Wings and Rings

The herd is spreading. <a href="http://ownabuffalo.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=spreading-wings-buffalo-wings-rings-celebrates-three-new-openings-in-q1-11454" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings</a>, the Cincinnati-based elevated sports restaurant franchise concept, spread their wings in the first three months of 2017 &ndash; opening brand new locations across the U.S., in Florida, Kentucky and North Dakota, all of which have broken various opening week sales records. This momentum comes after a successful 2016, where the brand signed an impressive 12 deals in a single year.

Now, as <a href="http://buffalowingsandrings.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=spreading-wings-buffalo-wings-rings-celebrates-three-new-openings-in-q1-11454" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings</a> continues to find qualified restaurant operators, they&rsquo;re celebrating the start of 2017 by opening new units at an impressive rate of one per month&mdash;for the past six months, the brand has opened seven restaurants.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s exciting to see our franchise partners get to that point of opening their doors and welcoming guests with a smile,&rdquo; said Philip Schram, Chief Development Officer of Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings. &ldquo;We are committed to being there from signing to doors opening, so it&rsquo;s a great feeling for the corporate team, too, when we see the hard work paying off.&rdquo;

That hard work correlates into success. Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings enjoyed an increase in same store sales and average unit volumes in 2016 when the majority of full-service restaurants saw a dip. The first quarter of 2017 has seen both new and existing franchisees opening restaurants.

In Florida, Glenn Schaible, alongside his son, Chris, opened a new Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Though no strangers to the franchise industry &ndash; the family owns and operates several successful Lennys Grill &amp; Subs in the area &ndash; this is their first location with Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings.

&ldquo;After experiencing success with Lennys, we decided we were ready to branch out to Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings. After researching a lot of different brands, we were drawn to Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings&rsquo; unique concept&mdash;between its chef-driven menu and family-friendly dining experience, it brought something to the table that others simply don&rsquo;t have,&rdquo; Chris said.

But beyond the concept itself, it was ultimately Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings&rsquo; support system that really convinced the Schaible family to invest.

&ldquo;From the moment we signed all the way through our grand opening and beyond, Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings has been in step with us all the way through this journey,&rdquo; Chris added. &ldquo;This is a brand that lived out their promise. We never had any issues getting ahold of anyone&mdash;any time we had a question, we could pick up the phone and get an answer. You just don&rsquo;t find that kind of support in other brands.&rdquo;

Meanwhile, Al Hauck and his family began the expansion of their Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings empire in North Dakota with the opening of their second restaurant in Bismarck. This follows the success of their initial location in Minot, and the family is interested in further growth in areas such as Fargo and Grand Forks.

&ldquo;When we first invested in Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings, we were interested in bringing a restaurant to town that we would personally want to eat at. We wanted a place where you can hang out with friends or family, have a few beers, eat great food and not have to yell over loud background noise. We chose Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings because it was on target with what we wanted&mdash;this brand caters to everyone,&rdquo; Hauck said. &ldquo;If we want to go out, the Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings environment is one we want to be in, and we have found that more people want that same thing, too. It&rsquo;s what we dreamed about for so long, and it made sense to bring that experience to more people throughout North Dakota by way of a second location.&rdquo;

Finally, Craig and Leslie Tincher welcomed their first guests at their new Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings in London, Kentucky. Like the Schaibles, the couple isn&rsquo;t new to business ownership &ndash; Craig owns his own construction company and the two own a children&rsquo;s birthday party business &ndash; but Buffalo Wings &amp; Rings was their first entry into the restaurant industry.

While focused on getting their London location up and running, the Tinchers have also expressed an interest in growing the brand in their neck of the woods.

&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t sure what to expect to be honest but the process seems to be a lot smoother than I anticipated. Corporate is there to guide you from signing to opening and has really made it a painless experience,&rdquo; said Craig Tincher.

Spreading Wings: Buffalo Wings & Rings Celebrates Three New Openings in Q1

1851 Franchise

As Buffalo Wings & Rings continues to find qualified restaurant operators, they’re celebrating the start of 2017 by opening new units at an impressive rate of one per month.

This brand page has been paid for by WINGS AND RINGS. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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Wings and Rings Rolls Out New Seasonal Sips, Menu Items and Holiday Gift Card Bonuses for Winter Limited-Time Offer

Wings and Rings Launches Operating Partner Program to Reward Top Performers and Build Future Franchise Owners

