Wingstop Reaches 29 Consecutive Quarters of Positive Comp Store Sales

Posted on October 04, 2010 by Jessica Dees

National wing chain continues to defy odds with increased sales and store growth

RICHARDSON, Texas – Today, WingStop announced same store sales for the third quarter are up 1.9 percent over the same quarter last year and 1.7 percent for the year to date. That marks 29 consecutive quarters of positive comparable store sales – more than seven years of continued growth – for the 460-unit chicken wing chain.

At a time when many chains struggled through the recent recession, the real question is – how do they do it?

"It's simple. We do one thing, and we do it better than anyone else,\" said Jim Flynn, Wingstop CEO. \"Since the concept was created, WingStop has kept its focus on serving chicken wings that are made fresh and cooked-to-order. Though the average wait time for an order of chicken wings is 14 minutes, guests appreciate the quality, and that dedication has propelled our growth over the years.\"

WingStop opened its first location in Garland, Texas in 1994. The chain quickly spread throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and began franchising in 1997. Today more than 95 percent of the network is franchise owned and operated, with the 500th location expected to open in early 2011.

\"A large part of our success is attributed directly back to our franchise network,\" said Wes Jablonski, chief development officer for WingStop . \"From single unit owners to multi-unit developers, we select strong brand partners that are passionate about the business, and customers respond to that.\"

Now, with the beginning of football season, WingStop is hitting its busiest time of the year. The chain recently launched a new advertising campaign featuring national spokesman Troy Aikman, and a Boneless Blitz promotion, geared towards stretching dollars for watching parties and events.

\"Our menu is designed so that large groups and families can eat, per person, very reasonably,\" said Andy Howard, chief marketing officer for WingStop . \"We focus on bringing our guests value, whether they are feeding a group of four, or forty.\"