Wingstop Achieves Major Milestone by Opening Its 3,000th Restaurant Worldwide
Wingstop, the popular chicken wing restaurant chain, has recently celebrated a remarkable achievement by announcing the opening of its 3,000th location worldwide. This landmark event comes as the company accelerates its growth strategy, aiming to secure its position among the top 10 global restaurant brands, with plans to exceed 10,000 restaurants in the future.
This milestone is particularly impressive given that Wingstop has reached this point in record time, having opened nearly 800 new restaurants and expanding its global presence by an impressive 50% in just two years. During this accelerated growth phase, the brand successfully ventured into six exciting new markets: Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands. Currently, Wingstop operates across 47 states in the U.S. and 15 countries globally and is set to further grow its footprint by entering Thailand, Italy, and Ireland.
Wingstop's President and CEO, Michael Skipworth, expressed enthusiasm about reaching this milestone, stating, "With a record pipeline of sold restaurant commitments, Wingstop shows no sign of slowing down. We've scaled from 2,000 to 3,000 restaurants in just over two years, with proven runway in our domestic and international businesses. This milestone demonstrates the strength of our brand and the global craving for Wingstop's bold flavor."
The continuous momentum in development can be attributed to the company's industry-leading cash-on-cash returns and strong interest from existing franchisees—a clear indication of the brand's appeal and operational efficiency. In just the last quarter, more than 70 franchise partners have committed to expanding their Wingstop presence.
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop Inc. operates and franchises over 3,000 restaurants worldwide, with a staggering 98% of these locations owned by enthusiastic brand partners. Eager to serve the world with unparalleled flavor, Wingstop has gained recognition for its hand-sauced and tossed wings, chicken sandwiches, and tenders, offered in an enticing selection of 12 bold, distinct flavors, along with signature sides and homemade ranch and bleu cheese dips.
With a staggering system-wide sales figure of approximately $5 billion in fiscal 2024 and 21 consecutive years of same-store sales growth, Wingstop is clearly on a trajectory of success. Recently, the brand also celebrated a new milestone by being named the Official Chicken Partner of the NBA. For those looking to indulge in Wingstop's enticing flavors, more information can be found at their website, wingstop.com, or through their engaging social media channels on platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.