Wild Wing Cafe Targets Aggressive Growth
CEO of Wild Wing Cafe, Steve Weigel, reopens Ayrsley location.
Wild Wing Cafe - known for its hot wings, cold beer and live music - intends to more than double its footprint to 100 locations by 2028. CEO Steve Weigel says the Charlotte company could grow to 300 restaurants nationwide.
“There’s no concept like ours out there - the authenticity of the brand and how we’ve stayed so true to who we are for 30-some years,” Weigel says. “For us, it’s about having time to reconnect with your friends over music, sports and good food.”
Wild Wing operates 40 corporate and franchise locations across eight states, including the Carolinas. That list includes three restaurants in the Charlotte market - University City, Ayrsley in southwest Charlotte, and Gastonia. A Rock Hill restaurant is set to open in October.
“It was very much a sleepy brand that was around for all these years - nothing that said we should be everywhere,” says Weigel.
The 35-year restaurant industry veteran joined Wild Wing in March 2019. Now, he’s looking to shake things up.
He is set to relaunch franchising for the first time in four years. Wild Wing is also putting finishing touches on a new prototype for its restaurants - the first total revamp in 31 years.
Weigel expects to build that prototype restaurant in the Charlotte area over the next two years, with Matthews, Lake Wylie, and Lake Norman under consideration.
In the interim, key features of that new design are being worked into restaurants. Wild Wing snapped up a number of restaurants that closed during the pandemic and is converting those locations as well as opening new franchise sites. The goal is to open 23 franchise locations and 14 corporate stores over the next four years.
The next generation of restaurants will be at least 5,500 square feet with covered patio space. The design has a light and airy feel, with large windows to fill the space with light as well as glass roll-up doors to create indoor-outdoor space. An indoor-outdoor stage puts a focus on live music. “Live music sets us apart. Live music builds the energy,” Weigel says.
Wild Wing got its start in Hilton Head, South Carolina, in 1990. Private equity firm Axum Capital Partners has held a controlling interest since 2012. The headquarters moved here in 2016.
Axum Managing Partner and former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad says Wild Wings stood out in a crowded market, differentiating itself with its food, overall concept and broad demographic appeal. Weigel says restaurants have average unit volume of $3.5 million. Sales are ahead of 2019 levels by about 5%. Approximately 30% of business now comes from to-go orders, compared to 9% pre-pandemic. The franchise fee to open a restaurant is $35,000. Upfit costs range between $1 million to $3 million.