Wingstop to add 20 Mexico restaurants

Fast-food chain Wingstop is expanding internationally with plans to add 20 stores in Mexico over the course of the next three years. The company already has 600 locations operating or under development.

The Richardson-based chicken wings retailer just signed a development deal with franchisee WIS de Mexico S.A. de C.V. to open and operate additional stores.

The owners behind the franchise already have six Wingstop restaurants in Mexico City as part of a 10-store franchise agreement that was completed in 2010.

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Wingstop launches franchise incentive program

As part of its aggressive expansion campaign, Wingstop has announced a franchise incentive program designed to help new and existing franchises open more restaurants nationwide.
The program is the first of its kind being offered by the chain to attract more multi-unit owners.
"With the launch of this program we are taking the most aggressive approach in our company's 16-year history," said David Vernon, vice president of franchise sales for Wingstop. "The Wingstop concept was built on a simple operating platform that appeals to multi-unit investors and entrepreneurs who want to own their own business. We are offering this program for a limited time to accelerate our growth into both existing and new markets."

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GE Capital, Franchise Finance Co-Leads $36MM Funding for Roark Capital Acquisition of Wingstop Restaurants

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Capital, Franchise Finance recently co-led the funding of a $36 million debt facility for the acquisition of Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. by an affiliate of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm specializing in franchising. Funding was provided through GE Capital, Franchise Finance's bank affiliate, GE Capital Financial, Inc.

“Being the incumbent lender to Wingstop and also having completed multiple deals with Roark, we have a strong relationship with both parties that made this an easy process,” says Robert Daniel, senior vice president at GE Capital, Franchise Finance.

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Roark Capital Group acquires Wingstop

RICHARDSON, Texas (April 12, 2010) Wingstop Restaurants Inc., the parent to the 440-unit chicken-wing chain, has been acquired by an affiliate of private-equity firm Roark Capital Group, the companies said Monday.

The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, was announced at Wingstop's franchisee convention in Las Vegas. Roark Capital, which is based in Atlanta and specializes in franchised concepts, has a portfolio that includes such restaurant brands as Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky’s.

The acquisition buys out Gemini Investors LLC of Wellesley, Mass., and another private investor who had bought a controlling stake in Wingstop in 2003 and owned about 64 percent of the company.

James Flynn, Wingstop’s chief executive, told NRN that Roark’s expertise in franchising should help Wingstop ratchet up its growth.

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Wingstop Continues Growth Trend

Spring has just begun, but Wingstop is already flying high in 2010. Thanks in part to strong sales on Super Bowl Sunday – the chain's busiest day of the year – Wingstop has continued its winning streak, reaching its 27th consecutive quarter of positive comparable store sales.


The company has announced same store sales for the first quarter of 2010 are up 2.6 percent over the previous quarter. The news comes on the heels of Wingstop's impressive #5 ranking on the annual Technomic, Inc. Ten Fastest-Growing Chains with sales over $200 million.

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Wingstop Reaches 25 Consecutive Quarters of Positive Comp Sales

DALLAS – Wingstop, the nation’s fastest-growing chicken wing chain, has announced positive comparable store sales for the 25th consecutive quarter, dating back to July 2003.

Wingstop ended the most recent quarter with a 1.6 percent increase and is up 3.8 percent for the year. The company predicts the positive trend to continue into the fourth quarter, when sales are typically the strongest due to the popularity of wings during the football and holiday seasons.

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