Franchise Times: Atomic Wings Expands on the East Coast with 15-Unit Virginia and North Carolina Deal

Atomic Wings, with 25 units in nine states, is expanding in the Southeast. The Buffalo chicken wing concept signed an agreement with franchisee business partners Timir, Pritul and Hiren Patel to develop 15 locations in Richmond, Virginia, and the surrounding cities of Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina. 

This agreement represents the next stage of growth for Atomic Wings, which has established itself in the Northeast and expanded in the Midwest. The franchisees were drawn to Atomic Wings after exploring several wing concepts and meeting with the company in person.

“[CEO Zak Omar] called me and asked to come into their headquarters,” Hiren Patel told Franchise Times. “When we visited them in Maryland and talked to Zak directly, we were very impressed and decided this was it for us.”

Timir and Hiren Patel, experienced in the food industry, were aware of the challenges posed by inflation and labor costs. However, they saw the potential in a business concept that was not labor-intensive and offered high-quality products. For them, franchising became a natural choice, as it required less labor and provided a reliable product.

The group plans to open 10 stores over five years. Vice President of Development Michael Domico said the brand is confident in their ability to do so. 

“These guys are all about character,” Domico said. “They’re about taking care of people, which is what we need from our franchisees. They understand hard work, dedication and loyalty.”

Domico also noted that the deal was geographically logical. 

“Heading just south into Virginia and North Carolina makes a lot of sense for us,” he said. “There have been two major areas of focus for development; one is the upper East Coast and the other is the Midwest.”

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