Overview
In 1981 a couple guys in Kent, Ohio had a craving for some authentic New York-style Buffalo wings. Instead of road tripping to New York, they decided to open their own joint. Hence the beginning of Buffalo Wild Wings® Grill & Bar. The no-holds-barred grill and bar with affordable, top-quality food, including our award-winning chicken wings. Today, our concept has expanded beyond just a NY-style wing joint. We have big-screen TVs, onscreen Buzztime® Trivia and a menu full of great food.
Today we have over 450 company-owned and franchised Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar restaurants in 37 states. A modified wait-style service allows us to offer affordable, made-to-order food with a focus on Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings. Our food can be enjoyed in the restaurant or at home through takeout. The franchise is designed to generate revenue from additional sources as well, including full bar service (subject to local ordinances), designed to appeal to thirsty customers and your bottom line.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar concept is the result of research and careful evaluation, creative planning and years of experience. Our stores have evolved since 1982 in response to customer preferences, but three core objectives have remained unchanged: quality food, value pricing and an entertaining atmosphere.
Today we have over 450 company-owned and franchised Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar restaurants in 37 states. A modified wait-style service allows us to offer affordable, made-to-order food with a focus on Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings. Our food can be enjoyed in the restaurant or at home through takeout. The franchise is designed to generate revenue from additional sources as well, including full bar service (subject to local ordinances), designed to appeal to thirsty customers and your bottom line.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar concept is the result of research and careful evaluation, creative planning and years of experience. Our stores have evolved since 1982 in response to customer preferences, but three core objectives have remained unchanged: quality food, value pricing and an entertaining atmosphere.
Products & Services
Thank you for visiting the Buffalo Wild Wings® franchise site. We value our relationship with our franchisees and the strong network we have built together.
Buffalo Wild Wings is a chain of sports-themed restaurants offering food, sports and Buzztime® Trivia Network games in a casual, family-friendly environment. We are expanding our system in two ways: with Area Development Agreements and exclusive Development Territories. Area Development Agreements are for franchisees who want to open and operate a minimum of two restaurants under an Area Development contract. Development Territories are unique, exclusive development opportunities for existing casual dining, multi-unit restaurant owners/operators.
Single-unit franchises are only available to our existing franchisees.
Expansion is focused in specific markets. For these available markets we are seeking qualified, motivated franchise candidates.
Buffalo Wild Wings is a chain of sports-themed restaurants offering food, sports and Buzztime® Trivia Network games in a casual, family-friendly environment. We are expanding our system in two ways: with Area Development Agreements and exclusive Development Territories. Area Development Agreements are for franchisees who want to open and operate a minimum of two restaurants under an Area Development contract. Development Territories are unique, exclusive development opportunities for existing casual dining, multi-unit restaurant owners/operators.
Single-unit franchises are only available to our existing franchisees.
Expansion is focused in specific markets. For these available markets we are seeking qualified, motivated franchise candidates.
Training & Support
All new Buffalo Wild Wings franchisees receive the support and training required to open their restaurants quickly and efficiently, including:
Once your Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant is open, you'll have the continuing guidance, consultation and support of our BWW Franchise Regional Manager staff. So help or advice is only a phone call away. Ongoing support services include:
Our start-up and ongoing training programs will instruct you and your staff in many aspects of running a Buffalo Wild Wings franchise, including:
- Site selection assistance and guidance, including field visits
- Detailed restaurant designs and layouts
- Professional layout, blueprint, design, and construction document review and analysis
- Complete equipment lists and specifications
- Pre-approved suppliers
- Guidance in securing a liquor license
- Grand opening promotions assistance and on-site opening assistance
- Operational and management tools
- Comprehensive pre-opening assistance and restaurant opening training package
Once your Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant is open, you'll have the continuing guidance, consultation and support of our BWW Franchise Regional Manager staff. So help or advice is only a phone call away. Ongoing support services include:
- Confidential operations manual documenting Buffalo Wild Wings operational procedures
- Ongoing marketing-manual guidance
- Ongoing operational, marketing, and financial-control consultation as needed
- National purchasing programs
- Scheduled visits from your Regional Manager
- Available in-service training and/or retraining of your restaurant staff
Our start-up and ongoing training programs will instruct you and your staff in many aspects of running a Buffalo Wild Wings franchise, including:
- Preparation of all Buffalo Wild Wings menu items
- Quality and food portion control
- Effective food service operations
- Beverage and inventory management
- Hiring and personnel management
- Marketing, promotions, and public relations
- Management tools, systems, and routines
- Wing Certified Trainer program
- Cleanliness, organization, and sanitation standards
- Execution of opening and closing management functions
Are You a Good Fit for Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar?
As with any expanding franchise system, we have thousands of people interested in buying a franchise. To measure a candidate's qualifications, we have established both net worth and liquid asset requirements. These requirements are per unit to be opened. The required liquid assets are a minimum of $300,000 per store and a net worth per store of $900,000. The minimum Area Development requirement per new franchisee is two stores. Therefore the minimum unencumbered liquid assets required are $600,000 and net worth of $1,800,000. We also require that no more than 80% of the start-up costs be leveraged; 20% of any single store's start-up costs must be in liquid assets.
Real Estate and Site Criteria
Location
Each franchise restaurant location must at all times have a full-time, qualified, experienced General Manager, whom we must approve in advance. The GM must have direct experience in unit-level management in the casual dining environment. The GM's responsibility is that of a senior executive with multi-unit restaurant management experience. If you do not personally have this background and experience, you will be required to have what we call an "Operating Partner." Your Operating Partner will be responsible for operations of your franchised restaurant network. We sometimes have access to qualified individuals whom you may contact about being your Operating Partner. It is your responsibility to secure an Operating Partner if you do not have the substantive experience required.
Real Estate and Site Criteria
Location
- Freestanding pad-site locations, on hard corner
- End caps
- 4,000 - 7,000 sq. ft., 120 parking places
- Excellent signage and visibility
- Excellent site ingress and egress with traffic signal
- Seven-day-per-week liquor sales
- Minimum 25,000 population, 80% or greater between the ages of 20 and 50 within the trade area, $30,000 or greater median household income within the trade area
- Minimum daytime/lunch population of 5,000
- Lifestyle or power centers with "big box" anchors; "Old Navy, Petsmart, Kohl's, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc."
- National casual dining brands in a contiguous restaurant corridor
- Super Wal-Mart, Super Target
- Regional, super-regional malls
- Colleges, universities
- Healthcare corridors
- Movie Theaters (Stadium Seating)
- Minimum daily traffic count in front of site - 25,000
- Minimum daily traffic count on adjacent side street - 10,000
- P.M. traffic side, far side of light
Each franchise restaurant location must at all times have a full-time, qualified, experienced General Manager, whom we must approve in advance. The GM must have direct experience in unit-level management in the casual dining environment. The GM's responsibility is that of a senior executive with multi-unit restaurant management experience. If you do not personally have this background and experience, you will be required to have what we call an "Operating Partner." Your Operating Partner will be responsible for operations of your franchised restaurant network. We sometimes have access to qualified individuals whom you may contact about being your Operating Partner. It is your responsibility to secure an Operating Partner if you do not have the substantive experience required.
