‘Hot Ones’ talk show now sells wings for delivery in Philly. Hot or not?

Food marketers have been partnering with pop-culture figures in recent years, particularly since home delivery spiked during the pandemic. And there are no shortage of ideas.

Philadelphia recently saw the debut of wings and chicken sandwiches bearing the name Hot Ones, the YouTube series from First We Feast on which celebrity guests eat progressively hotter wings during a Q&A with host Sean Evans. The show’s 10 wings start tame but end in one treated with a sauce called The Last Dab that carries a rating of 2,000,000-plus Scoville heat units, which, in theory, could stun a buffalo.

(These partnerships are not always successful, incidentally. MrBeast, a YouTuber and influencer, lent his name to a burger-delivery brand. Though it is still operating out of the kitchens of local chain restaurants, MrBeast is suing to distance himself from it.Brands backed by such celebrities as Guy Fieri and Mariah Carey, as well as TikTok influencers, came and went couple of years ago. A few months ago, Grubhub started delivering a fried chicken brand called TenderFix by Noah Schnapp, using Noah Schnapp of Netflix’s Stranger Things as the pitchman; it’s no longer available.)

Mealco, the virtual-restaurant platform running the Hot Ones brand, enlisted three Philadelphia restaurants to serve as delivery and pickup points: the Crunchik’n locations in Center City and North Philadelphia, and Cray Taste in Old City. The delivery area ($1.99) extends from North Philadelphia to South Philadelphia and into a slice of West Philadelphia; a Hot Ones representative said the area is expected to expand.

The current menu includes wings (six and 12) and a fried sandwich, plus fries and a respectable apple fritter topped with sweet milk ($8.49). Boneless wings and plant-based options are available. Price is about $9.49 for six wings, $17.49 for a dozen, and $11.99 for the sandwich, depending on location. Whether for pickup or delivery, the food comes neatly wrapped in tissue paper and a cardboard box and it’s tucked into a heavy, fancy bag with a drawstring.

Hot Ones chicken, mind you, is not terribly spicy.

The two mild sauces are fairly tame: chili maple rates 1,600 Scoville heat units, and the garlic fresno is 1,700 — similar to a poblano pepper. It’s a “Level 1″ on the show. Even most wimps could snack on these all night. My order of six chili maples was a mix of flats and drums, all meaty and respectable, a worthy entrant to the Philly wing market.

The rep said the “medium” sauce, dubbed Los Calientes Rojo, is rated at 49,000 SHU — on the cusp between the heat of Tabasco or cayenne pepper and a Thai chili pepper; it’s a “Level 5″ heat on the show. I ordered that sauceon the chicken sandwich, whose mayo, pickles, and fluffy, buttered bun balanced the heat.

That sauce had a pleasant kick, but I found the chicken breast a bit too salty and short on crispiness. (Tip: If you’re ordering via Crunchik’n, note that its own Korean fried chicken sandwiches are extraordinary and a few bucks cheaper.)

After a tryout in New York City, a Hot Ones representative said, the company decided not to exceed a “5″ heat level for now because mild and medium were deemed to be the best sellers.

They didn’t want to wing it with the hot ones.

Speaking of celebrity food: The Hard Rock chain, with locations in Center City and Atlantic City, has just added a chicken sandwich inspired by soccer star Leo Messi, a brand ambassador for the chain. Made for You by Leo Messi is a Milanese-style crispy chicken sandwich with melted Provolone, herb aioli, tomato, and arugula on a toasted bun with seasoned fries.