Buffalo Wild Wings, often abbreviated as BWW, is an American casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise. With locations across the United States and in several other countries, Buffalo Wild Wings is known for its selection of chicken wings tossed in a variety of sauces and seasonings.
Buffalo Wild Wings employs thousands of people to staff its restaurants. Naturally, a common question that arises is whether Buffalo Wild Wings provides free food or meals to its employees as an employee benefit.
Quick Answer
Generally speaking, Buffalo Wild Wings does provide free food and meals to employees while they are working their shift. However, the specific free food policies can vary by location and management discretion.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Provide Free Employee Meals?
The most common free food benefit provided to Buffalo Wild Wings employees is a free meal during their shift. Employees typically get one free meal from a select menu of discounted options. This allows employees to take a break and eat during their workday without having to pay for their meal.
Getting a free meal is contingent on the length of the employee’s shift. For example, employees working at least 6 hours or more are eligible for the free meal. The free meal policy allows Buffalo Wild Wings to provide a morale boost to employees and improve retention.
Free Meal Eligibility by Shift Length
| Shift Length | Free Meal Eligibility |
| Less than 4 hours | Not eligible |
| 4-5 hours | Not eligible |
| 6-8 hours | Eligible for 1 free meal |
| More than 8 hours | Eligible for 1 free meal |
As shown in the table, an employee needs to work at least 6 hours in a shift to qualify for the free meal from Buffalo Wild Wings. The free meal is limited to one per day, even if the employee works more than an 8 hour shift.
Menu Options for Free Meals
Buffalo Wild Wings does not allow employees to order anything off the menu for their free meal. Instead, the free meal choices are restricted to a specific menu of discounted options. Here are some examples of items that may be available as free meal choices for employees:
- Small order of traditional or boneless wings
- Burger or sandwich with fries
- Salad or wrap
- Order of legs or flats
- Small order of boneless bites or popcorn chicken
Beverages like soft drinks are often excluded from the free meal offer. Employees receive a discount on beverages purchased during their meal. The exact free meal options can vary by location.
Other Free Food Policies
In addition to a free employee meal, some Buffalo Wild Wings locations have other free food policies for staff members:
- Free snacks or appetizers – Some restaurants allow employees to have small snacks like chips, popcorn chicken, or fries during their shift for free, within reason.
- Food tasting – Employees may be allowed or encouraged to taste new menu items or flavors being tested in order to provide feedback.
- Training meals – Meals are often provided for free when employees are undergoing training at the restaurant.
- Error food – Food that is messed up or returned by a customer may be given to employees to eat.
Again, the specific policies on free food beyond employee meals can vary quite a bit across different Buffalo Wild Wings franchise locations and management styles.
Can Employees Take Home Leftover Food?
In general, Buffalo Wild Wings does not permit employees to take leftover or unused food home from the restaurant. All food items are expected to be either sold to customers or disposed of properly.
There are a few potential exceptions where employees may be allowed to take food home after getting approval from a manager:
- Excess prepared food at the end of the shift that would otherwise be thrown out
- Food samples or tasting portions used for training
- Returned or canceled customer food orders
However, managers have discretion in these situations. Buffalo Wild Wings does not have an official policy allowing employees to take home leftovers. Any food given to staff is done so on a case-by-case basis at the manager’s discretion.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Offer Discounted Food?
Yes, even if they don’t get food for free, Buffalo Wild Wings employees can enjoy discounted food prices. Discounts typically range from 25-50% off regular menu prices.
Some Buffalo Wild Wings locations restrict employee discounts to only being applicable when the employee is working and on an actual break. Others allow employees to get the discount for carryout orders even when they are not on a shift.
Just like the specific free food policies, employee discounts can vary quite a bit by location. But in general most Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants offer a significant food discount to their employees as a job benefit.
Typical Buffalo Wild Wings Employee Discount Rates
| Menu Item | Regular Price | Employee Price |
| 10 Boneless Wings | $11.49 | $5.75 (50% off) |
| Classic Burger | $11.99 | $8.99 (25% off) |
| House Salad | $8.99 | $4.49 (50% off) |
| Soft Drink | $2.99 | $1.50 (50% off) |
As shown, discounts of 25-50% off are typical for Buffalo Wild Wings employees ordering food and drinks.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Offer Other Freebies?
