When it comes to themed-based restaurants, several restaurants provide distinct services based on their respective theme. Aiming towards sports lovers, Wings and Rings is a sports-themed restaurant and bar franchise that has always been committed to giving customers the finest quality wings. Since its initiation in 1984, it has become a pioneered franchise that has perfected the art of homemade sauces, customizable heat profiles, and fresh wings. It has expanded its elevated menu to offer specialty burgers, salads, and many other items for our guests and their families.
Striving to spread the passion for providing the best “club-level” sports restaurant and bar experience in the industry to all levels of the franchise system is the franchise’s CEO, Nader Masadeh. Along with him, Thomas Flaherty, the Chief Development Officer, and Dan Doulen, the Director of Franchising & Real Estate, oversee the franchise opportunity with entrepreneurs interested in joining the growing herd of owners committed to providing quality food in a fun and welcoming environment.
We caught up with Nader in our endeavor to find “The 10 Best Food Franchises to Open.” We talked with him to know how the franchise has made its mark and become one of the beloved franchises amongst sports lovers.
Below are the highlights of the interview.
Give us a brief overview/inception of Wings and Rings, its mission, and the key aspects of its strong foothold in the Restaurants industry.
In 1984, Buffalo Wings & Rings started serving homemade bleu cheese and signature wings in Cincinnati, Ohio. Over the next several decades, the brand grew to more than 85 restaurants throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, upgraded its menu and club-level experience with a hands-on approach to food and flavor, and introduced a new restaurant model with a focus on curbside service and contactless payments. We also launched the Buffalove Foundation as a way to give back to local communities. This year, Buffalo Wings & Rings officially became Wings and Rings. The updated brand identity focuses less on the buffalo and more on our chicken and chef-driven menu.
Describe your top-notch offerings, and what makes your franchise a preferred choice among your clientele over other competitors?
Wings and Rings is changing the sports restaurant category by making elevated food and beverage experiences available to all fans. We have a chef-inspired menu, crave-worthy wings and rings, burgers, salads, and much more. Our fans keep coming back for the fun environment, elevated food, custom-crafted cocktails, “Club-Level” service, and an experience that encourages social connections.
Describe in detail the work culture and values that drive your franchise services.
Our Values and Culture are always highly rated by Franchisees, and we’ve been named a top place to work at our Corporate Headquarters. We Positively Impact Others; Stand Together as Family, and Encourage Fun. From the top and throughout the organization, our Team’s focus is on Franchisee success. We believe the byproduct of that is Franchisor success. Success can also mean different things to different people, so we work with our Franchisees to seek to understand and move in the right direction. We look at the investment and unit economics from the Franchisor and Franchisee perspectives. We think of how we would make decisions if it was our “Wallet on the Table.” With this in mind, we created a whole new prototype design, with Franchisee input and an eye on potential investment costs and ongoing unit economics. We also launched a new point-of-sale system and created a development incentive program that waives the initial $40,000 franchise fee and royalty fees for the first six months. We not only talk about profitability, but we also put our own wallets on the table to help influence future possibilities.
In what ways have you or your franchise contributed to the community?
We encourage our franchisees and their associates to be active members of and partners with the local communities. A recent example of that is one of the general managers at a Wings and Rings location in Kentucky was recognized for her creative and resourceful services to the community during the height of the pandemic. She and her staff found creative ways to raise money and donate food to first responders and people in need. We’re extremely proud to have her and her Team in our system. Our Corporate Team also regularly participates in Days of Service, volunteering in the community.
Would you please shed the knowledge on your training programs that help you to expand your franchise?
For franchisees, we offer a 135-hour initial training program. Eight hours are spent in a classroom, and 127 are on-the-job training. But it does not stop there, and we offer round-the-clock support for our franchisees and their staff. We also use modern, state-of-the-art, web-based training tools and modules.
As a well-known franchise in Restaurant franchising, what innovative technologies are you implementing to elevate your services to be more productive?
Well, we can’t share everything. Wings and Rings redesigned our restaurant model with off-premise sales and on-premise ordering experiences in mind way before the pandemic hit. Our new prototype restaurant has “Valet Pick-Up” lanes, a new Point Of Sale System, and other technological features focused on guest satisfaction. For example, guests who are trying to get a server’s attention can now do so via their smartphone. Through our app or over the internet, guests can view menus, place an order, pay the bill, etc. We also revamped our POS system to speed up the time between placing an order and inputting it into our system. We have more exciting innovations in the pipeline, as well.
What are Wings and Rings future aspirations? What strategies are you undertaking to achieve those goals?
We aspire to continue our growth throughout the U.S. and in Mexico, where we just launched our first location! We love the feedback we receive from existing and new markets about our elevated food and beverage options, making a difference in communities, and providing a fun environment to connect with friends, family, or colleagues. That is why we created the new prototype design, new brand name and logo, new POS System, the Development Incentive Program, and our focus on the investment costs and unit economics. We also have weekly calls with all Franchisees together, as well as Quarterly Franchise Webcasts and Annual Franchise Convention, and an active Franchise Advisory Council. We make an attempt to refine our focus areas to fewer things with more depth and quality vs. trying to do everything all the time.
As an established franchise, what would your advice be to up-and-coming entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the franchise industry?
Research all of the opportunities out there. Take a look at the relationship between the franchisor and franchisees. Do your due diligence and review the Franchise Disclosure Documents and related details. Know your investment preferences and limits and, likely most importantly for the soul, follow your passion! Don’t just look for a business for economic reasons. Do something that you are passionate about that provides fulfillment, that is fun, and that can provide future success opportunities.
