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Sometimes you learn that two people are related and you're not surprised. It's easy to believe, for instance, that Margaret Qualley is Andie MacDowell's daughter provided you look at them for longer than two seconds. But there are a few that make you do a double take. Who would have guessed that Sabrina Carpenter's aunt was the voice of Bart Simpson? And who would have guessed that Buffalo Wild Wings was related to Dunkin'?

It's strange, but it's true. Buffalo Wild Wings, that famous purveyor of chicken wings (and boneless wings, which they actually named), and Ben Affleck's beloved Dunkin' are both owned by Inspire Brands. Mind you, that doesn't mean the two chains were joined at the hip from inception. Dunkin' was founded in 1950 by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. Buffalo Wild Wings was founded more than 30 years later in 1982 when James Disbrow and Scott Lowery opened the first location in Columbus, Ohio. Inspire Brands, of which Buffalo Wild Wings was a founding member in 2018, bought Dunkin' in 2020, bringing wings and donuts under the same corporate umbrella.

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As it turns out, Dunkin' and Buffalo Wild Wings are just two members of a larger family. In addition to those two stalwarts, Inspire Brands owns Arby's (the group was initially formed when Arby's bought Buffalo Wild Wings), Sonic (which has the best fast food ice cream), and Jimmy John's. It also owns Baskin Robbins, which you might have guessed from seeing so many tandem Dunkin'-Baskins out in the wild.

This kind of corporate consolidation is nothing new in the fast food and fast casual world. You may not have guessed that Ruth's Chris Steak House and Olive Garden were owned by the same brand, but it's true all the same. If you ask us, it's a missed opportunity to have a bit of brand crossover. Why can't we nosh on donuts for dessert after eating at Buffalo Wild Wings? And why shouldn't we put a scoop of Baskin-Robbins on an Arby's roast beef sandwich? (Okay, that last question kind of answers itself.)