Wing It On! is reporting unprecedented growth in takeout, mobile and 3rd party delivery sales for the weeks following the Covid-19 social distancing orders. System-wide sales have increased 23% for the period of March 14 – April 17, compared to the previous year. Corporate store sales have increased nearly 50% month-to-date for April. The original corporate location in Waterbury, CT also rang the highest ever weekly sales between April 13th-19th at nearly $25,000 out of their small 785 sq. ft storefront. The chicken wing and chicken sandwich brand is excited to see growth and validation that their emerging concept is built to thrive in any economy.
“Fans are definitely adapting their behavior when it comes to dining out,” says Matt Ensero, CEO of WIO Franchising, Inc. “We expect them to be a lot pickier in deciding which restaurants to patronize. They are searching for the brands that meet their new requirements moving forward. Our easy to use digital experience, simplified menu, authentic flavors and dedication to cleanliness/food safety are the things fans are looking for.”
Consumers are currently forced to keep their distance from full-service dining experiences, but even after social distancing eases, the public will not be returning to dining rooms all at once. For at least the remainder of this year, the team at Wing It On believes the focus will remain on the QSR brands providing the best takeout, mobile order, curbside pickup and delivery experience.
Ensero continues, “Our mobile ordering and 3rd party delivery integrations make it amazingly easy for our fans to get their wing fix with less human interaction and with built-in features like contactless payment and delivery to your home or office. We’ve been developing these operational standards for the past two years. At this point, it is how we do business and, luckily, it has enabled us to reach new heights despite the volatile economy. We’re excited about the growth prospects for our existing franchisees and new stores in the post-covid world.”
Wing It On!’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak has been swift, communicating to fans early and regularly through social media, email and push notifications about the company’s plan of action as events and regulations unfolded. The WIO team moved quickly to increase health and safety measures in-store, including installing plexiglass splash guards at all counters and requiring staff members to wear masks from very early on in the pandemic. Offering curbside pick-up, and other mobile order incentives has also helped ease consumer fear. Currently, all Wing It On! locations are in the process of adopting the use of custom tamper-proof stickers for 3rd party delivery orders.
Since 2011 Wing It On! has focused on giving fans a truly exceptional wing experience that starts with fresh, never-frozen classic and boneless wings, perfectly cooked and tossed in award-winning sauces and dry rubs. Their line-up of bigger, juicier, hand-crafted chicken sandwiches and a selection of seasoned fries are also making fans continue to choose WIO for game time, or anytime hunger strikes.
Visit us at wingiton.com or check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more news and updates.
Interested in franchising? Visit www.my.wiofranchise.com/info to learn more.
