East Coast Wings + Grill Grows in Strength as Franchisees Reinvest

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — East Coast Wings + Grill (ECW+G) experienced robust growth in 2018 as existing franchisees upgraded their restaurant design and purchased additional territories. In addition, the rising full-service restaurant franchise – known for its wing flavor combinations and family-friendly menu – continues to attract interest from new franchisees ready to invest in the re-engineered, redesigned ECW+G’s long-term vision and proven model.

Current East Coast Wings + Grill locations that revealed the new industrial look this year include Statesville, Kernersville, Mt. Airy and the Winston-Salem location on Country Club Road. Loyal fans of those restaurants embraced the contemporary new look, including painted wall slogans, refreshing color scheme and communal tables designed for family and larger group gatherings.

The brand is also seeing great success with the multi-unit operator model. Out of six new openings last year, the majority were either a franchisee’s second location, or the first of a multi-unit deal. By year’s end, ECW+G will have 45 units proudly serving communities throughout the United States. East Coast Wings + Grill continues to reign as North Carolina’s favorite place for wings and quality food, with three additional restaurants in the company’s home state.

“We are fixated on two things: the dining experience and the success of our franchisees,” said ECW+G President and CEO Sam Ballas, who is a newly elected IFA board member. “We expand in a market only when we have data to support the brand’s sustainability there. Our laser-focus on creating and maintaining healthy unit economics clearly works – our numbers as a whole surpass those of brands twice our size.”

ECW+G strategically selects key markets best suited for the multi-unit model. The brand has always had notable success in populated metropolitan areas and is now gaining traction in smaller communities as well. The untapped potential in these areas, paired with ECW+G’s site selection process built on data-driven psychographics, saves franchisees time and money, as everything is done with tact and built to measure potential profitability.

Beyond site selection, ECW+G provides support for grand openings and ongoing training and operations. A key element of the brand’s ongoing support is an annual business review/gap analysis. All ECW+G franchisees are well-versed and backed with support to deliver on marketing, financials, net promoter score, rewards programs, online ordering and more.

ECW+G continues to seek franchisees to expand the brand throughout North Carolina, Philadelphia, Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina. ECW+G franchisees come from a variety of occupations, and while majority have restaurant experience, the proven numbers are grabbing the attention of more multi-concept franchise owners with strong business acumen seeking to expand their portfolios.

About East Coast Wings + Grill

North Carolina based East Coast Wings + Grill is a fast-growing, casual, family-dining franchise that puts the spotlight on buffalo wings. The carefully selected menu has a variety of options to satisfy every family member’s taste buds. With more than 60 locations nationwide currently operating or in various stages of development, the burgeoning franchise recently secured itself a top spot on Restaurant Business Magazine’s “Future 50” list of fastest-growing U.S. mid-size restaurant chains for the second consecutive year. Entrepreneur magazine also named East Coast Wings + Grill one of the nation’s top franchise investments and Franchise Times magazine ranked the company No. 383 on its “Top 200+” list of top revenue-producing U.S. franchises. The concept has also been recognized by The Franchise Grade and Franchise Business Review for transparency during the franchise sales process, franchisee support and overall franchisee satisfaction.

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