Wing It On! has announced a new signed agreement with local entrepreneur, Jayesh Patel, to bring a new location to Mount Dora, Florida.
Building on the momentum of the brand’s entrance into Florida last year with two planned locations in Orlando, the newly signed agreement represents a part of the brand’s larger growth strategy to lock in 25 to 30 additional units by the end of year in target markets throughout Florida and other regions across the country.
“For my next business venture, I knew I wanted to get into the restaurant industry, specifically in the chicken category. I did my due diligence by researching a number of different brands to franchise with, and Wing It On! really stood out from the rest,” says Patel, who previously owned three gas stations throughout the Mount Dora area. “The decision to go with the brand was a no-brainer. For one, the financials were very appealing, and you can’t beat a delicious menu and support from a passionate corporate team. Mount Dora community will greatly enjoy and benefit from this quality chicken joint.”
Wing It On! has earned a loyal fan following redefining the standards for fresh and crispy wings. With a simplified, innovative menu, fans of the brand have favored the true Buffalo-quality wing cooked and sauced or seasoned to perfection. In addition to its famous wings and tenders, Wing It On! also serves a full-line up of hand-crafted crispy chicken sandwiches, sides and irresistible customizable seasoned fries.
The brand has certified its position as a leader in the wing category as the official sponsor of the U.S. Chicken Wing Eating Championship held Labor Day Weekend in the chicken wing capital of the world, Buffalo, New York. Contestants, which included the likes of Miki Sudo and Joey Chestnut, are challenged to eat as many wings tossed in the brand’s authentic Medium Buffalo sauce in 12 minutes while also wearing Wing It On! branded t-shirts.
“Central Florida is a key area for our franchise growth, and entering the Mount Dora market with a business owner as familiar with the area as Jayesh is a great next step for us,” says Matt Ensero, founder and CEO of Wing It On!. “I look forward to expanding our one-of-a-kind chicken concept’s presence in the Sunshine State.”
Creating an exceptional wing experience goes back to the early 2000s when Ensero, and his friends would argue amongst themselves every football Sunday about who was driving 30-plus minutes to pick up wings from some of their favorite spots in surrounding towns. However, the distance and Styrofoam take out boxes would always result in soggy and cold wings once they got home. Ensero had enough, hence, Wing It On! was born. He opened the first Wing It On! in his hometown Waterbury, Connecticut, serving only the crispiest of wings that all true wing nuts crave.
The attractiveness of the franchise model is only enhanced with its flexible design footprint. Takeout and delivery drive nearly 90 percent of store revenues, meaning overhead is kept low with just a small portion of the restaurant reserved for dine-in. Locations can range from less than 1,000 square feet up to 1,700 square feet, with the “sweet spot” being 1,200-1,500 square foot stores.
Offering a built-in digital experience that franchisees can leverage for online ordering, a mobile app and third-party delivery integration software, the Wing It On! digital operating model fosters a low initial investment and higher sales per square foot. Wing It On! also offers a food truck franchise option to drive additional revenues.
As the brand continues to expand into key markets, Wing It On! is actively seeking qualified single-unit and multi-unit owners looking to invest with an emerging brand in the fast-growing chicken segment that keeps operations simple. Ideal franchisees should have business or operations experience and a passion for the restaurant industry – if you’re a wing nut, even better. Franchisees must have a minimum net worth of $400,000 and meet the minimum liquid assets requirement of $100,000.
