Dream of having a sports bar, but aren’t sure where to start? A franchise is common path to launching a business with a built-in business, marketing, and operation plan. Franchising teaches y0u the ropes on how to run a restaurant. And if it’s a sports bar you’re looking into, check out Wings Etc. Grill and Pub.

How much does it cost to open Wings Etc.? To start, you must have a liquid capital of $200,000 and a net worth of $500,000. The investment to open Wings Etc. is estimated to be $350,000 to $1,500,000. The franchise fee starts at $39,500. The startup cost falls in-line with other food franchise opportunities. Click here to take our 7-minute franchise quiz and find the option that’s right for you. 

More details about Wings Etc. can be found here so keep on reading to learn the fees and financial situation of this wing spot. I also share what I view as the pros and cons of the concept so you can find out if this really is the right franchise for you.

Financial Requirements and Fees

These are the fees that Wings Etc. require should you decide to apply to become one of their franchise operators. As for the total expenses, Wings Etc. breaks this down into two. If you are applying for a non-free standing location and conversion of an existing free standing location, the expenses you can expect are around $848,105 to $1,195,111. For a free standing location, the total expenses are $319,735 to $2,000,121.

On top of that, Wings Etc. has a royalty fee of 5% and an ad fee of 2%. They also offer financing via third party lenders should you wish to be assisted.

Wings Etc. also offers franchising for single and multi-units. They’ll also provide you with the necessary materials to start your franchise such as business support during the pre-opening, grand opening, and even afterward. They also have a comprehensive franchise training program that’s up to 6 weeks wherein you and your staff will be given hands-on training.

Average Sales / Revenue per Year

There is no known official record available that shows the annual revenue for Wings Etc. But according to one report, the data they have is that this sports bar’s annual revenue is estimated to be $24.5 million per year. Based on these estimates each store would bring in $326,000 in gross revenue per year before expenses.

Wings Etc. Franchise Facts

In 1994, Jim Weaver founded Wings Etc. in the Indiana Area. Weaver and his partners planned to put up a business and defined this as their “Happiness Centers”. The plan was to serve great food, a variety of beverages, spirits with friendly service, and filled the place with big-screen TVs. They also wanted a family-friendly sports bar. Thus, Wings Etc. was born.

For 27 years now, Wings Etc. has continued to serve the public with good food and an ambiance that welcomed people of all ages. In fact, they are proud to call themselves a family-friendly environment with a kid’s meal on their menu. So bring along the kids!

Just like their name, Wings Etc. serves chicken wings and more. They have everything from burgers, pickled chips, onion rings, nachos, sandwiches, and quesadillas. They even have seafood and salad options. Their specialty of course is the bone-in chicken wings that come with sauces of your choice and a spice level ranging from Habanero being the spiciest to Gar-Licky-Parm being the mildest. Wings Etc. continues releasing new specials so customers have more reasons to come back and try out their menu.

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Wings Etc. is also known for sponsoring at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. According to Jeremy Clements Racing, Wings Etc. is “always packed” which just shows how popular this sports bar is.

According to Wings Etc. themselves, they have one of the lowest startup costs as compared to other sports bars and restaurants. Their willingness to be franchised and expand to other locations along with their affordable fees has earned them the number 54 spot on Franchisegator’s Top 100 Franchises of 2021 and ranked number 358 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 Rank of 2021, a spot they didn’t have in the previous year. Their units have also grown by 14.9% in the last 3 years meaning they’ve grown successfully.

Upon being accepted into the Wings Etc. franchise family, the business helps select the location for your branch since choosing an area is one of the most vital factors for building a successful Wings Etc.

BBQ chicken wings.

Wings Etc. says they are no ordinary sports bar. With their core menu, distinctive vibe, and low-cost startup fee, they’re the ideal business to franchise. Their vision is “Good Food! Great Times!” and they’ve honored this motto for decades. To this day, they are committed to providing a dining experience that’s laidback and brings about happy people, and forming deep relationships in their community.

Wings Etc. is currently headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is open 7 days a week. Its CEO is Rob Hensmann.

How Much Does Wings Etc. Make in Profit?

There isn’t an official financial data of Wings Etc. made available for now but as mentioned above, the revenue this business makes is unofficially around $24.5 million annually.

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While we don’t know exactly how profitable Wings Etc., I can look at the profitability of similar concepts for clues. Take for example Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) makes a reported profit of 13.5% after expenses. Assuming this profit holds true for Wings Etc., system-wide company profits would be $3,307,500 annually. As the company continues to expand their concept into more locations, you can expect total profits to increase as well.

