tied the knot in 2002, and Yarros dropped out of school when they were expecting their first child shortly after they got married.

Yarros and her husband have six children, including their adopted daughter Audrey-Grace, who inspired them to found the nonprofit One October. Today, the couple lives in Colorado, and they have a cat, two dogs, and two chinchillas in addition to their children.

Yarros published her first book in 2014

Yarros got her degree in history and English from Troy University online while she was raising her children.

Her husband Jason continued to serve in the military until 2019, and he was deployed to Iran and Afghanistan multiple times throughout their marriage.

The "Fourth Wing" author told the Times that she started reading romance books and writing them at night when she developed insomnia after her husband was injured during one of his deployments.

She first wrote an urban fantasy in 2011 but couldn't sell the book. Then, in 2014, Entangled Publishing released her debut novel "Full Measures," the first installment in the "Fight & Glory" series.

Since then, Yarros has published over 20 books, and many of her works are inspired by the role the military played in her life.

However, none gained the traction "Fourth Wing" did when it was released in 2023.

'Fourth Wing' changed everything

In 2020, Yarros and four of her children were diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome after she started passing out frequently and getting migraines, The Times reported. The rare group of genetic disorders weakens the body's connective tissues and can cause an array of health problems.

The diagnosis helped inspire Yarros to write "Fourth Wing," which Entangled's burgeoning romance imprint, Red Tower, published in April 2023.

In the novel, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail's mother forces her to enter the Rider's Quadrant at Basgiath War College to train to be a dragon rider, even though she spent her life preparing to become a Scribe.

Violet not only hasn't been preparing to be a Rider, but her medical condition — which isn't named in the novel but Yarros confirmed on Instagram is Ehlers-Danlos — makes training more risky for her than her classmates. Plus, many of her peers have it out for Violet, as they are the children of the Rebels her mother helped destroy.

But Violet proves surprisingly powerful, and her success at the school brings her closer to Xaden Riorson, the son of a rebel and someone she never expected to fall for.

"Fourth Wing" became an instant New York Times bestseller and BookTok sensation, finding an eager audience as the romantasy genre, which blends romance and fantasy, grew in popularity.

Red Tower published the second book in "The Empyrean" series, "Iron Flame," in October of 2023, just six months after "Fourth Wing" came out. It was a massive success despite a messy rollout, with the books selling over 1 million copies combined in the first half of 2024 alone, according to Publisher's Weekly.

Yarros isn't slowing down anytime soon

The third installment of "The Empyrean" series, "Onyx Storm," will be released on January 21. Yarros is attending a midnight release party for the book at Barnes & Noble The Grove in Los Angeles to celebrate.

The author has started sharing snippets of the book on her Instagram, hinting at how Violet and Xaden's story will continue.

Yarros plans for the series to have five books in total, and she is still publishing titles unrelated to Violet's world amid the rollout of "The Empyrean" series. Indeed, Yarros published "Variation," a contemporary romance, in November 2024.

In addition to writing books, the author will be busy with adaptations of her works in the coming years.

Amazon MGM Studios bought the rights to "The Empyrean" series and already started working on making a TV show based on "Fourth Wing," as Deadline reported in October 2023. Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society will produce the show, with Yarros serving as an executive producer. Moira Walley-Beckett, who produced "Breaking Bad" and "Anne with an E," will be the showrunner.

Casting has yet to be announced for the series, nor has a release date. In a clip of a Q&A shared on TikTok, Yarros said she doesn't have control over casting, though she made clear to the team working on the project that she doesn't want Xaden to be whitewashed.

"They know how staunch I am against whitewashing Xaden," she said. "I think that's the biggest thing."

In the series, Xaden is described as having "warm tawny skin," dark hair, and stubble.

The Hollywood Reporter also revealed in October that Yarros' 2023 novel "In the Likely Event" is being adapted into a Netflix film by Lindsey Ferrentino. Yarros will be an executive producer on the project as well.

Red Tower and Yarros have not announced a release date or title for the fourth "Empyrean" book, though it likely won't come out too far in the future given the author's rapid writing pace.

• Elon Musk said Reform UK's Nigel Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to be the party's leader.
• It comes after Farage disagreed with Musk's support for jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
• Musk's comments came just hours after Farage called the Tesla CEO a "friend" in an interview.

Elon Musk appears to have turned on Reform UK's Nigel Farage, the leader of the country's right-wing party.

"The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes," Musk wrote on X on Sunday.

Musk has recently supported Reform UK as an alternative to the ruling Labour Party, primarily for its anti-immigration stance. Farage has welcomed that support and the two appeared to be forging a strong relationship. Farage recently visited Musk in the United States. And Musk was rumored to be lining up donations for Reform UK.

