After opening five new units last year, the NYC-based wing franchise has another 20-plus in development and continues to innovate its menu to capture even more market share.
Atomic Wings, the 25-unit chicken wing franchise, has seen rapid expansion and continues to see remarkable growth nationwide. Last year, it opened five new restaurants and awarded another 45 under Area Representative contracts, and it’s on track to open at least 20 more by the end of 2024 — nearly doubling the size of its system. Atomic Wings continues to make waves in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) space as it grows — driving menu innovation, leveraging creative footprints and proving the power of a passionate fan base.
“We aim to be the next big thing, and we’ve achieved this through organic natural growth, primarily driven by word of mouth,” said Atomic Wings CEO Zak Omar. “This distinguishes us from competitors who rely heavily on venture capitalist funding. Our growth is a testament to the excitement and loyalty of our consumers and those who want to be a part of our journey.”
Atomic Wings has already built relationships with Area Representatives who will develop a total of about 275 locations across New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and New Jersey. The New Jersey market sold out in January — a testament to the brand’s strong start to 2024.
The team is also looking to sign multiple new deals in several states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Florida. “We’d really like to strengthen our foothold in the Midwest and on the East Coast,” said Mike Harmon, vice president of operations. “We have a lot of activity in those areas already, so we’ve honed in those markets for even more strategic development.”
With the growth of its footprint, Atomic Wings is also innovating around its prototype. The brand is expected to launch the first drive-thru wing spot in Houston in Spring 2024, and it continues to target drive-thru sites — a new development in the wing space. Because chicken wings can take up to 20 minutes to cook, not many wing concepts can offer efficient drive-thru service. Atomic Wings, however, has managed to streamline the process, cutting the process to about four minutes to become the first major wing restaurant to have drive-thru options.
“We believe these are fantastic opportunities to expand our brand visibility and offer consumers a chance to savor our delicious offerings,” said Omar.
Those delicious offerings continue to expand, too. Last year, the brand launched flatbreads topped with all-natural boneless chicken; this year, it’s working on even more exciting additions.
“We’re working on some different flavors and menu items,” explained Harmon. “We plan to launch a robust catering menu later this year. We have Korean barbecue bites in the works right now and we’re also pretty excited about our Nashville Hot sandwich and tenders. Nashville Hot chicken is something that you have to do just right, and we’re still putting the finishing touches on the recipe, but that is going to be a superstar product for us.”
As it continues along its ambitious growth trajectory, Atomic Wings’ steady commitment to quality, flavor and innovation positions it for even more success in the near future.
“We have big expansion plans and, as we continue to shake up the wing space, we look forward to bringing the Atomic Wings experience to even more people,” said Harmon. “We’re only going to keep growing, and I see a bright future for us in the QSR industry.”
Atomic Wings was created in 1989 with a mission to share authentic New York style Buffalo wings with the world. Now, with dozens of restaurants open in the U.S., Atomic Wings is setting its sights on nationwide growth. In addition to its existing locations in New York and Maryland, Atomic Wings is targeting New Jersey, Arizona, Ohio and Canada. The brand is led by owners and brothers Zak and Ray Omar, and offers customers fresh, never frozen, natural and hormone-free chicken wings hand-tossed in 14 proprietary sauces, a classic menu, a welcoming dining experience and a commitment to quality. For more information about Atomic Wings, please visit https://www.AtomicWings.com/franchising.
