Executive round table: Fast casual segment leaders make their 2015 predictions

Wing Zone were recently featured in an article on FastCasual.com titled, "Executive round table: Fast casual segment leaders make their 2015 predictions". Wing Zone's CEO Matt Friedman is featured throughout the piece touching on topics such as culinary trends in 2014, 2015 menu predictions, mobile and technology, social media, customer experience, and catering and staffing. Click here to read the entire article or begin below.

"Executive round table: Fast casual segment leaders make their 2015 predictions"
By Alicia Kelso

We've presented the top trends in 2014 and the biggest predictions for 2015 from the perspective of chefs, market research firms, journalists and more. Now, we're asking those who are deep in the trenches - the ones who actually run the businesses that make up the vast restaurant industry - for their insights.

The top menu and non-menu stories from 2014 and the biggest expectations for 2015, according to fast casual executives include:

Culinary trends from 2014

When it comes to the top menu stories of the year, fast casual executives point to transparency, health, quality, variety and spice.

Click here to read the entire article.

A turning point for POS

Wing Zone were recently featured in an article in Restaurant Business Magazine titled, "A turning point for POS." The story featured Wing Zone's Adam Scott discussing about how Wing Zone is going through the process of upgrading its POS system, and what advances and upgrades Wing Zone are reviewing. Click here to read the entire article or begin below.

"A turning point for POS"

By Sara Rush

Apply Pay. Tap-and-Go. Paypal. EMV. In the ever-evolving world of payment, restaurants are being forced to reevaluate their POS systems and potentially spend large sums to upgrade with the times. While mobile pay gets a lot of press, the real driver behind the need to modernize is the October 2015 deadline to integrate chip-and-pin credit-card readers, in advance of an impending shift in fraud liability from card issuers to retailers and restaurants.

That's not to say that contactless payments aren't important. Operators admit, while the number of customers using e-wallets is low, it's still a consideration (and increasingly so) when looking at POS solutions. "You might lose business if you don't accept [a customer's] preferred payment," says Adam Scott, CFO and co-founder of Atlanta-based Wing Zone. 

Click here to read the entire article.

Bowl Season Sales Boom Spark New Promos

Wing Zone were recently featured in an article on Nation's Restaurant News titled, "Bowl season sales boom spark new promos". The article looks at college bowl season and how brands market around this. Wing Zone's Director of Marketing, Dan Corrigan talks about the promotions and LTO's that Wing Zone run during this time. Corrigan also explains why this time of year is important to them and how this time period preps the brand for NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. Click here to read the entire article or begin below.

"Bowl season sales boom spark new promos"
By FsVoice

Opinions abound as to why the sight of men grappling over a pigskin on the gridiron attracts and inspires so many. But restaurateurs know what certainty that the August arrival of football season delivers a sales bonanza made even better with the beginning of bowl season in December.

The drama brought on by such football finality makes people hungry and eager to socialize with like-minded fans, and simple afternoons in front of the TV with family morph into game day carryout and delivery feasts with friends. Others get up and go out to restaurants and bars when they join a crowd as busy cheering as chewing.

Click here to read the entire article.

Getting "Winged" Up

Wing Zone were recently featured in a segment on WDTN-TV's Living Dayton titled, "Getting 'Winged' Up". Wing Zone Franchisee, Randy Saylor was on the show to make wings with the hosts for football season and the upcoming game over the weekend. You can check out the segment here or view below.

"Getting 'Winged' Up"
By Living Dayton Staff

Making the Dean's List

Wing Zone were recently in QSR Magazine titled, "Making the Dean's List". The article focuses on how Wing Zone is expanding onto college campuses. Wing Zone CEO Matt Friedman provided great insight on the strategy behind this new kind of expansion and how the brand is positioned to roll out onto additional college campuses across the country. Click here to read the entire article.

Making the Dean's List
By Kevin Hardy

As with many nontraditional settings, college campuses have a lot of built-in advantages. There's a captive audience of busy, hungry students with disposable income. But getting a quick-service brand into the college environment isn't a sure thing. Competition is stiff, and college students are more discriminating than ever. 

.....

While its roots in the college space, the 100-unit Wing Zone just opened its first college campus location this fall with a store near the dorms at Georgia Tech. The on-campus restaurant is open from 4.p.m. to 2.a.m. daily, hours that differ from the regular stores that cater to the lunch and dinner crowd. But by focusing on the dinner and late-night crowd, Wing Zone avoids conflicts with class schedules for student employees. And the location isn't competing directly with other on-campus dining options.

Click here to read the entire article.

Starting a Restaurant? Head Back to School

Wing Zone were recently featured in an article on Web.com titled, "Starting a Restaurant? Head Back to School". The article, a new restaurant trend series on Web.com, focused on the trend of opening restaurants on college campuses to have built in business and employees. Wing Zone's CEO Matt Friedman talks about the advantages of being located on or near a college campus. You can read the article here or begin below.


"Starting a Restaurant? Head Back to School"
By Rieva Lesonsky

Thinking of starting a restaurant? College campuses are proving profitable for these three concepts.

Winging It

Millennials have changed their dining-out habits - and it's not good news for restaurant owners. According to a study by research group NPD, younger Millennials (ages 18 to 24) "made 27 fewer visits (per person) to restaurants between 2009 and 2012," though this has ticked up a bit in the last two years.

There are a few bright spots, however. The first is in the fast-casual sector, where fresh food and friendly services are attracting younger Millennials.

Another positive sign can be seen on college campuses. If you own a restaurant (or want to) you might think a campus location is the last place you'd want to be. After all, how much can students spend on food?

For Matt Friedman, the CEO of Wing Zone, who co-founded the chain in a fraternity house at the University of Florida, being located on or near a college campus is smart business. There are currently 14 "college" Wing Zones, with plans "to open at least 10 more within the next 18 months."

Wing Zones on campus (and the company's military locations) are, says Friedman, "the best performers within our system" with average ticket prices the same as non-college locations.

Click here to read the entire article.

Wing Zone to open in Bensenville

Wing Zone were recently featured in an article in "My Suburban Life" titled, "Wing Zone to open in Bensenville". The article talks about how Pankaj Patel is opening a new Wing Zone in Bensenville. The article discusses Pankaj's background, and his past experience working with both Dairy Queen and Subway systems. Click here to read the entire article or begin below.

"Wing Zone to open in Bensenville"
By Suburban Life Media

With several years of business ownership and restaurant management experience under his belt, Pankaj Patel is opening up a Wing Zone at 1047 S. York Road, according to a news release.

"The first thing that impressed me about Wing Zone was the product - I thought they really stood out because of their food," Patel said in the release. "Knowing that it was a young franchise and that it was growing quickly, I felt it would give a great return upon investment, so I decided to go through with it."

Patel completed his education in his native Gujarat, India, studying economics and finance at the State of Gujarat College and graduating in 1992. After finishing school, Patel joined his parents in their cross-continental move to Chicago.

Click here to read the entire article.