Wings and Rings Serves Up Game Day Deals for the 2026 NCAA Tournament

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CINCINNATI&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://ownwingsandrings.com/">Wings and Rings</a>, the 85-unit, club-level sports restaurant and bar franchise, has launched its Operating Partner Program (OPP), a strategic initiative designed to reward top-performing general managers with a share of the bottom line while creating a clear pathway toward future franchise ownership.Built to mirror the benefits of ownership without requiring significant upfront capital, the program gives high-performing operators a “sweat equity equivalent,” allowing them to participate directly in the financial success of their restaurants while continuing to grow within the system.“It’s really an opportunity for our best managers to earn a share of the bottom line,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-bafundo-44908a3/">Bob Bafundo</a>, Chief Operating Officer. “In many ways, it mimics the franchisee ownership model. The better the restaurant performs, the more they benefit. It creates true alignment.”The Operating Partner Program is grounded in one of Wings and Rings’ core values: “stand together as family.”With many general managers having more than a decade of tenure, the program reflects a long-standing commitment to recognizing and investing in the people who have helped build the business.“This is essentially a way to reward our best operators with a bigger, better opportunity,” Bafundo said. “It’s about recognizing the people who have been driving this brand forward for years and giving them a chance to grow with us in a more meaningful way.”Beyond individual rewards, the program is designed to strengthen the system as a whole by retaining top talent and creating stability at the general manager level, a key driver of restaurant performance.“Research in this industry consistently shows that stability at the general manager level leads to stability among hourly employees,” Bafundo said. “And that stability ultimately drives guest satisfaction, sales and profitability.”Participants are expected to operate with an owner’s mindset, taking accountability for performance, building strong teams and serving as the face of the brand in their local communities. The program also acts as a stepping stone toward future franchise ownership, giving operators the experience and financial upside to grow within the system.To qualify, candidates must demonstrate at least two years of strong performance as a general manager, consistent operational excellence, a desire to grow with the brand and the ability to make an upfront investment, which varies by restaurant.The Operating Partner Program is currently rolling out internally, with many candidates expected to meet eligibility requirements by the end of the year.As Wings and Rings continues to expand, the OPP reinforces the brand’s commitment to developing talent from within, strengthening its culture and aligning incentives across the system.“This is about investing in our people for the long term,” Bafundo said. “When our operators win, our teams win, and ultimately, our guests do too.”ABOUT WINGS AND RINGSEstablished in 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wings and Rings is THE club-level sports restaurant and bar with Craveworthy Wings and Rings, My Place Service and a Club-Level Ambiance, all to encourage social connections. Whether it’s enjoying a bit of banter, catching up over the game, finding new craft beer favorites, or celebrating a big win, Wings and Rings is the place where everyone can kick back, enjoy life, and champion everyday moments. With 85 units across the globe, Wings and Rings is changing the sports restaurant category, making elevated food and beverage experiences accessible to all fans. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wingsandrings.com">www.WingsandRings.com</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ownwingsandrings.com">www.OwnWingsandRings.com</a>.

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The Cincinnati-based sports restaurant franchise created the program to give strong operators a larger share in store performance and a path to more ownership-style responsibility.

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CINCINNATI, Ohio —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingsandrings.com/">Wings and Rings</a>, the 85-unit, club-level sports restaurant and bar franchise, is turning up the heat for college basketball fans during the 2026 NCAA tournament with a limited-time game day deal made for sharing. Kicking off with the first round on March 19 and running throughout the championship on April 6, guests can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingsandrings.com/baskets">score a free basket</a> of Saratoga chips, fries or wedges with the purchase of 20 wings on NCAA tournament game days with code BASKETS.The tournament deals don’t stop there. Wings and Rings loyalty members will receive a new freebie loaded into their accounts during every round of the tournament, giving fans even more reasons to stay in the game. Guests can download the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingsandrings.com/baskets">Wings and Rings app</a> to start earning rewards and unlock exclusive offers.Throughout the tournament, guests can enjoy Wings and Rings’ signature wings paired with bold sauces and flavors, making it easy to build a shareable spread for friends and family. Plus, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingsandrings.com/deals">Daily Value</a> lineup keeps the deals rolling all week long:&nbsp;<ul><li>Monday &amp; Friday: Kids Eat Free. Start the week with homework after school and end it cheering on the game.</li><li>Tuesday: 40% off wings (traditional or boneless), juicy and packed with bold flavor.</li><li>Wednesday: $8.49 three-piece tender baskets. Hand-breaded, generous servings at unbeatable value.</li><li>Weekday Lunch (11 a.m.–2 p.m.): Generous portions of wings, sandwiches, burgers, and salads that won’t break the bank.</li><li>Happy Hour (Mon–Fri, 3–6 p.m.): Afternoon deals on drinks and bites, ideal for unwinding with friends before tip-off.</li></ul>During the tournament, guests can indulge in Wings and Rings’ Crafted Classics limited-time menu, featuring the return of Sam Adams Beer Cheese across comfort-forward dishes made for game watching. Favorites include Sam’s Beer Cheese Loaded Fries or Chips, the Beer Cheese Chicken Sandwich, and Beer Cheese Jumbo Tenders, perfect for sharing.With wall-to-wall games, shareable eats, and can’t-miss tournament deals, Wings and Rings is the ultimate spot for fans to gather and celebrate every championship moment.To find a Wings and Rings near you, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingsandrings.com">https://www.wingsandrings.com</a>.&nbsp;ABOUT WINGS AND RINGS&nbsp;Established in 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wings and Rings is THE club-level sports restaurant and bar with Craveworthy Wings and Rings, My Place Service and a Club-Level Ambiance, all to encourage social connections. Whether it’s enjoying a bit of banter, catching up over the game, finding new craft beer favorites or celebrating a big win, Wings and Rings is the place where everyone can kick back, enjoy life and champion everyday moments. With 85 units across the globe, Wings and Rings is changing the sports restaurant category, making elevated food and beverage experiences accessible to all fans. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wingsandrings.com">www.WingsandRings.com</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ownwingsandrings.com">www.OwnWingsandRings.com</a>.&nbsp;

Score big with a free basket of fries, chips, or wedges when you grab 20 wings on NCAA tournament game days, giving your crew extra fuel for every buzzer-beater.

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Wings and Rings Launches All-New Daily Value Lineup Packed with Big Flavors and Big Savings

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Wings and Rings Brings Back Sam Adams Beer Cheese for Big Game Flavor and a Free Wings Giveaway

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Spreading Wings: Buffalo Wings & Rings Celebrates Three New Openings in Q1

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