While it goes by many names, from the branded ‘Wet Nap,’ to ‘moist towelette’ or ‘baby wipe,’ any wing lover is intimately familiar with the wet wipe and its ability to cut through even the thickest of wing and barbeque sauce. Wing lovers everywhere are quite familiar with the power of the Wet Nap, though few consider the history of this new-age invention when picking up the phone to search ‘best chicken wings near me.’
Where Did the Wet Wipe Come From?
A wet wipe is a small cloth individually soaked and wrapped with cleaning solution for quick, on-the-go sanitization. They can be used for anything from personal hygiene to household cleaning, though they are most consistently used by wing lovers nationwide to clean up the aftermath of a hard-won battle.
The wet wipe was introduced into wing-sauce battle in 1963 at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago by Arthur Julius. Julius came from the cosmetic industry, and after presenting his fine-tuned hand-cleaning aid, he began selling his Wet Naps to KFCs everywhere. We all know the phrase, “It’s finger lickin’ good.” This key phrase coined by KFC’s Colonel Sanders was the inspiration for their partnership with the Julius family and their Wet Nap, as the original KFC recipe would actually stick to the fingers because of the pressure frying method.
The woven fabric is soaked in a water / cleanser solution, depending on the intended use, and is readily available for a quick clean up.
How Has the Wet Nap Changed the Way I Search for the Best Chicken Wings Near Me?
The basic design of the wet wipe has not changed since its commodification in the 1960s, although nearly every restaurant that offers guests the kind of food that requires getting down and dirty has their own version. The strategy being to offer guests a portable, packaged wipe, perfect for branding with a stylish logo. In a sense, it is a modernized nod to the tradition of cleansing hands with a towel and bowl of water before a meal – a communal activity wherein every member of the table steps over the threshold into the intimate space of sharing a meal with one another.
Especially in today’s society, putting our daily distractions aside and dedicating time to one another is easier said than done. Walk into a restaurant today, and you’ll see a mixture of people interacting with each other, while other tables are on their phones. Although, more people are trying new tactics to encourage intentional meals, like putting all phones on silent and in the middle of the table to avoid distraction and really engage with what’s happening at the table. Wet wipes enable you to fully dive into your meal and discussion with those around you, resting easy knowing that you’ll have a quick and easy clean up ready for you.
Dive into American Deli’s Signature Sauces with a Wet Wipe by Your Side
Next time you’ve got a craving for some savory, saucy American Deli chicken wings, look for us in your search for ‘best chicken wings near me.’ We’ve got a robust list of house-made sauces to make every wing experience an explosion of delicious flavor, but don’t worry, not even our famous original wing sauce recipes stand up to the power of a wet wipe.
Check us out online to find an American Deli location near you and put a wet wipe to the ultimate test.
