Buffalo Wings & Rings continues investing in its people

Buffalo Wings & Rings CEO Nader Masadeh is committed to creating a quality experience whenever anyone decides to dine at one of their more than 40 restaurants across the U.S. “We have the best food and an incredible environment, but it’s the people that really make the Buffalo Wings & Rings experience an unparalleled one in the industry,” said Masadeh. Masadeh claims the key to creating brand loyalty is empowering and developing those that work throughout the franchise system. With this philosophy in mind, Masadeh has focused on improving performance through employee development from those that work in the Cincinnati-based brand’s home office on the corporate team and every manager, cook, and member of wait staff in the brand’s restaurants. “It sounds simple, but if you have the best team that believes in the brand, you’re going to create an experience that will cause families to come back,” said Masadeh. “We put a lot of emphasis on our brand voice, our restaurant design, and our elevated menu quality, but at the end of the day we are in the people business, and we want our people to be the very best.” Masadeh has worked every job in the restaurant industry beginning as a 15-year-old teenager working his first job at his uncle’s Burger King in Cincinnati, Ohio. When tasked by his uncle to help manage the opening of another location, Masadeh crushed all expectations and later, his father, Paul, recruited him during his first year of college to manage a Gold Star Chili that he had bought as a franchisee, ultimately helping his dad become a successful multi-unit owner. He understands the value that comes from investing in the men and women who wear the Buffalo Wings & Rings logo and interact with everyone that sits down to eat a meal, watch a game, or grab a drink with friends in a Buffalo Wings & Rings. “When someone makes the decision to eat at a Buffalo Wings & Rings, I want them to leave praising the way they were treated as well as talking about how good their meal tasted,” said Masadeh. “I make it a point to be proactive in finding out what is and isn’t working in the way we treat our guests, and I always aim to make sure that we’re creating a positive environment so that our employees want to continue leaving our guests happy and looking forward to returning.” The brand saw tremendous growth behind a revitalized commitment to an elevated sports restaurant experience. They honed in on the family demographic by establishing a new model more tailored to the needs of women and families and introduced a new menu with increased focus on lighter fare and bolder takes on the classic wings they’ve been known for since opening their first location 30 years ago. However, Masadeh believes that ultimately it is the people who work for the company that will be the reason that Buffalo Wings & Rings becomes the go-to sports restaurant moving forwards. “You’re only as good as your people,” said Masadeh.  “We feel we have the best and it shows in the way that Buffalo Wings & Rings has become a staple in the communities that we serve.” Buffalo Wings & Rings enters 2015 boasting 32 quarters of positive same store sales growth and Masadeh plans to ride his dedication to employee development to keep that streak going throughout the year.