No Meat on Its Bones: A Lawsuit Meets the Language of Common Sense

There are occasions when the simplest phrases take on a life far beyond their place on a menu. A word chosen to guide a diner’s appetite can, in another setting, find itself examined under the steady gaze of the law. In such moments, the ordinary becomes contemplative. A plate of wings, passed across a restaurant table, becomes part of a wider conversation about meaning, assumption, and how we understand the language of everyday commerce.

This was the quiet backdrop to a lawsuit filed against Buffalo Wild Wings, where a customer alleged that the term “boneless wings” was misleading after he encountered a bone fragment in the dish. The injury prompted a legal challenge that questioned whether “boneless” should be interpreted as an absolute promise — a guarantee that no bone, however small, could possibly remain — or whether it functions as a commonly understood culinary description.

The case eventually reached the Ohio Supreme Court, where justices considered not only the facts presented but also the broader implications of language in consumer transactions. In dismissing the lawsuit, the court concluded that the claim had, in its words, “no meat on its bones.” The phrase, gently ironic, reflected the court’s view that “boneless wings” are widely recognized as a style of preparation, typically involving pieces of chicken breast prepared in the fashion of traditional wings.

The justices reasoned that reasonable consumers understand the context in which such terms are used. Language on menus, they noted, often reflects custom and shared understanding rather than strict scientific precision. In everyday speech, “boneless” signals the absence of large, structural bones — not an infallible guarantee against the rare presence of a small fragment.

In allowing the restaurant to continue using the term, the ruling leaned toward practicality. It acknowledged that food preparation, like language itself, is shaped by human processes and human expectations. Perfection, while desirable, is not always absolute. The court’s decision did not diminish the importance of safety; rather, it clarified how consumer protection law interprets common phrasing in the marketplace.

For restaurants across the country, the judgment offers reassurance that familiar menu terminology remains legally sound when grounded in widely accepted meaning. For diners, it serves as a reminder that language carries nuance — and that words, even those printed plainly on a menu, are shaped by shared cultural understanding.

The ruling formally dismisses the lawsuit at the state level and permits Buffalo Wild Wings to continue marketing its boneless wings under that name. The court’s decision stands as a clarification of how descriptive terms are viewed under Ohio law.

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