But things took a turn after Musk called for the release of Tommy Robinson, a jailed far-right anti-immigration activist. Speaking at a Reform UK event earlier this week, Farage said Robinson was "not what we need," The Telegraph reported.

"There are people in Britain who think that Robinson is a political prisoner. That's the narrative that he's pushed out. That's how he earns his living but it isn't quite true," he said.

On Sunday, Farage responded to Musk, calling the billionaire a "remarkable individual" but saying that he disagreed with his view on Robinson.

"Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree," he wrote. "My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles."

Robinson is a controversial far-right figure in the UK who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October for contempt of court. Musk has repeatedly called for Robinson's release.

Robinson is something of a third rail in the UK. Farage, who does not shy away from controversy, accused the activist during far-right, anti-immigration riots in the UK over the summer of trying to "stir up hatred."

"As for the Tommy Robinsons and those that genuinely do stir up hatred, well, I've never had anything to do with them," Farage said in a video he posted at the time.

Hours before Musk's latest comments, the Reform UK leader described the tech mogul as a "friend" in an interview on the BBC.

Farage said the fact that Musk "supports me politically and supports Reform doesn't mean I have to agree with every single statement he makes on X."

Business Insider has contacted Reform UK for comment.

• My kids and I went to Venice, and we preferred a rowing lesson to a gondola ride.
• The gondola ride was disappointing, but the rowing lesson I booked was exciting.
• Next time, I'd skip the gondola ride altogether.

A gondola ride in Venice is one of the most iconic experiences in Europe. When I recently visited Italy with my children, it was one of the experiences I was most looking forward to sharing with them.

I booked a 30-minute ride for 80 euros, or about $83.

When I first stepped into the gondola, I was thrilled. However, I quickly realized that my expectations were too high.

Our ride was down Venice's Grand Canal, the most famous one in the city, and I knew that was a mistake almost right away. Pulling away from the dock alongside several other boats reminded me of rush hour.

Things didn't get much better once we were on our way. Our gondola was sandwiched between two other boats, and I was worried about getting bumped the entire time.

Instead of telling us about the buildings we were passing, my gondolier spent most of the ride talking to the gondolier rowing the boat in front of us.

After the 30-minute ride, we were left disappointed and looking for more.

I didn't want to leave Venice without having a better experience on the canals

Although Venice has great gelato and pizza and a stunning cathedral, that's not what makes the city unique.

It's one of the few places built entirely along canals, and they're a huge part of life in the city.

I didn't want to leave without getting the fully immersive experience of being rowed through the city — in a way that didn't feel chaotic and rushed.

When I was looking for activities in Venice, I had initially breezed past a rowing lesson with Row Venice, an all-female rowing company. However, after our disappointing gondola ride, I gave it another look and decided to book a 130-euro lesson.

Luckily, our rowing lesson was way more exciting

After a brief delay due to rain, my kids and I hopped in a boat called a batelina with our rowing instructor. I was initially disappointed that we wouldn't be in a gondola, but batelinas are so similar that I could barely tell the difference.

Our instructor explained that batelinas are more stable — and, therefore, better suited for inexperienced rowers.

Row Venice offers lessons in the Grand Canal, but I chose to have ours in a quieter canal.

Stepping into the batelina, I immediately felt more relaxed. Our instructor was attentive and gave us her full attention — I didn't feel l like I was intruding in a private a gossip session with the boat next to us.

Within the first couple of minutes of the rowing lesson, I knew it was going to be a lot closer to what I imagined my gondola ride would be like.

I wish we skipped the gondola ride and just did a rowing lesson instead

Our lesson was cut a little short because of the weather, so we didn't get to experience the full 80 minutes in the boat. Still, it was close to an hour, which was a lot better than the 30-minute gondola ride.

During our time in the batelina, my kids and I each spent some time rowing and the rest being rowed by our instructor. We also learned about traditional Venitian rowing techniques, the different types of boats used in the city, and some of the buildings we rowed past.

Even though it was more expensive, the rowing lesson was a much better value

If I ever visit Venice again, I wouldn't hesitate to book another one, but it would be hard to convince us to give a gondola ride another try.

• Wing and DoorDash launched drone deliveries from malls in Dallas-Fort Worth this week.
• The launch came as drone sightings have been reported around the US, including in Texas.
• Wing said its drones operate during the day and have been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2021.

Wing and DoorDash launched drone deliveries from some local malls in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas this week, just as mysterious drone sightings keep getting reported on the East Coast — and even in the Lone Star state.

