The Perfect Recipe for Success: Family and Food

The Fetter's bond as Buffalo Wings & Rings franchisees.

SPONSOREDUpdated 8:08AM • 11/04/15

To say Todd Fetter loves his family and business would be an understatement.

The Ohio entrepreneur has made both a priority while combining them to work together as one. He and his wife, Audra, have five children, four of which currently hold roles at each of his current Buffalo Wings & Rings restaurant.

In fact, the success Fetter has been able to build as a multi-unit franchisee with the brand might just be because of the family nature of the business. His children help in many ways, from working weekend expos and the kitchen on busy nights, to his son Kellen and Kieran who serve as manager and assistant manager at two Buffalo Wings & Rings restaurants. He and his wife also added another member to the family in 2009, Hubertine, 13, whom they adopted from Africa.

Fetter has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. He owned a manufacturing business before entering the e-coating and powdering industry, and he grew the company into two locations with 150 employees. Fetter sold his share of the business in 2008 and began looking for a new venture to invest in.

Based on his family’s common interest in sports and wings, he started looking for a wing joint and came across Buffalo Wings & Rings.

“I went to several stores to eat and check things out, and I found that everything [at Buffalo Wings & Rings] was great,” said Fetter. “I immediately knew it was an opportunity that our family needed to pursue.”

Although Fetter signed his first franchise agreement with the brand in 2009, he waited patiently for four years for the perfect real estate spot. It was his first franchise business and he realized the value in the perfect location.

“The support system with this brand is great. You can pick up a phone and call any of the Wings & Rings owners directly. Maybe they won’t handle the issue directly but they will help you find the answer, and if they miss the call they’ll return it. It’s very personal and that means a lot,” he said.

Once they got the first 10 months under their belt with their initial location in Piqua, Ohio, Fetter felt that it was time to open a second restaurant. He and his wife sat down and doodled a timeline to ask where they wanted to be one year, and then ten years down the road. The path was clear with Buffalo Wings & Rings and they knew they had the corporate and family support they needed to make it happen.

Now, Fetter owns and operates two locations with an additional three in the works. They took over an existing location on Lewis Center, Ohio, in 2015, and are currently working on opening a location in Mason, Ohio, later this month, as well as locations in Lima, Ohio, and Aberdeen, South Dakota, the second in the state.

“Every day is a new adventure, and we’re excited to see where this journey continues to take us,” said Fetter. “I love this brand and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

For more information on Buffalo Wings & Rings, visit buffalowingsandrings.1851franchise.com.