1851 on the Road: Buffalo Wings & Rings CEO Explains Why the Brand Invests in Corporate Locations Alongside its Franchisees

This past June, Buffalo Wings & Rings gathered its team of corporate staff members and franchisees in Clearwater, Florida for its annual conference. The event gave attendees a comprehensive look at what’s on deck for the Buffalo Wings & Rings brand—not only did the conference highlight successes that occurred over past year, but it also touched on ways to continue moving the brand forward in the months and years ahead.

One strategy that stands out is Buffalo Wings & Rings’ commitment to growing as a corporate team in addition to its franchise locations. While the brand is primarily in the franchising business, it also makes it a priority to invest alongside its franchisees with corporate restaurants.

Masadeh notes that this approach is beneficial to franchisees. Operating corporate stores allows the corporate team to be fully aware of what its franchisees are being asked to do throughout the business ownership process, including everything from negotiating a lease to rolling out new menu items. And Buffalo Wings & Rings uses its stores to test out new systems and processes, ultimately ensuring that franchisees are set up for success.

• It gives us an opportunity to train some of the new franchisees in our own corporate stores, also test new menus, test new systems and new equipment.
• We’re going to do it alongside our franchise system.
• We test in our own dock, and then we launch it to our franchisees.

He continued, “We only want to give [our franchisees] success stories: a product that’s actually working, equipment that’s actually working and has been proven in our own stores first.”