1000th Restaurant Owned and Operated by Wingstop Franchisee and Music Mogul Rick Ross
Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. Donates $5,000 from Opening Day Proceeds to Hands on Atlanta
DALLAS, Jan. 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wingstop, Inc. (NASDAQ:WING), the award-winning wing concept, is today celebrating its rapid global growth with a major milestone: its 1,000th restaurant is officially open for business in the Atlanta market. On January 26th at 10:00 a.m., the grand opening will kick off at 4920 Flat Shoals Parkway, Ste. 102 in Decatur, GA with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Wingstop CEO Charlie Morrison, Boss Wings franchisees Tawanda and Tommie Roberts and Rick Ross, who own the 1,000th location, and local dignitaries including Congressman Hank Johnson, City Councilman Kwanza Hall, DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, and DeKalb Chamber president and CEO Katerina Taylor. Representatives from local nonprofit Hands on Atlanta will also be in attendance to accept a $5,000 donation from Wingstop Restaurants, Inc., in honor of the grand opening. The restaurant will officially open to the public at 11:00 a.m.
“Today is a very significant day for Wingstop, and the culmination of our entire team’s dedication to building this global brand. I want to thank our incredible franchise partners, hard-working team members, and all those who have contributed to this milestone achievement,” said Charlie Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Wingstop. “Whether it’s our first store or our 1,000th, we remain focused on what we do best – providing our fans with fresh, cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed wings, fries and sides. We’re the wing experts, and today is another important step forward in our mission to serve the world flavor.”
Wingstop’s 1,000th store opening is indicative of the Company’s overall business growth strategy and success. Additional corporate attributes and achievements include:
- Global Footprint: Wingstop currently operates in 40 U.S. states as well as Mexico, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and United Arab Emirates.
- International Development: Recently announced international development deals include 100 locations in Saudi Arabia over the next ten years and 30 locations across Colombia and Panama over the next five years.
- U.S. Expansion: The Company sees opportunity for a total of 2,500 locations across the U.S.
- Extraordinary Results: 2016 marked Wingstop’s 13th consecutive year of positive same-store sales growth.
- Guest Profile: Nearly half of Wingstop guests are millennials (49 percent); and 53 percent of customers are women.
- Digitally Focused: By close of fiscal 2016 Q3, digital sales accounted for 19 percent of total sales. Further, digital orders average $4 higher ticket than in-restaurant orders.
- Socially Engaged: Wingstop was the first restaurant to successfully launch dynamic social ordering on Facebook Messenger and Twitter (June, 2016); and was the first to launch voice activated ordering with menu item customization on Amazon Alexa (January 2017). The Company was recently acknowledged as the most beloved fast casual restaurant brand on social media by NetBase.
- National Reach: The Company’s first ever national TV advertising campaign is slated for launch in February, 2017.
- Giving Back: The Company recently launched the Wingstop Foundation, focused on providing educational opportunities for guests and team members in communities that have embraced the Wingstop brand.
“This is an incredibly exciting day for the entire Wingstop team, and we are proud to be sharing this achievement with the Greater Atlanta community,” continued Flynn Dekker, Chief Marketing Officer of Wingstop. “As part of our commitment to supporting educational opportunities in communities that have embraced Wingstop, we are proud to join Boss Wings in celebrating this milestone with a $5,000 donation to Hands on Atlanta.”
About Wingstop:
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) operates and franchises 1,000 restaurants across the United States, Mexico, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Wing Experts’ menu features classic and boneless wings with 11 bold, distinctive flavors including Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory Smoked BBQ, Louisiana Rub and Mango Habanero. Wingstop’s wings are always cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed and served with a variety of house-made sides including hand-cut, seasoned fries. Having grown its domestic same store sales for 13 consecutive years, the Company has been ranked #3 on the “Top 100 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains” by Nation’s Restaurant News (2016), #7 on the “Top 40 Fast Casual Chains” by Restaurant Business (2016), and was named “Best Franchise Deal in North America” by QSR magazine (2014). Wingstop has been designated a certified Great Place to Work® (2016), and was ranked #88 on Fortune’s 100 Best Medium Workplaces list in October 2016. For more information visit www.wingstop.com or www.wingstopfranchise.com. Follow us on facebook.com/Wingstop and Twitter @Wingstop.
About Hands on Atlanta:
Hands on Atlanta helps individuals, families, corporate and community groups strengthen Greater Atlanta through service at more than 400 nonprofit organizations and schools. Hands On Atlanta volunteers are at work every day of the year tutoring and mentoring children, helping individuals and families make pathways out of poverty, improving Atlanta’s environment, and more. Hands On Atlanta is an affiliate of the HandsOn Network, an association of 250 volunteer service organizations across 16 countries.