Fresh off a record-breaking year, Wingstop announced plans to significantly expand its presence in the Northeast by opening at least 25 new restaurants in the New Jersey area over the next five years.
The expansion will be accomplished through franchising, and Wingstop officials are actively seeking existing multiunit restaurant franchisees looking to add a new concept to their portfolio. One-on-one meetings are being scheduled with franchise prospects for March 19 and 20 at the Hilton East Brunswick in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
The announcement comes after a strong 2013 in which Wingstop opened a record-breaking 74 new restaurants and signed 182 domestic development agreements, bringing the total number of opened restaurants to more than 600 in 32 states, Mexico, Russia, and Singapore with commitments for more than 500 additional new restaurants. The international chain is on target to reach its goal of 1,000 locations worldwide in the next few years, and New Jersey has been identified as a priority market for growth in 2014.
"We believe that New Jersey has the potential to very quickly become one of our most successful markets," says Wingstop chief development officer Dave Vernon. "There is no doubt that the market loves chicken wings and we are convinced that our one-of-a-kind flavors will become the favorite of wing fans across the state."