Advantages of a Wings Etc. Franchise

Before investing, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of franchising a business. This is important so you know what to expect when applying to become a franchise operator. For Wings Etc., there are many advantages you can expect with this business.

Growth

Wings Etc. has been around since the 90s and not once have they seemed to slack off on their operations. In fact, they continuously adapt to the changes that the modern world brings.

Take for example the recent health crisis where many franchise concepts struggled. Yet Wings Etc. continues to pull through, even accommodating customers by offering take-outs and drive-thru lanes. They’re also available online to accept your orders or you can just call ahead and have one of their staff deliver your order to your car while you wait outside the parking lot.

With this work mentality, you’re assured that Wings Etc. will continue to grow, expand, and adapt to changes the future brings.

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Menu

Like the name suggest, Wings Etc. is all about providing delicious chicken wings and more. The sports bar has a wide array of food choices on their menu that you’ll most likely have to come back for more just to try everything.

The Wings and dipping sauces in particular are one of the best sellers on the menu. It should be interesting to note that they have chicken wing sauce flavors that are not the usual ones Americans are familiar with such as sweet hot Asian, spicy Caribbean, and Teriyaki. They don’t seem to be afraid of introducing bold flavors to their customers.

They also have salads and seafood on the menu for those looking for a healthier and lighter meal. It’s like there’s something for everyone at Wings Etc.

Environment

Sports bars may not be an ideal place for families to bring their kids to but Wings Etc. accommodates children just fine. They even have a kid’s meal to show how welcome children are. It still may not be a great idea to bring in kids during late night hours but if you’re heading to Wings Etc. for lunch or dinner with the family, know that there are options that appeal to customers with kids.

Boneless chicken wing.

Challenges of a Wings Etc. Franchise

There are also cons to franchising a Wings Etc. Pointing out the challenges of a business helps you prepare for them so they don’t take you by surprise. Here are a few of the challenges I see with this business.

Design

It has to be said that the Wings Etc. design looks a bit out-of-date. It still looks like the classic 90s when you step inside their locations. Maybe that’s the aesthetic they’re going for or maybe that’s part of the Wings Etc. branding. Whatever the reason, the place looks like it could use some little modern touch.

Expansion

Wings Etc. may be popular but after more than 20 years, their locations are still around the 75 mark. They’re well-known but still not as popular as the big sports bars and chicken wing places in the United States. The Wings Etc. name could still grow if they expanded to more locations and even internationally. Bottom line, you should expect this do more local marketing to get the word out about the business locally because they don’t have the national advertising campaigns of other chicken wing chains.

Chicken Wing Supply Chain 

Historically, chicken wings have been a low-cost menu item to serve on a restaurant menu with strong profitability. But over the past two years there have been all sorts of challenges with chicken wings, including supply chain issues, rising costs, extreme weather, and even shortages. There are even reports from some restaurants owners that the cost of chicken wings have doubled.

While demand for chicken wings remains strong, companies like Wings Etc. will need to significantly increase their menu prices if prices remain high. These high-prices could encourage budget sensitive customers to go elsewhere for a meal.

Is the Wings Etc. Franchise Right For You?

If you like a family-friendly sports bar that offers good food, Wings Etc. could be the right fit for you. You have options when it comes to franchising for them whether that’s a free-standing location or not. They also offer financing via a 3rd party organizer.

What is an alternative Wings Etc. franchise?

If you’re open to other prospects, you may want to check out Wing Stop or Buffalo Wild Wings. Both places are known for their delicious chicken wings in different sauces. Wing Stop doesn’t have a sports bar theme but Buffalo Wild Wings might catch your interest. Both are known internationally and are family-friendly places as well.

Wing Stop’s franchise fee starts at $20,000 and you may also check out our guide on how to franchise a Wing Stop. Buffalo Wild Wings’ franchise fee on the other hand is between $10,000 – $25,000.

If you’re confident you can run a Wings Etc., apply at their website and wait for their response. We hope that with this guide, your dreams of owning a sports bar can come true sooner than you think.

Wings Etc. is everything you imagine a sports bar to be. You have the beers, the ideal bar grub to pair with your drinks, the setting, and the numerous TV screens to watch your sports game. For more than 25 years they’ve been serving people who are looking for a great place to eat and hang out, and you could help carry on this tradition if you franchise with them.