Where Hot Ones' Chicken Wings Come From (And Why It's Not Always The Same Spot)

If you're a fan of the viral YouTube series "Hot Ones," you know that the chicken wings they use appear to be nothing less than exceptional. Foodie-inclined viewers might go beyond a simple observation of their excellence, and wonder where the series gets its wings from. Although it might seem to make sense to get the food from the same spot (for consistency's sake, if nothing else) "Hot Ones" actually gets the wings from a variety of locations for a number of important reasons.

Mashed reached out to host Sean Evans, who shared that the wings are typically sourced from a local take-out spot. However, the specific source depends on where the episode is being filmed. Evans explained that "the set's mobile. We can pop it up wherever. And then on top of that you're going to have guests with all sorts of dietary restrictions." Most "Hot Ones" episodes are shot in Los Angeles or at the First We Feast offices in New York City. But, sometimes Evans and co. have to go to their celebrity guest instead of the star coming to them.

Part of picking the perfect chicken wings for the series involves making sure they're a feast for the eyes. According to Evans, "You're looking for something that's good but also is good on camera: a photogenic wing." That camera-friendly food is tossed in the spicy sauces right before the episode is filmed.

If a celebrity guest has certain dietary restrictions, the wing ingredients will change, and the series might even reveal the source. Ariana Grande appeared on the show back in 2024 to promote her album and talk about her role in the film "Wicked." Grande is outspoken about being a vegan, and the show accommodated that by serving soy-based wings from Red Bamboo, a fully vegan eatery in New York City. Across the pond, "Hot Ones" has used a vegan eatery called Temple of Seitan in London for guests like Ricky Gervais. Temple of Seitan's wings don't contain soy and are instead made from wheat gluten.

Some guests prefer not to eat chicken, regardless of whether it's vegan. "Saturday Night Live" star Michael Che appeared on "Hot Ones" in 2021 and opted for fish sticks. By contrast, wilderness survival expert Bear Grylls ate steak tips while participating in what the series called an "ultra-carnivorous version of the Hot Ones gauntlet" (via First We Feast). Although actor Dwayne Johnson has never been on the show, The Rock has indicated that he wants to eat salmon if he ever does make an appearance.