If you’ve attended Penn State for a while, chances are you’ve picked up a part time job or two. Maybe you swiped people in at the dining halls or served coffee downtown. But have you had the distinguished honor of delivering chicken wings to drunk college kids? Probably not.

We’ve all ordered Wings Over, many of us in various states of inebriation. Drunk, sober, hungry, or full you’ve picked up the phone (or logged onto OrderUp) and, mouth watering, placed an order for you and your friends. In a matter of minutes, a four-pound order of sweet chili wings dubbed the “Concorde” has taken flight to your apartment.

We all know how this story ends. The friends receive their chicken wings, they rejoice as they appease their hunger, and they pass out happily until next weekend (or the next night) when they do it all over again. But how do those wings make their way from the fryers to our doorstep? No wing feast could be possible without the miracle-work of everyone’s favorite, the Wings Over delivery guy.

I was fortunate enough to sit down with Wings Over employee Chris Jaworski, a senior here at Penn State. Jaworski recently began his voyage with the Wings Over delivery service.

With endless options in terms of campus and downtown jobs, I was curious why Jaworski opted for the Wings Over life in the first place.

“I knew a friend who worked there so I just thought, why not?” explained Jaworski, “I have a car on campus so I should utilize it.”

Jaworski is allowed to deliver in his own car (aka his Wings Over Mobile).

Though the tasks of a delivery guy seem simple enough, the hours certainly don’t compare to your average on-campus job. It comes as no surprise that Jaworski’s hours are wild — a standard night of work keeps him busy until 3:30 a.m. The most popular time for wing orders is around midnight to 2 a.m. However, on game days and weekends, Wings Over is in high demand essentially all day.

“The latest I work is around 3:30 a.m. That’s about when the nightlife settles down, so naturally less people are ordering wings,” Jaworksi explained. “Once everyone starts coming home from the bars and parties, that’s when the real business starts.”

Wings Over is known for its speedy delivery. Often times your order will arrive within 30 minutes. This shocks many, who expect up to an hour wait.

“What people don’t know is that we have up to 15 employees working on deliveries alone,” he said. “Sometimes there are a few of us waiting around, ready to deliver immediately.”

Though a rookie in the business of wing delivery, Jaworski has already experienced a lot. The delivery wizard’s current record is approximately 80 separate deliveries in one night — more chicken than you’ve probably seen in your entire college career.

“It sounds like a lot, but the deliveries move really quickly,” he explained. “It’s common that I’ll have five separate orders in the same location like, say, East Halls.”

Here is the average wing-load of a single run for Jawoski.

One might that assume being a Wings Over messenger isn’t the most lucrative of jobs. Because many of the customers are intoxicated, many people assume costumers forget to tip.

“It’s funny everyone thinks that because it’s actually not true. When paying in cash, drunk kids are often a LOT more generous,” Jaworski said. “Many people simply buy their wings online with a credit card though, which often includes a solid tip.”

Jaworski’s job seems fairly simple. However, with hundreds of interactions with college kids of all shapes and sizes, personalities, and backgrounds, there are bound to be some crazy, memorable stories…right?

Unfortunately (for story’s sake, at least), Jaworski notedthat he hasn’t encountered anything too wild yet. However, he shared that almost every person who answers the door appears pretty ecstatic. This must be a great job: essentially EVERYONE is happy to see you.

“I mostly encounter really hungry and happy students who simply want their food,” Jaworski explained. “However, there have been a few funny moments.”

Jaworski shared that he will often be offered a shot or a beer from his costumers. Wings are here, cheers!

“My one friend said this girl didn’t have the money to tip him,” he explained, “So she offered to flash him instead.”

So next time you order some wimpy buffalo and waffle fries, be sure to respect that employee behind them!