Wing Zone expects uptick in chicken wing sales during Super Bowl

On Sunday, February 2, an estimated 115 million Americans will watch the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl  XLIX. Those not on the field are expected to eat 1.25 billion chicken wings, according to the National Chicken Council. The popularity of chicken wings is on the rise, and many brands have seen an uptick in chicken wing sales year-over-year. Once regarded as the discarded part of the chicken, the wing is now what seems to be the blessed center of a Super Bowl party buffet. Set to outpace both the burger and frozen yogurt industry has franchise wing brands profitable and continuously thriving. Gainesville, Florida-based Wing Zone has seen an uptick in sales since the brand’s inception. Currently, the brand is projected to sell 350,000 wings throughout their 60 locations. “Super Bowl is our busiest day; some would call it our Big Game. We start preparing weeks in advance for Pre-Orders and prepping our staff.  We have all hands on deck to keep the restaurants running as smoothly as possible,” said Dan Corrigan, Director of Marketing at Wing Zone. Last year, the brand's most successful store made $24,870 in sales on a single Sunday –a 6.7 percent increase from the previous year. As a system, the brand is projected to beat its 2014 sales of $400,000. “We’ve seen a steady climb in chicken wing sales, and we hope to exceed our current sales expectations,” Corrigan said. “With our current marketing strategy in place, and ongoing Super Bowl promotions, we’re excited to see how Sunday shakes out.” The brand’s success with wings has the brand projected to open 340 new restaurants in the future, adding approximately 30 jobs to the local economy.