Buffalo Wings & Rings is continuing its expansion in the Middle East with the opening of its 9th location in Jordan. The family-friendly, sports-dining restaurant also opened the first of 12 planned locations in Saudi Arabia and signed its first area development agreement for Kuwait. Spearheading the expansion of the brand overseas is Haytham David, president and CEO of Buffalo Wings & Rings International.
“The inviting atmosphere and delicious food available at Buffalo Wings & Rings has led to impressive response from families in the Middle East,” David says. “We will continue to build on positive word-of-mouth recognition and ultimately intend to expand further throughout the Middle East and in other countries around the globe.”
David first joined Buffalo Wings & Rings in 1995 as a franchisee in Cincinnati and later bought the brand’s original Cincinnati location. Ten years later, David formed a partnership with current Buffalo Wings & Rings CEO, Nader Masadeh, and Buffalo Wings & Rings executive vice president of franchise development, Philip Schram, purchasing the brand in February of 2005. In May of 2009, David and his family relocated to Jordan to oversee the brand’s launch onto the international scene. Today, Buffalo Wings & Rings has restaurants in Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, with plans to continue expanding their international footprint.
“With the surge in growth we have been able to accomplish in the United States and abroad, it is clear that the Buffalo Wings & Rings brand appeals to a global audience,” David says.
Buffalo Rings & Rings’ newest opening in Khilda, Jordan, is operated by corporate, but is 60-percent owned by the Jerasat family. As the 9th restaurant in Jordan, the brand already has established a strong foothold in the country, with other restaurants located in Jordan’s capital, Amman, and the Dead Sea.
“Jordan has been an incredible market for growth for Buffalo Wings & Rings, and we are looking forward to seeing similar success in Saudi Arabia, and very soon, Kuwait,” David says.
The brand’s first restaurant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is owned and operated by Mohammad Radwan, who is a partner of Ajwad Al Ateama LLC, the company that has development rights for Jeddah. Radwan owns four other local restaurants and this is his first time franchising.
Buffalo Wings & Rings’ newest franchisee in Kuwait, Yousef Omer EL-Fittiani, plans to open the first of five units in the country before year-end.
Founded in 1984, Buffalo Wings & Rings operates 45 restaurants in the U.S. and 12 locations abroad, and has grown consistently and steadily. Since rebranding itself and levitating away from the concept of being a simple wings-and-rings restaurant, the franchise has evolved beyond its core items to appeal to an ever-growing customer base.
