OWN A PREMIER FAMILY-FRIENDLY, SPORTS CHICKEN WING RESTAURANT CONCEPT

Q&A With Wings and Rings' president and CEO, Nader Masadeh

WHAT ABOUT WINGS AND RINGS MAKES IT UNIQUE WITHIN ITS INDUSTRY? 

At Wings and Rings we offer a club level experience unlike anything else in the restaurant industry. Our entire model is based on elevating the traditional sports restaurant experience. We deliver on that commitment to our guests through a chef-inspired menu, a welcoming atmosphere that is more family and female-friendly than our competition, and our Buffalove ® Service Promise. Additionally, our corporate team is accessible and dedicated to supporting our franchisees in order to help them grow and succeed. The direct contact franchisees in our system have to corporate team members is unparalleled in our industry. We continue to explore and proactively implement improvements such as online ordering, "to go" pick-up convenience, and more to make sure we are an innovative leader within the restaurant landscape.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE BRAND'S MOST IMPORTANT MILESTONES OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS? 

The most rewarding part of my job is watching franchisees within our system open additional restaurants, and during the last five years we have seen a significant increase in franchisees reinvesting in the brand. 40-percent of our system is made up of multi-unit operators and more than half of those operators grew from just one location when they joined. In the last five years, we have continued to refine our franchise model and enhance our mission to provide an unmatched club level, elevated sports restaurant experience. We surpassed 50 locations across the U.S. and have expanded into strong new markets. We continued to increase our international presence with nearly 20 locations open overseas. We opened a location at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and continue to invest in our home market, with our 4th corporate owned location in the area set to open before the end of 2017. We launched our Buffalove Foundation as a way to continue our mission of being a positive force in the communities we serve. We also established a steady rotation of crave-worthy limited time offers and further elevated the base menu offerings. Personally, I participated on CBS's Undercover Boss, which proved to be an extremely valuable experience to further our company's vision and make sure that the Buffalo Wings & Rings experience is second-to-none throughout the system.

WHAT PLANS DOES THE BRAND HAVE IN THE COMING YEARS? 

We will continue to work with our franchisees to increase operational excellence at existing restaurants while growing the company with existing and new, qualified franchisees. We will be closing in on the 100th unit globally in the next 2-3 years and have our sights set on building out our presence in established markets across the U.S. and introducing the brand to even more guests internationally. Our corporate team will continue to roll out improvements and enhancements to our chef-inspired menu. We are introducing a new prototype with a dedicated carry-out entrance and station to capitalize on the evolution of guest desires. We invested in online ordering and will continue to invest in technology that will drive our brand forward. Our future is bright and we plan to grow intelligently and strategically.

WHAT DOES AN IDEAL FRANCHISEE LOOK LIKE? 

The ideal Wings and Rings franchisee buys in to our commitment to a club level, elevated experience. It's important that our franchisees take our promise to heart. The most successful franchisees in our system have a service-first mindset. We believe that our model is one that, if executed well with a focus on serving the guest, will lead to financial success for operators who are driven, hard working, and want to create something special in their community.

WHY IS BUFFALO WINGS AND RINGS A GOOD INVESTMENT? 

We are a growing franchise and market availability exists for franchisees across the U.S. We anticipated the changing needs and desires of the emerging generation and our model caters to an evolving restaurant guest base. Our chef-inspired menu and inviting atmosphere create a perfect dining and sports experience for men, women, and families. Our promise helps build loyalty with guests and the access to our corporate team means that franchisees who invest with Wings and Rings have constant support. We invest in those who invest in Wings and Rings.