DIY wings at Fat Dan's Deli

What I ordered: Traditional bone-in with FD's Hot Sauce, blue cheese and a side of tater tots.

My take: 4.5 out of 5 flats.

• They score big points for size. Both during this trip — and several past trips — the wings are bigger on average than what I typically get from other spots.
• But there is a bit of a DIY element. The sauce comes on the side instead of coating the wings.
• The upside of having them served up sauceless means equal spotlight is given to the wing itself. And the skin, dry rubbed in spices and hickory smoked for three hours, really shines.

Zoom in: Credit to FD's Hot Sauce for actually bringing some kick.

• The sauce leaves a nice, punchy impression without getting in the way. It lands somewhere between a 5 and 6 on my personal 10-point spice scale.

Real cost per wing: A small order gets you five wings for $11, putting the meal in line with the $2 per wing price that has emerged as the standard on my tour.

If you go: My wings were courtesy of the Carmel location at 840 W. Main St., which is open 11am-9pm Sunday-Thursday; and 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday.

• The two Indianapolis locations at 410 E. Michigan St. and 5410 N. College Ave. are open 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday; and 11am-11pm Friday and Saturday.
• Fat Dan's also has a Bloomington location.