Outside of free and discounted food, Buffalo Wild Wings employees can sometimes take advantage of other company freebies and incentives. Here are some examples:
- Free uniforms – Required shirts, hats, and other branded apparel are provided for free.
- Free soft drinks – Fountain drinks and soda are sometimes available for free while working.
- Happy hour discounts – Special hourly food and drink deals may apply.
- Free event tickets – Some locations provide free sports or concert tickets.
- Retail discounts – Discounted BWW merchandise available in the restaurant.
These extra freebies and special deals are completely optional for franchise owners. But they can help improve employee satisfaction when offered.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Offer Other Benefits?
Free or discounted food is just one potential perk of working at Buffalo Wild Wings. The company also provides many other standard benefits to its employees:
- Health insurance options including medical, dental, and vision
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Paid time off for vacation and sick leave
- Flexible scheduling when possible
- Career advancement opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement programs
- Employee assistance programs
- Various wellness programs
- Opportunities to earn higher wages over time
The complete benefits package can vary across franchise locations. But in general, Buffalo Wild Wings offers solid benefits in line with competing restaurants. This can help them attract and retain high quality employees.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Meet Employee Meal Break Laws?
Buffalo Wild Wings is careful to structure employee meal benefits so that they align with all applicable labor laws. This includes following regulations around meal and rest break requirements.
For example, federal labor law requires employee breaks of at least 30 minutes for any shift over 6 hours. Buffalo Wild Wings obeys these laws by providing the required breaks. The free or discounted employee meals are designed to be enjoyed during these legally mandated breaks.
Some states may have additional meal and rest break requirements beyond federal regulations. Again, Buffalo Wild Wings aims to comply with all state and local labor laws in the jurisdictions where its franchises operate.
California Meal and Rest Break Rules
For example, the state of California has the following mandated meal and rest period requirements under labor code 512:
- 30 minute unpaid meal break for shifts longer than 5 hours.
- Second 30 minute unpaid meal break for shifts longer than 10 hours.
- 10 minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked.
Buffalo Wild Wings locations in California comply with these stricter regulations. The company wants to avoid any claims of meal or rest break violations from employees or regulators.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings Monitor Employee Meal Costs?
Buffalo Wild Wings keeps a close eye on the costs associated with providing free and discounted employee meals. While these meals are an important benefit, franchises don’t want the costs to get out of control.
Managers carefully track how often employees take advantage of the free and discounted meal options. They may place reasonable limits on how frequently employees can utilize the meal benefits.
Team members are also expected to order responsibly for their free meals and not abuse the privileged. Meals are intended to provide sustenance during a shift, not replace grocery shopping.
If food costs for employee meals exceed targets due to overuse, Buffalo Wild Wings can scale back the generosity of the meal benefits. So employees are motivated to not take excessive advantage of the company’s food offerings.
Methods to Control Employee Meal Costs
Buffalo Wild Wings uses the following methods to manage and limit the costs associated with employee meals:
- Restrict free meals to one per shift
- Require a minimum 6 hour shift to qualify for free meal
- Only offer discounted meal options, not the full menu
- Exclude expensive items like ribs and samplers from meal options
- Enforce employee meal budget targets for each location
- Carefully track utilization rates of meal benefits
These controls allow Buffalo Wild Wings to provide valued benefits while still keeping employee meal costs reasonable.
The Bottom Line
At most locations, Buffalo Wild Wings offers at least one free employee meal per shift. Additional discounted meals, snacks, and drinks are also available in many cases. However, the specific policies vary across franchises.
Buffalo Wild Wings employee meals must comply with federal and state labor laws around required breaks. The company aims to provide meal benefits as a way to boost recruitment, retention, and morale.
But franchise owners also pay close attention to how much these meal programs cost. Limits are enforced to prevent excessive use and keep the benefits financially sustainable.
Overall, access to free and discounted food is a nice perk for Buffalo Wild Wings team members. It provides a tangible financial benefit as well as convenience during long shifts at work.