Wing, which is owned by Alphabet, Google's parent company, said in a statement the company was partnering with DoorDash and Brookfield Properties to deliver goods from two local shopping malls in a "first-of-its-kind service."

The company said customers can order delivers from more than 50 stores. When checking out via DoorDash customers can choose to have the product delivered by drone, which can be as fast as 15 minutes. The drones can fly 65 mph at a cruising height of around 150 feet.

Wing drones have made more than 400,000 commercial deliveries worldwide since 2019. Wing and DoorDash have previously provided drone delivery services in Melbourne, Australia and Christiansburg, Virginia. Wing has also previously partnered with Walgreens and Walmart for drone deliveries in the Dallas-Fort Worth areas.

The launch of deliveries from malls comes at a time of heightened awareness and concern about drones. Since mid-November, US authorities have received thousands of reports of mystery drones on the East Coast, primarily in New Jersey, The White House has said only about 100 required further investigation, and that the drones do not pose a threat.

In a statement to Business Insider, a Wing spokesperson said its drones have been operating around Dallas-Forth Worth since 2021 and that the company has done extensive community outreach in the area.

"We always inform the community and work closely with local officials before launching a service," the statement said, adding, "There is no connection between our operations and the recent sightings in New Jersey."

The spokesperson said the company, which in the US operates drones in Texas, Virginia, and at a test facility in California, complies with all regulations and that the drones only operate in approved areas.

"Wing also complies with the FAA's requirements for the remote identification of unmanned aircraft to ensure transparency of our flights so that others, including law enforcement, know when and where we are flying," the statement said, adding, "We do not operate at night."

DoorDash did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

The White House has said the reported sightings on the East Coast, which have primarily been at night, have included a mix of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones. Some of the reported sightings have actually been commercial aircraft and even stars that citizens have mistaken for drones.

A day before Wing and DoorDash announced their new drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth, drone sightings were reported in the area.

Police in White Settlement, located west of Fort Worth, said officials were investigating after multiple drones were spotted flying over local neighborhoods in the city, which hosts the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

Christopher Cook, the White Settlement police chief, said Wednesday in a post on X the department was working with federal officials, including the FBI, "out of an abundance of caution."

"While we do not believe there were any immediate threats related to last night's activities, it is concerning due to operating in "NO FLY ZONES" near federal and military properties," Cook said.

Alphabet’s Wing announced on Wednesday that it’s expanding its partnership with DoorDash to bring drone delivery to customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Customers in the area will now be able to order food from 50 merchants located in Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Hulen Mall in Fort Worth. Wing says its drones can “deliver […]

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• Casual-dining chains often capitalize on football season to draw in customers.
• We tried Buffalo chicken wings from five chains to determine the best option for game day.
• Wingstop surprised us with its saucy, juicy wings at the right price point.

As football season kicks off, restaurant chains are rolling out crowd-pleasing tailgate favorites to win over fans.

In a new series, "Tailgate Taste-off," Business Insider is pitting these chains against each other to uncover the best versions of popular game-day dishes.

Whether you're deciding which chain has the best chicken wings or offers the best value for delivery, this guide will help you make the most of your football season dining experience.

Buffalo chicken wings arguably reign supreme among the most popular game-day foods and are practically synonymous with football season.

A report by the National Chicken Council estimated Americans would eat 1.45 billion chicken wings during the 2024 Super Bowl. Many chain restaurants embrace wings' popularity all football season long with promotional deals, family-sized bundles, and free delivery.

Chains that specialize in chicken wings, such as Wingstop, are also experiencing significant growth. In October 2024, the chain, which focuses its menu on bone-in chicken wings, boneless wings, and other chicken items, announced 38.8% year-over-year revenue growth.

Wingstop has also expanded its presence by opening 273 new locations across the US in the past year, bringing its total number of US restaurants to 2,064 at the end of the third quarter.

We ranked Buffalo chicken wings from five chain restaurants — Applebee's, Chili's, Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, and Wingstop — based on taste and value.

Here's how the five chain restaurants' Buffalo wings ranked, from our least to most favorite.

My least favorite Buffalo wings came from TGI Fridays.

I ordered an eight-count of bone-in traditional Buffalo wings at the restaurant I visited in Massachusetts. They cost $12.19, excluding taxes and fees, and came with celery sticks and sides of ranch and blue cheese.

I live in New York City, but I had to travel further afield to try the chain's wings because many of my local TGI Fridays restaurants have closed.

In early November, the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Reuters reported that it was facing $37 million in debt, which led to some underperforming restaurants closing.

