Wings & Rings Ramps Up Holiday Gift Card Sales
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, Wings & Rings is promoting its gift cards as the ideal gift.
Last year, the brand saw a 22% year-over-year increase in gift card sales and is aiming for even greater growth this holiday season. “We’ve been offering gift cards for more than 10 years,” said Wings & Rings Marketing Director Linsey Case. “We know that our guests are looking for a deal, and that $25 price point is really approachable.”
To incentivize purchases, the brand offers a $5 bonus card for every $25 in gift cards sold. This year, it will continue its Black Friday promotion, offering a $10 bonus card with a $25 gift card purchase on Nov. 29. Additionally, Wings & Rings will bring back its December bonus card event, designed to capture last-minute shoppers. “We want to surprise and delight those last-minute buyers,” Case explained.
While physical gift cards remain the most popular option, digital gift card sales are steadily increasing. “For a gift, people still prefer to give a physical card rather than a piece of paper,” Case noted. “But when we promote the program digitally—through social media, email, SMS, or paid ads—customers can easily click a button to buy online. That convenience is key.”
Building Loyalty
Wings & Rings takes a multi-faceted approach to fostering guest loyalty. Guests who aren’t already loyalty members are encouraged to sign up during online checkout or through the restaurant's self-pay feature.
New loyalty members receive a free starter as a sign-up incentive, while server contests and referral programs help drive enrollments. “Servers have their own referral codes and earn points when a guest signs up and makes their first purchase,” Case said.
Under the Social Media Influence
For the past five years, Wings & Rings has collaborated with social media influencers, primarily to promote its limited-time offers (LTOs) on Instagram. “We have a network of influencers across the country and are constantly looking for new ones, like adventurous foodies,” Case said.
Looking ahead, the brand plans to broaden its influencer strategy. “In 2025, we want to work with influencers who can speak to a wider range of topics,” she said. This includes family influencers who can highlight loyalty programs, value deals, and the convenience of online ordering.
Wings & Rings also aims to expand its presence on TikTok. “We want to lean into TikTok influencers to help tell our story, probably in a more credible way than we could on our own,” Case explained.
Data-Driven Strategy
Insights from a recent guest segmentation study are shaping Wings & Rings’ influencer and marketing strategies. “We identified three core consumer profiles,” Case said. “For example, one group isn’t interested in LTOs—they just love the wings and variety of sauces. We want to ensure our content resonates with each of these groups.”
The brand’s in-house data analyst will integrate these profiles into its database to track consumer behavior throughout the year. “We’ll regularly review snapshots to see if these groups are growing, shrinking, or shifting,” Case added. “It’s something we’ll continue to monitor closely.”