Wing Zone Signs With Multi-Unit Franchisee in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The Patel family, founders of Southeastern favorite Susie Q’s Foods, is expanding outside the food and fuel business and into the chicken wing segment. Dave Patel, along with three other partners — all of whom are part of the family — recently signed on to open a Wing Zone in North Myrtle Beach.

“Prior to going into franchising, I worked in IT for a couple school districts,” said Patel. “After my time in Memphis, my family and I moved to California and I joined a school district in Orange County. While we were living in California, we had extended family reach out to us and suggest that we move to the East Coast and join the family business — Susie Q’s Foods. Our extended family owned 80 Susie Q’s Foods convenience stores and gas stations across the Southeast. We moved to North Myrtle Beach in 2015 and joined the family business by operating the Susie Q’s in the area.”

Last year, when Dave Patel started looking to fill a building vacated by a previous restaurant, he wanted a business that would provide a new and exciting menu option for the North Myrtle community and cater to the booming tourism industry.

Franchise choice

“With tourism being the lifeline of business in this area, we wanted to find something that the locals and tourists would both enjoy,” said Patel. “Myrtle Beach didn’t need another pizza place or sandwich shop. After careful research, we found Wing Zone.”

Since its founding in 1993, Wing Zone has set itself apart in the fast casual segment by developing a strong consumer value proposition, menu and delivery innovations and more.

While the Patels considered several restaurant and fast food concepts in the North Myrtle community, Wing Zone was uniquely positioned to thrive. “I know the struggle my family and neighborhood go through when it comes to deciding what to get for lunch or dinner,” said Patel. “We wanted to provide another option for the community to choose from when deciding where to order takeout, and Wing Zone offered a diverse menu that catered to the taste buds of visitors and residents alike. We love that Wing Zone focuses on delivery and their systems and technology are rock solid”

Business model appeal

In addition, the Patels were drawn to franchising because of the ability to leverage a proven business model, brand recognition and the backing of a larger company. The Wing Zone team offered a hands-on approach to support and the expertise of an established brand.

“A small business you start yourself isn’t a business that will get the recognition it needs immediately — especially in a tourist town,” said Patel. “When tourists are on vacation, they often look for a familiar name. People need to be able to trust a place that gives a level of comfort. Wing Zone offered that brand recognition.”

Looking forward, Patel notes that the family has no plans to slow down after opening their first location. “We hope to open 50 Wing Zone locations down the line,” said Patel. “I want this to be a successful business that people come to for great customer service and food. At the end of the day, we don’t ever want to stop growing, and I want to be able to carry the Wing Zone name and expand it even further than Myrtle Beach.”

Growth plans

As Hair Parra, COO & Head of Franchise Development for Wing Zone, points out, the brand shares this desire to continue growth throughout South Carolina. “We are very excited to welcome the Patels into our system and partner with them to support growth throughout the Myrtle Beach area and beyond,” he said.

While the restaurant industry has been struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wing Zone has continued to appeal to franchisees — and for good reason. QSR Magazine recently ranked Wing Zone among the “Top 11 Restaurants Positioned to Endure the COVID Pandemic.” Domestic restaurant sales at booming at Wing Zone, up 37% since March 2020.

“As the country slowly starts to emerge, Wing Zone is prioritizing franchise development in order to continue this impressive trajectory,” said Wing Zone CEO Matt Friedman. “We are excited to partner with passionate franchisees like the Patels that follow our core values. It’s all about finding the right franchisee in the right market and doing everything we can to help them be successful.”

The overall investment for a Wing Zone franchise is around $250,000 with a $25,000 franchise fee. Prospective franchisees can get into a proven franchise model for as little as $75,000 down. With average restaurant sales of $900,000+, the ratio of sales to investment leaves Wing Zone franchisees as satisfied as their Flavorholic™ consumers. For more information, please visit ***