Wings and Rings Offers World Class Franchisee Support with Real Estate and Site Selection Assistance

Wings and Rings, the 85-unit sports restaurant and bar franchise, has multiple processes that leverage technology to streamline operational and back-of-house needs. A major part of this process has been an emphasis on exceptional support for incoming franchisees, specifically regarding real estate and site selection needs. 

“There is a lot of work that goes into becoming a franchise owner, and many of our franchisees, and many franchisees in general, have zero experience in real estate,” said Thomas Flaherty, chief development officer for Wings and Rings. “That is why we ensure the entire process is streamlined and supportive. Real estate is one of those things that you can’t really change once you make the decision, at least not easily.  It requires a lot of time and money, and it is a crucially important decision. Since franchisees often don’t have experience in real estate, it's up to the franchisor to help them assess these decisions.”

Even before a franchisee is signed, Flaherty says, Wings and Rings’ real estate committee works hard to find a selection of potential sites in a particular territory through in-depth analytics and market data. 

“What are the most critical attributes of the site that we should be thinking about? How do they relate to the stores that have similar demographic characteristics? How might they perform? We make sure to ask all those questions in advance,” Flaherty says.

But it isn’t all about data. This real estate support also includes site visits, where the team and the franchisee can both check out the potential site in-person to ensure it is up to the task of becoming a Wings and Rings restaurant. “You need those boots on the ground,” he said. “Sometimes you get there, and you see that there is a whole new, awesome shopping center that is being built next door, or there could be a new freeway ramp that will really hurt this potential site. It's important to see it in person.”

Once the site is approved and the franchisee is officially signed on and ready to go, Flaherty says, the baton is passed over to the construction team. “We will help owners throughout the construction process so they can meet our standards and specifications,” he said. “It may not seem important to a lay person on the street, but the consistency and specifications across locations are important, whether it be the colors, the building or design materials, or anything else. But each site is a little different — one color of paint may not work on a stucco wall, but it will work on a brick wall. That is why we provide individualized support on everything from equipment to building materials to vendors to architecture.”

Flaherty says the Wings and Rings team also understands that every restaurant is unique, and if a franchisee wants to try something new, they are open to it. “If a franchisee wants to do something that's outside of our standards, whether it be the store layout, furniture or something else, we have a Standards Exceptions process, where we consider the request and potentially test it on a limited basis to see how it performs,” he said. “Who knows — if it works, and it has tremendous results, we might incorporate it throughout the entire system. That flexibility is important when it comes to all areas of franchisee support.”

And in today’s real estate market, in which inflationary pressures are causing prices to rise and inventory is hard to come by, Wings and Rings’ in-depth site selection and construction support is more valuable than ever for entrepreneurs as it can result in valuable cost efficiencies and avoid unnecessary challenges down the road. 

“The Wings and Rings team understands that real estate is a key piece of the franchising puzzle,” said Flaherty. “As part of the Wings and Rings system, incoming franchisees can feel confident that they will have someone helping them through the complex real estate process every step of the way.”

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.