More than 200 Attended Award-Winning Restaurants 2016 Franchise Awards
Hurricane Grill & Wings, a beach-themed full service restaurant franchise, held its eighth annual franchise conference last week to celebrate the brand’s success and continued growth. The family-friend restaurant, which prides itself on fresh, quality ingredients and customer service that goes above and beyond, recognized individuals who best exemplified Hurricane Grill & Wings’ dedication to excellence.
Hurricane Grill & Wings’ “Franchisee of the Year” was awarded to Bill King of BayMeadows and Bartram Village in Jacksonville, FL. King, his wife Sharon, and team were recognized for being great operators as well as highly respected within the brand. Through a commitment to working the Hurricane Grill & Wings playbook, taking care of his people and understanding the power of loyalty programs and partnerships, King grew his business sales more than 10% in 2015 and are already up 9% in 2016.
The franchise’s most improved location was Pembroke Pines, Florida while the location with the larges sales and dollar increase was San Antonio, TX. Rookie of the year awards were given to the Kendall, Florida franchise team and highest guest satisfaction was awarded to Neptune Beach, FL. Developer, Vendor and Vendor Partner of the year awards went to Angelo Balbo, Lamb Weston and Wayne Drucker of Acosta Food Service, respectively.
Finally, the newly named Kurt Webster Award, in honor of the recently passed longtime Florida-based operator Kurt Webster who was dedicated to giving back to the local community, was given to the Hurricane Grill & Wings Palm City, FL location.
“We have the best franchisee team in the world!” said John Metz, CEO of Hurricane Grill & Wings. “And we are grateful for all of their hard work and commitment to excellence as the company grows its national and global presence. As we expand the Hurricane Grill & Wings brand into new territories, it is the dedication and enthusiasm of our team members, franchisees, vendors and developers that make it all possible.”
A full list of Hurricane Grill & Wings 2016 Franchise Award winners:
| 1. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Most Improved Location | Pembroke Pines, FL |
| 2. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Largest % Sales Increase | San Antonio, TX |
| 3. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Largest Dollar Sales Increase | San Antonio, TX |
| 4. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Top Local Store Marketing Team of the Year | Cary, NC |
| 5. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Developers of the Year | Angelo Balbo |
| 6. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Highest Average Weekly Sales - Small Restaurant | Vero Beach, FL |
| 7. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Highest Average Weekly Sales - Large Restaurant | Garden City, NY |
| 8. | 2 Million Dollar Club | Clermont, FL Garden City, NY Julington Creek, FL Lake Buena Vista, FL Palm City, FL Stuart, FL |
| 9. | Vendor of the Year | Lamb Weston |
| 10. | Vendor Partner of the Year | Wayne Drucker, Acosta Foodservice |
| 11. | Hurricane Grill & Wings Highest Guest Satisfaction | Neptune Beach, FL |
| 12. | Rookie of the Year | Kendall, FL |
| 13. | Givin' Back Award | Palm City, FL |
| 14. | Franchisee of The Year Award | Bill King |
For Franchising Opportunities contact Kevin Kruse at (609) 731 – 2485, or visit the Hurricane Grill & Wings website at http://www.hurricanefranchising.com
With over 80 restaurants open or under construction in 16 states and 5 European countries that include Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland and Switzerland, Florida-based Hurricane Grill & Wings is known for its jumbo, fresh wings, more than 35 signature sauces and rubs and tropical, laid-back vibe. Named by USA Today as one of “10 Great Places to Wing It,” selected as one of the “Future 50” by Restaurant Business and as one of Franchise Times “Top 40 Fast and Serious,” Hurricane Grill & Wings’ menu includes crave-able Hurricane’s Garlic & Parm fries, tasty salads, seafood entrees and fresh ½ pound burgers. The brand’s signature Rum Bar with over 21 premium rums leads its tropical drinks menu, along with a wide selection of craft beers and wines. The original Hurricane Grill & Wings opened in Fort Pierce, Fla., in 1995 and has expanded to locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, as well as an international restaurant in Italy. There are additional restaurants planned both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit www.hurricanewings.com.
