How a Focus on Adding Value for Franchisees Has Fueled Tom Jenkins’ Career as a Franchisor

Franchising has always been a part of Tom Jenkins’ career.

He was first introduced to the ins and outs of the industry the summer after his freshman year of college, when he accepted a job as a line cook at Hooters in Knoxville, Tennessee. The franchisees that he worked for were major players in the brand’s system—they owned and operated restaurants across four different states. That’s why Jenkins decided to continue working for them after his summer break ended.

Realizing his passion for the restaurant franchising industry, Jenkins worked his way up the ranks in Hooters’ system with the help of those businesses local owners. He eventually became their director of operations before taking on a regional manager role with Hooters’ corporate team when the franchisees sold their locations back to the brand. But after working with one brand for 25 years, Jenkins decided that it was time to open himself up to other opportunities within the industry. That’s when he found Buffalo Wings & Rings.

Jenkins’ first role with Buffalo Wings & Rings was as a field consultant, which soon turned into a position as a franchise business manager. After working in that role for about a year, he was then presented with the opportunity to become Buffalo Wings & Rings director of franchise operations. And since accepting that role in 2016, Jenkins has never looked back.

“Launching my career with Hooters gave me the unique opportunity to learn about franchising first-hand. It was clear to me from day one that this industry is one that encourages everyone involved with it to grow, both personally and professionally, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play a part in that,” said Jenkins. “Especially as Buffalo Wings & Rings director of franchise operations, I have the ability to help set aspiring business owners up for success. That’s not something that’s found outside of franchising.”

Ensuring that Buffalo Wings & Rings’ franchisees are positioned for long-term growth is one of Jenkins’ top priorities. Even though there’s no such thing as a typical day at the office, every project that he takes on is designed to add value to the brand’s franchisees and their overall business ownership experiences. According to Jenkins, that’s the best way to maintain a positive relationship between local owners and the franchisor.

“At Buffalo Wings & Rings, everything that we do as a company is designed with our franchisees in mind. We’re constantly striving to promote the value of our system to our franchisees in order to make them feel like every bit that they contribute to the brand is fully reimbursed, whether that comes as support and expertise or competitive advantages that only a bigger brand can bring to the table,” said Jenkins. “We need every member of our team to be providing our franchisees with the best support and guidance possible. Otherwise, the advantages that come with being a part of a proven franchise system are lost, and the entire system loses its edge.”

In order to bring those competitive advantages to Buffalo Wings & Rings franchisees, Jenkins is constantly working to find new ways to drive sales while controlling costs of factors like labor and goods. He also works closely with the brand’s team of franchise business managers to ensure that they’re providing franchisees with the advice and consulting services that they need to thrive in their individual local communities. And even though Jenkins’ role requires him to wear multiple hats, everything that he does is all rooted in enhancing Buffalo Wings & Rings system for both existing and future franchisees.

Going forward, Jenkins plans to continue moving the brand in a positive direction as it works towards its ambitious goal of surpassing the 250 unit mark within the next 10 years. From working with more multi-unit owners to helping current franchisees expand their reach in new development markets, Jenkins has his sights set on consistent and continued growth.

“My main mission always comes back to providing value to our franchisees. In order to see the growth that I know is possible within our proven system become a reality, we need to be able to give our owners a leg up on the competition that they can’t find anywhere else. That’s what makes franchising so unique as an industry—entrepreneurs have the chance to tap into a corporate team that extends far beyond the resources that they’d have access to on their own,” said Jenkins.