Wingstop has announced that comparable store sales for 2009 are up 3.8 percent over the previous year and have remained positive for the 26th consecutive quarter. The national chicken wing chain also ended the fourth quarter of 2009 at a 3.8 percent increase, and total annual system sales reached $306.7 million, a 20 percent increase over 2008.

In addition to strong sales, Wingstop also completed a banner year for franchise expansion and new store openings. In 2009 the company opened 45 new stores, including the first international restaurant in Mexico City. Wingstop also opened multiple locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It opened its first restaurants in Philadelphia and Madison, Wisconsin, it entered the state of Washington, and it signed its first development agreement for two stores in New York.

Wingstop president and CEO James A. Flynn credits the company’s franchise network, emphasis on carryout service, and aggressive expansion program for the successful year.

“Wingstop has been able to maintain a strong foothold in the restaurant industry because we focus on two things: carryout service and serving quality chicken wings the core menu item,” Flynn says. “Despite the down economy, we are continuing to grow and expand into new markets and countries at a steady pace.”

At the close of 2009 there were 435 Wingstop restaurants open across the country with another 69 stores expected to open in 2010. Wingstop is currently targeting the Northeast and Midwest for expansion and hosting a series of franchise opportunity events beginning in Washington, D.C., and Chicago.