Wing It On! Posts 23% Off-Prem Sales Increase
Wing It On! is reporting record growth in takeout, mobile and third-party delivery sales for the weeks following the COVID-19 social distancing orders.
System-wide sales have increased 23% for the period of March 14 – April 17, compared to the previous year. Corporate store sales have increased nearly 50% month-to-date for April. The original corporate location in Waterbury, Conn., also rang the highest ever weekly sales between April 13th-19th at nearly $25,000 out of their small 785 sq. ft storefront.
“Fans are definitely adapting their behavior when it comes to dining out,” says Matt Ensero, CEO of WIO Franchising, Inc. “We expect them to be a lot pickier in deciding which restaurants to patronize. They are searching for the brands that meet their new requirements moving forward. Our easy to use digital experience, simplified menu, authentic flavors and dedication to cleanliness/food safety are the things fans are looking for.”
For at least the remainder of this year, the team at Wing It On believes the focus will remain on the QSR brands providing the best takeout, mobile order, curbside pickup and delivery experience.
"Our mobile ordering and third-party delivery integrations make it amazingly easy for our fans to get their wing fix with less human interaction and with built-in features like contactless payment and delivery," said Ensero. "We’ve been developing these operational standards for the past two years. At this point, it is how we do business and, luckily, it has enabled us to reach new heights despite the volatile economy. We’re excited about the growth prospects for our existing franchisees and new stores in the post-COVID world.”
COVID-19 Response
The WIO team moved quickly to increase health and safety measures in-store, including installing plexiglass splash guards at all counters and requiring staff members to wear masks from very early on in the pandemic. Offering curbside pick-up, and other mobile order incentives has also helped ease consumer fear. Currently, all Wing It On! locations are in the process of adopting the use of custom tamper-proof stickers for third-party delivery orders.