1851

When it comes to high-quality flavor for a low price, hungry humans need look no further than delivery-focused fast-casual concept <a href="https://wingzonefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-wing-zones-consumer-value-proposition-keeps-the-25-year-old-brand-growing-2710737" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wing Zone</a>.

Originally developed by college students and friends Matt Friedman and Adam Scott while attending college in Gainesville, Florida, the personality- and flavor-packed concept was initially tested in the entrepreneurial pair&rsquo;s frat house kitchen in 1991. What started as a passion project to bring tasty fried chicken wings to the University of Florida&rsquo;s Gator community soon translated into the brand&rsquo;s flagship store in 1993; next, Friedman and Scott began franchising the concept with store No. 7 out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1999.

Ten years later, <a href="https://www.wingzone.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-wing-zones-consumer-value-proposition-keeps-the-25-year-old-brand-growing-2710737" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wing Zone</a> became an international franchise operation upon opening its first international location in Panama City, Panama. Today, Wing Zone claims a footprint of over 80 restaurants in six countries&mdash;and shows no signs of slowing down.

So what makes Wing Zone a concept so craveable that its fans are known affectionately as Flavorholics&trade;? First and foremost: the menu.

&ldquo;We offer 17 award-winning wing flavors, with 14 traditional-style and three flavor rubs,&rdquo; said co-founder and CEO Matt Friedman. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re all about providing our fans with the best flavors on the planet and we invest in research and development for regular menu innovation to meet the demand of our loyal Flavorholics.&rdquo;

Although Wing Zone started with a pared-down menu of original (bone-in) wings, five wing flavors, fries and soft drinks, variety has come to be the spice of Wing Zone life. Today, guests can choose from original, boneless, breaded, char grilled tenders or thighs; hand-breaded tenders; still-sizzling beef and veggie burgers; flavorful wraps and toasted quesadillas; or fresh, crisp salads. A mix of flavors and rubs across the heat spectrum means that every guest is a master of their own flavor journey.

What&rsquo;s more, all of this innovation has come without sacrificing the quality that has characterized Wing Zone from day one.

&ldquo;We have locations right next to major delivery competitors like Domino&rsquo;s and we win out because of the quality of our product,&rdquo; said Wing Zone&rsquo;s Chief Operating Officer, Hair Parra. &ldquo;The difference is our flavor; once guests try us, they&rsquo;re hooked.&rdquo;

Domestically, Wing Zone finds a natural home in college towns and markets with a high proportion of military veterans. To hold its own with a segment dominator like Domino&rsquo;s, then, is no small victory&mdash;especially for a concept focused on what North American markets typically regard as an &ldquo;add-on&rdquo; item: wings.

&ldquo;Our success really demonstrates our proof of concept and the power of our Flavorholics,&rdquo; said Friedman. &ldquo;Our proven model shows that wings are a main menu item, and that&rsquo;s great for consumers because it means that we can enter seemingly competitive markets with other delivery options and still prove that we&rsquo;re just more craveable.&rdquo;

In addition to a can&rsquo;t-beat offering, Wing Zone also differentiates itself in the chicken wing segment by prioritizing an area that its competitors have historically ignored, but <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/fast-casual/wing-zone-turns-25-style?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-wing-zones-consumer-value-proposition-keeps-the-25-year-old-brand-growing-2710737" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">which Wing Zone has always kept as a core focus: delivery</a>.

&ldquo;We use both third-party and in-house delivery services in order to provide our Flavorholics with the best possible customer experience,&rdquo; said Friedman.

Asked what guests who are new to the brand can expect of a Wing Zone location, Friedman clarified that, unlike competitors, the brand does not identify as a sports bar.

&ldquo;People often think about Buffalo Wild Wings or Hooters when they think about wings, but we could open directly next to a Buffalo Wild Wings without issue because they&rsquo;re not a competitor,&rdquo; said Friedman.

Of Wing Zone&rsquo;s No. 2 spot in the segment, Friedman had much to say.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re in challenger position right now, but the truth is, we&rsquo;re better,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We have a better culture, better menu and we offer delivery. And there&rsquo;s a reason that our fans are nicknamed Flavorholics&mdash;they&rsquo;re passionate in a way that no other fanbase out there is. That&rsquo;s what keeps us hungry to keep growing and delivering on our promise for second-to-none flavors.&rdquo;

So what&rsquo;s next for Wing Zone as businesses and consumers alike move into the second half of the year?

&ldquo;New flavors are always on our radar,&rdquo; said Friedman. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re gearing up for some exciting LTOs this fall. We&rsquo;re expanding in target markets across the U.S. Overall, we just have an insatiable appetite for innovation. So stay tuned.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

How Wing Zone’s Consumer Value Proposition Keeps the 25-Year-Old Brand Growing

1851 Franchise

The craveable fast-casual concept keeps its fanbase of Flavorholics™ satisfied thanks to award-winning flavors and rubs, best-in-class quality and convenient delivery options.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

how-wing-zones-consumer-value-proposition-keeps-the-25-year-old-brand-growing

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Unlocking the Potential: How Much Can You Earn as an Onigilly Franchisee?

unlocking-the-potential-how-much-can-you-earn-as-an-onigilly-franchisee

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions

DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno 

Grease, Grit, and Growth: DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno, Nevada

grease-grit-and-growth-dewitts-ignite-new-chapter-for-filta-environmental-kitchen-solutions-in-reno-nevada

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers-50 Unit-Wendy's-Franchisee-June-2025

Why This 50 Unit Wendy’s Franchisee Is Betting on Layne’s for His Next Big Move

wendys-franchisee-expands-with-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

CapitalSpring

CapitalSpring’s Jim Balis Talks Growth, ROI and the Future of Fast Casual on “Rock My Restaurant”

capitalsprings-jim-balis-talks-growth-roi-and-the-future-of-fast-casual-on-rock-my-restaurant

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Ramps Up Growth in First Half of 2025 With Strategic Expansions, Franchise Signings, and New Headquarters

childrens-lighthouse-ramps-up-growth-in-first-half-of-2025-with-strategic-expansions-franchise-signings-and-new-headquarters

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

From Franchisee to Franchisor: How Howard Picker Is Using His Experience to Drive Sustainable Growth at Floyd’s 99

howard-picker-floyds-99-barbershop-franchise-franchisor-hot-seat

Jollibee -Launch-Story-Brand-Page-Deep-Dive-2025

Jollibee Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

jollibee-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

Bringing Robots to Main Street: How Elad Inbar’s RobotLAB Franchise Is Powering the Local AI Revolution

bringing-robots-to-main-street-how-elad-inbars-robotlab-franchise-is-powering-the-local-ai-revolution

Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-costs-fees-2025

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photos of Danielle Rosemond & Usman Khan & TruBlue logo

Family Members of Local Physicians Bring TruBlue Franchise to North Central Nassau, Long Island: A Health Care-Inspired Approach to Aging in Place

family-brings-trublue-franchise-to-north-central-nassau

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

How This Franchise Consultant Turned a Love for Dogs Into a Business with Dog Training Elite

How This Franchise Consultant Turned a Lifelong Love for Dogs Into a Growing Business with Dog Training Elite

how-this-franchise-consultant-turned-a-lifelong-love-for-dogs-into-a-growing-business-with-dog-training-elite

How Wing Zone’s Consumer Value Proposition Keeps the 25-Year-Old Brand Growing

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS