Ten years after opening its first Chicago location, Wingstop has announced plans to double the company’s presence in the area, adding more than 25 locations, including five new restaurants scheduled to open this year.

To support the expansion effort, Wingstop has formed an advertising cooperative and named Prime Time Marketing (PTM) as its agency of record for the Chicago DMA. PTM, a Chicago-based marketing and media firm, will spearhead advertising for the area franchisees, including television, online, social, and print campaigns.

“We are excited to bring fresh ideas and strategic solutions to our new partnership with Wingstop,” says Ani Johnson, director of marketing at PTM. “We look forward to building the brand in the growing Chicago market and can’t wait to get to work!”

Wingstop has 18 locations open in Chicago with another 26 in various stages of development:

• Patrick Madden, Daniel Moran, Albert Connor and Sean O’Brien have two locations open, with plans to develop four additional restaurants.
• Tom Schaffer has two locations open with three more in development.
• Shayan Halani, who at 24 years old is one of the youngest Wingstop owners in the system, opened his first restaurant last spring and plans to open one more.
• Chicagoland Wing Kings, LLC has signed an 11-store development agreement, and expects to open its first location in Chicago this fall.
• Vimal Patel recently signed a multi-store agreement to open Wingstop in Joliet and DeKalb
• Hadi Lalani has a two-store development agreement for the Chicago area.
• Rick Chaquinga has one location open and another in development.

 

“Chicago loves sports and wings,” said Schaffer, who will serve as president of the Chicago co-op and owner of two Wingstop locations. “Wingstop first opened in Chicago 10 years ago and it’s still one of the most successful locations in the system. We believe Chicago has the potential to become one of Wingstop’s strongest markets in the country.”