Why Wings and Rings is Making Valuable Investments in Technology and A.I. to Help with Employee Retention

Wings and Rings, the 85-unit sports restaurant and bar franchise, is investing in several new processes leveraging technology to streamline operational and back-of-house needs. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the brand is currently investing in cooking robotics and A.I. to help with employee retention and efficiency without eliminating jobs. And with the challenging labor shortage of today, those labor efficiencies constitute a significant advantage for franchise owners. The brand is working with California-based technology company, Miso Robotics, to use its Flippy 2 robot in the kitchen at the Crestview Hills, Kentucky Wings and Rings location.  

“Our mission is to be a tech-forward, proactive organization, both at the store level and the corporate office,” said Thomas Flaherty, chief development officer for Wings and Rings. “This investment in A.I. is part of a multi-prong strategic approach to being a world-class, cutting-edge organization.”

Wings and Rings has been rolling out a new G4 prototype design and remodel strategy across its system over the past year, which includes a new Valet Pick-Up lane, QR code ordering, a new point-of-sale (POS) system, replete with tablets, and significant upgrades to the Wings and Rings app. Flaherty says that the technological initiatives at Wings and Rings help streamline operations, improve labor efficiencies, and provide a better, more convenient customer experience for guests. 

Wings and Rings is the first company to utilize this A.I. and robotic technology in a functioning restaurant versus in a test facility. Starting with a focus on cooking wings, Flippy 2 has performed well, Flaherty notes, and has shown great potential when it comes to increasing employee productivity and retention. There will always be a learning period (literally, machine learning…) and adjustments to be made.

“This isn’t about trying to replace humans — we're trying to be tech-forward and efficient, and you still need a human to operate Flippy,” said Flaherty. “We’re not working on totally robotic stores. We want to increase automation to help productivity. This is really part of a larger movement in the restaurant world, and we are excited to be a leader in thinking about the world of tomorrow, instead of just improving on how we do things today.”

Dan Doulen, director of franchising and real estate for Wings and Rings, says this technology has a lot of future potential, including the ability to prepare appetizers and other menu items. “This really enables the employees to work and expand their professional horizons,” he said. “Instead of only working one position in the kitchen, the team can be cross-trained to work at the sandwich station or start doing things in the front of the house, like bartending.”

These labor efficiencies, as well as the new off-premise-focused G4 Wings and Rings prototype, are all designed to create cost savings and efficiency improvements for franchisees in this challenging economic environment. The new Wings and Rings Valet Pick-Up lane helps franchisees and guests defray the cost of third-party delivery.  Guests can save by easily driving through to pick up their orders; hence, franchisees are also not charged a fee for these transactions. 

The brand also offers a development incentive program, which allows prospective franchisees to save big bucks on their investment, with no franchise fee and no royalties (typically 5%) due to the franchisor for the first six months of operation. This applies to one or multiple locations. And, continuing with the theme of innovation, Wings and Rings is giving prospective franchisees a unique way to pay for the franchise fee: Bitcoin. 

“This isn’t a publicity stunt — we are really accepting Bitcoin for franchise fees through a company that allows us to transfer Bitcoin to U.S. dollars or keep the coins as a longer-term investment holding,” said Flaherty.

Whether it be Bitcoin, the G4 model, the new app technology or Flippy, Flaherty says they are all pieces of a holistic strategy to make Wings and Rings tech-forward and innovative. “We’re not just competing against other chains in our space — we’re competing against Amazon and Starbucks and all of the leaders in customer experience and interaction.  That means we have to keep up with customer expectations,” he said. “Our franchisees want a business that they are passionate about and where they can make a return on their investment, so we are focused on fundamentals and supporting them along the way, and technology is a big part of that.”

For more information on Wings and Rings, the investment and financial qualifications, please visit OwnWingsandRings.com.

ABOUT WINGS AND RINGS

Established in 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wings and Rings is THE club-level sports restaurant and bar with Crave-worthy Wings and Rings, My Place Service and a Club-Level Ambiance, which encourages social connection for our guests. Whether it’s enjoying a bit of banter, catching up over the game, finding new craft beer favorites or celebrating a big win, Wings and Rings is the place where everyone can kick back, enjoy life, and champion everyday moments. With more than 85 units across the globe, Wings and Rings is changing the sports restaurant category, making elevated food and beverage experiences accessible to all fans. For more information, please visit www.WingsandRings.com.