The TGI Fridays location I visited in Massachusetts is locally franchised and owned, so it's not included in the larger brand's bankruptcy filing.

The wings were crispy but a little under-sauced.

Unlike some of the other chains I tried, TGI Fridays also doesn't appear to make its own Buffalo sauce.

On the menu, it's advertised as simply Frank's Red Hot Buffalo. While I do like that brand of sauce, I could easily make the same wings at home, which made it feel less unique.

I also thought they were slightly smaller than some of the other wings I tried.

Business Insider reached out to TGI Fridays for comment but did not receive a response.

The meat inside was tender, but the Buffalo flavor just wasn't there.

Though I liked the crispy skin and texture of these chicken wings, as well as the tender meat inside, I thought they were lacking in sauce and flavor.

Overall, I probably wouldn't order these again.

The next stop I tried was Applebee's.

At my local Applebee's in Brooklyn, an order of nine classic bone-in wings costs $18.99, excluding tax and fees. They came with celery sticks and sides of ranch and blue cheese.

Applebee's partnered with the NFL this year as the league's official grill and bar partner after finding a major crossover between their customer base and NFL viewers.

"We know our guests are football fans," Applebee's chief marketing officer Joel Yashinsky told Business Insider.

Since Buffalo wings are a favorite among football fanatics, I was excited to see how the chain fared.

The wings were super crispy and the largest out of all that I tried.

The wings were a rich red-brown color and fried to a crisp.

The wings were juicy, and the sauce had a good buttery flavor.

The Buffalo sauce had a nice balance between the heat and the more savory, buttery flavor, making for a balanced bite. I thought the meat inside was pretty juicy, and I loved the sheer size of these wings.

My only real complaint was the price — $18.99 for a plate of wings felt pretty pricey, even though the wings were on the larger side. However, the price will vary depending on which location you visit.

Chili's landed squarely in the middle with its crispy Buffalo wings.

At the Massachusetts location I visited, an eight-count of bone-in Buffalo wings cost $14.99, excluding tax and fees. They came with two dipping sauces: ranch and blue cheese.

However, the wings cost slightly more, $17.99, at the Chili's location I typically visit in Queens, New York.

I thought these wings were flavorful and juicy.

I've tried these wings before and commented that they could have been slightly saucier and crispier. However, when I tried them this second time, I didn't encounter those issues.

They were perfectly crispy and almost dripping in sauce.

The wings had a generous amount of meat inside.

The Buffalo sauce had a strong buttery flavor with just the right amount of heat. The chain is also known for its ranch dipping sauce, which paired very nicely with the wings.

Though the wings were smaller, I thought they packed more flavor than the ones from Applebee's and TGI Fridays.

The second-best Buffalo wings came from Buffalo Wild Wings.

The chain's Buffalo bone-in wings are arguably Buffalo Wild Wings' most famous menu item, so I was eager to see how they would stack up against other chain restaurants' wings. I certainly wasn't disappointed.

I ordered a six-count of traditional Buffalo wings through the Buffalo Wild Wings app for $12.49, excluding tax and fees, and a side of ranch.

The wings were small length-wise but had a lot of meat on them.

The wings were crispy and had a light coating of Buffalo sauce that covered every part of the wings.

There was a selection of both drumsticks and flats, but I noticed that the drums were particularly meaty.

I loved the flavor of the Buffalo sauce and thought the chicken meat was moist.

The chicken meat inside the wing was moist and tender, and the crispy skin and slightly sweet, just-spicy-enough sauce added a lot of flavor. Overall, these were really solid Buffalo wings.

I also thought these wings were a great value for the money and would definitely order them again.

My favorite wings I tried were from Wingstop.

I ordered 10 classic bone-in wings for $17.29, excluding tax and fees.

Wingstop doesn't offer Buffalo sauce on its menu, but it does have its Original Hot sauce, which is the chain's version of Buffalo. I ordered them with a side of ranch.

The wings came drenched in the bright-red sauce but were still supremely crispy.

The sticky sauce clung to my fingers as I ate these wings, which were the perfect size: not too big, not too small, and just the right amount of tender chicken meat.

The meat was tender and the spicy hot sauce blew me away.

The sauce had a lot of levels, balancing between a strong vinegar flavor, to buttery, and topped off with a layer of spice that was slightly smoky yet not overpowering.

The Wingstop wings stood out as the spiciest among all the chains I tried. However, the heat didn't overpower the flavor — instead, it enhanced it.

Each element, from the crispy seasoned skin to the tangy undertones of the sauce, came through distinctly. These wings balanced bold, spicy flavor with a depth of taste, making them the best chain-restaurant Buffalo wings I tried.