Fast-growing casual brand sets sights on Intermountain West and Midwest, plans to open in three new markets each year
Following a year that forced restaurant brands to adapt and evolve quickly in order to survive, Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse has proven it’s well positioned to spur franchise development in new markets.
After launching the first early generation franchise locations in 1998, Wingers took a step back to reimage, focus on improving its existing operations and get the brand ready to re-launch franchise opportunities. Over the past five years, Wingers has been updating its locations to its new “Restaurant & Alehouse” model, which has resulted in impressive sales increases in existing restaurants from 25% to over 100% in some cases. In addition, Wingers concentrated on enhancing its operations and support systems to be ready to handle added franchise growth. The casual dining brand is now ready to bring its highly addictive wings and sticky fingers to more markets throughout the Intermountain West and Midwest regions.
“ Wingers has always had delicious, hand-crafted food, and that’s allowed us to build a loyal following in the communities we serve,” said Wingers Chief Operating Officer Brandon Howard. “But, operationally, we had to make some changes in order to grow. Since I came on board three years ago, we started investing very heavily into technology, online training programs and third-party delivery. Each of these factors have been significant in setting our brand up for additional success. Now that we’ve established new practices and shown we can thrive beyond a pandemic, I am fully confident that Wingers is ready to take this next big step.”
In 2021, Wingers has already opened one store in Bountiful, Utah, and new locations in Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming are in the pipeline. The brand’s franchise development goal for the future is to open in three new markets each year.
“Wingers has shown what it’s made of over this past year, with most of our restaurants being in positive sales through much of COVID-19,” said Wingers Founder and CEO Eric Slaymaker. “We’ve adjusted operations to improve our brand, and now we are in a great position to fuel franchise development. We can’t wait to start welcoming passionate franchisees to the Wingers family.”
Combining award-winning handmade wings, sticky fingers, burgers, salads, craft beers and great service, Wingers new Restaurant & Alehouse has perfected the art of giving guests the comfort of a family restaurant with the liveliness of a local bar. Renowned for being a fun and energetic gathering place for friends and family, Wingers is an outstanding local spot to socialize, watch a sports game, eat some amazing American food and drink a cold beer. For a complete menu, locations and more information, visit wingerbros.com.
Founded in 1993, Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse is a fast-growing casual brand focused on delivering chef-driven, handcrafted food, including its award-winning wings and signature “sticky” fingers, burgers, salads, tacos, craft beers and drinks, all served in a lively atmosphere. Recently named No. 22 on MSN.com’s “America’s Best Buffalo Wings” list, Wingers is well-known for its World Famous Original Amazing Sauce. The brand has 23 company and franchise locations in the Intermountain West with more in the pipeline to open in the Midwest. For more information, visit wingerbros.com or follow Wingers on Facebook or Instagram. To learn about Wingers’ franchising, visit wingersfranchising.com.
