Fresh off a record-breaking year, Wingstop today announced plans to significantly expand its presence in the Northeast by opening at least 25 new restaurants in the New Jersey area over the next five years.
The expansion will be accomplished through franchising, and Wingstop officials are actively seeking existing multi-unit restaurant franchisees looking to add a new concept to their portfolio. One-on-one meetings are being scheduled with franchise prospects for March 19 and 20 at the Hilton East Brunswick in East Brunswick, NJ.
The announcement comes after a strong 2013 in which Wingstop opened a record-breaking 74 new restaurants and signed 182 domestic development agreements, bringing the total number of opened restaurants to more than 600 in 32 states, Mexico, Russia and Singapore with commitments for more than 500 additional new restaurants. The international chain is on target to reach its goal of 1,000 locations worldwide in the next few years, and New Jersey has been identified as a priority market for growth in 2014.
“We believe that New Jersey has the potential to very quickly become one of our most successful markets,” said Wingstop Chief Development Officer Dave Vernon. “There is no doubt that the market loves chicken wings and we are convinced that our one-of-a-kind flavors will become the favorite of wing fans across the state.”
More information on the Wingstop franchise program, including details on the one-on-one meetings being scheduled in East Brunswick, is available at www.wingstop.com.
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop has more than 600 restaurants open across the United States, Mexico, Russia and Singapore. The “Wing Experts” menu features classic and boneless wings with 10 bold, distinctive flavors including Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory Smoked BBQ and Louisiana Rub. Wingstop’s wings are always cooked to order, sauced and tossed and served with a variety of house-made sides including Wingstop’s award winning hand-cut seasoned fries. Wingstop has experienced 10 consecutive years of positive sales increases, was named a Top 10 Best Franchise Deal by QSR magazine, and has been voted “best wings” in markets across the country. Wingstop is owned by affiliates of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm that specializes in business and consumer service companies with attractive growth prospects and revenues ranging from $20 million to over $3 billion. For more information visit wingstop.com, wingstopfranchise.com, twitter.com/wingstop or facebook.com/Wingstop.
