Wingstop Buffalo-style strips stayed crisp even under sauce.

I admit it: I love buffalo-style chicken strips, but not the wings so much — too much work getting out all the meat.

I’ve previously satisfied my jones at Epic Wings and Things, a locally-based, but recently decided to branch out and try the national chain Wingstop after I got a gift card for Christmas, from someone who either loves me or wants to hasten my death.

I chose the University Heights location in a strip mall on El Cajon Boulevard. I took my son, who wasn’t thrilled, but his Rubio’s gift card had no money on it so he was stuck.

Lemon-pepper chicken strips

Besides the classic Buffalo-style -- which they call “original” — you can get the chicken in cajun, lemon and pepper, garlic parmesan, and Korean styles. All sounded good to me, but if you go to a place with a specific craving, it’s really best not to get distracted.

My son got the three-strip lemon pepper combo with fries and a drink ($5.99), with ranch dressing dipping sauce. The chicken was crispy with lots of breading, but I didn’t taste much lemon and pepper.

For me, I got the 5-piece combo with a drink and carrots and celery with bleu cheese dressing for dipping. There was some confusion because the cashier seemed unable to confirm that the “original” sauce was Buffalo-style. She seemed more confused when I asked for the strips to be extra wet so the sauce would drip on to the veggies (and so I’d have plenty for the fries I was going to steal from my son).

The University Heights location stays open until midnight while the others close at 10 p.m.

Luckily the crisis was solved and when the order arrived, I was rewarded with everything I craved. Despite being sogged up with sauce, my strips were still crunchy.

It’s been a few days, but I’m already looking fondly at that meal.