Buffalo Wings & Rings Generates Interest in Franchise Opportunity Throughout Nebraska

Entering 2018, the buzz surrounding Cincinnati-based elevated sports restaurant franchise Buffalo Wings & Rings continues to grow as the company aims to expand its presence in the Cornhusker State. The brand - which already has two successful locations in Omaha and Lincoln - plans to further saturate the state of Nebraska by adding multiple locations in the next year and a half.

“The culture of the entire Great Plains area – from Texas up through the Dakotas – resonates with the culture and experience we’ve created with Buffalo Wings & Rings,” said Philip Schram, Chief Development Officer of Buffalo Wings & Rings.

The franchise opportunity is resonating with local media throughout Nebraska too. In 2017, media outlets in markets such as North Platte, York, Fremont, and Dakota County reported on the expanding brand and its plans to find qualified operators to open new Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise locations.

In an article with the headline “Restaurant hopes to expand to North Platte area” that ran in December 2017, The North Platte Telegraph reported that Buffalo Wings & Rings is looking to expand its presence farther west of Omaha and Lincoln surrounding North Platte. Buffalo Wings & Rings Chief Development Officer Philip Schram told the publication that the brand’s focus on an elevated menu and a family-friendly environment matches the demographics of the North Platte area. He added that, “…if we could find somebody by the end of the summer we could be open by 2018.”

Also in December 2017, the York News-Times reported on the company’s prospects in York. The newspaper reported that a new Buffalo Wings & Rings restaurant in York would create roughly 50 new jobs.

“Buffalo Wings & Rings is changing the sports restaurant category,” Schram told the York News-Times “Bringing elevated food and experiences that are accessible and affordable to all. The franchise is taking game-time to the next level with bright inviting dining rooms, elevated fan experiences and a chef inspired menu featuring a rotation of seasonal and diverse limited-time offerings, fresh salads, homemade Bleu Cheese, innovative sandwich options, hand-pressed burgers and fresh, never-frozen wings to every sports fan.”

The Fremont Tribune reported that Buffalo Wings & Rings was eyeing Fremont, Nebraska, for a new location in May. The article noted that the company has found success with locations in Omaha and Lincoln, and that Fremont makes sense from a geographic and demographic standpoint.

“Nationwide we are very successful in cities in the 25,000 to 40,000 (people) range,” Schram told the Fremont Tribune. “It serves us well and gives us the visibility that we want and need. When you look at where Fremont is located it would form a triangle between Lincoln and Omaha.”

Schram added that due to the elevated menu and more family and female-friendly atmosphere, the company does not see a competition problem with a new Buffalo Wild Wings opening within Fremont.

Additionally in May, the Washington County Enterprise and Pilot Tribune reported on the prospect of a local franchisee bringing Buffalo Wings & Rings to Dakota County. Schram again mentioned that due to the success of franchise locations in Omaha and Lincoln, there is ample opportunity for the concept to expand throughout Dakota County. He also pointed to the company’s elevated offering as a differentiator for would- be franchisees.

“We have a more balanced menu,” he told the Washington County Enterprise and Pilot Tribune. “Nothing fancy, but it's clearly elevated from something you'd find in a normal wing joint.”

The buzz surrounding Buffalo Wings & Rings in Nebraska comes on the heels of a successful 2017 in which the company achieved the $100-million mark in system-wide sales for the first time. The brand is aiming for 10 percent restaurant count growth in 2018.

Total investment to open a Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise ranges between $1.2-million and $3-million. Open territories are available in a variety of states. Franchise candidates should have liquid capital of $300,000 or higher and a net worth of at least $1-million. More information on the Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise opportunity can be found at https://ownabuffalo.com/.