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Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) recently announced the opening of its 100th standalone BWW GO, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s journey of expansion and innovation. In addition to 100+ standalone GO locations, all 1,300+ sports bars are now equipped with GO for takeout and delivery, serving fan favorites alongside GO-exclusive menu items nationwide.
Innovative formats like BWW GO drives profitability and flexibility for Inspire franchisees while giving consumers more choices.
Kajal Patel is the CEO of The Hena Group, a franchisee that operates Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins, and BWW GO locations across the Midwest. As the daughter of a donut maker turned franchisee, Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins were constants throughout Kajal’s childhood. “My brother and I grew up in the restaurant. Our customers became our extended family, creating long-lasting relationships that I still treasure to this day.”
After witnessing her father achieve his American dream, Kajal’s ambition drove her to become a franchisee herself and take over the family business. As her passion for the industry grew, so too did her strategy to introduce more growth and diversification into The Hena Group’s portfolio.
“Inspire has brought so much opportunity to Dunkin’ franchisees, and BWW GO is a great example,” says Kajal. In 2023, she opened her first BWW GO, growing The Hena Group’s portfolio with Inspire’s multi-brand platform. “BWW GO attracts a different customer base and broadens revenue streams; it’s an entirely different aspect of the food and beverage industry.”
Says Kajal, “Continuing to expand The Hena Group’s portfolio with both Dunkin’ and BWW GO is exhilarating. This growth will not only strengthen our business, but also open doors to new markets and demographics.”
Bill Mulholland owns The Mulholland Network franchise based in New Jersey, operating both Dunkin’ and BWW GO locations. Bill bought his first Dunkin’ in 2010 after years of running a successful delivery business; at the time, he didn’t expect one Dunkin’ to grow into the multi-unit franchise he owns today. Now Bill not only operates 38 Dunkin’s, but also owns much of the property his locations are built on. For him, concepts with a small footprint are ideal to maximize the real estate he owns, and BWW GO does just that.
“The unit economics of a BWW GO is very powerful,” says Bill. “We can achieve with 1,300 square feet what most others need a footprint of at least 2,000 square feet to do. And because we need less room, we need fewer people to operate. That makes our EBITDA and return on investment much greater.”
As Inspire continues to leverage format innovation to maximize real estate efficiency, franchisees also have the opportunity to co-locate complementary brands on one parcel of land. The Mulholland Network recently opened a BWW GO behind an existing Dunkin’ drive-thru. “They’re on the same property with a demising wall separating them so that they may operate independently of each other,” says Bill. “It allows us to have two Inspire brands under the same roof.”
Bill currently operates three BWW GO locations in New Jersey and has plans to accelerate openings over the next three years. “With GO, we’re truly tearing the cover off the ball.”
Jasmine Sandhu and Jarmanjeet “Jimmy” Boparai are the husband-and-wife franchisee team behind Valley Wings based in Houston, Texas. As entrepreneurs who come from a strong family of successful franchisees, the two opened their first BWW GO restaurants in San Juan and Edinburg, Texas.
“Our Inspire journey began because of BWW GO. After hearing about the concept, we knew it was going to be the next big thing, and we had to be a part of it,” says Jasmine. “Looking back, it was a great decision – we could not have joined at a better time.”
After signing on with BWW GO in 2022, Jasmine and Jimmy have watched BWW GO “blow up.”
“I remember when we opened our first location; the excitement from the local community was amazing,” recalls Jasmine. “Guests love Buffalo Wild Wings as a sports bar, and now they’re able to get the same great taste on the ‘GO’.”
Since opening their second BWW GO in May, Jasmine and Jimmy have additional locations in the works for Valley Wings. “The GO concept was created with evolving needs in mind, and we can’t wait to introduce it to new customers as the brand grows,” says Jasmine.
Jack Litman is the president of The Munson Restaurant Group based in New York, a franchisee that first joined the Inspire family as a SONIC franchisee in 2021 before quickly expanding to own and operate BWW sports bar and GO locations. “I’ve made meaningful connections with the Inspire team, and those relationships have allowed me to expand into other brands,” says Jack.
Today, The Munson Restaurant Group operates ten SONIC drive-ins, seven BWW sports bars, and five BWW GOs. “With a small footprint and the cost of construction at a 2:1 sales ratio, GO is ripe for development,” says Jack. “The size also makes it an easier build to enter markets, bringing product to places where they may have never been offered before.” In Manhattan where space is especially limited, GO franchisees like Jack provide New Yorkers with the wings and sauces they love in areas that sports bars wouldn’t fit.
Jack’s third BWW GO also marked the 100th standalone GO for the BWW brand, which Inspire and The Munson Group celebrated with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony in the heart of New York City. Jack has two more GOs currently under construction, including a SONIC and BWW GO co-location that will operate in the same footprint. “Without our creative and strategic partners at Inspire, we would’ve never been able to accomplish it,” says Jack.
Currently, Inspire has commitments for nearly 600 more BWW GO locations. More than 85% of those commitments are from existing Inspire franchisees, including expansion plans into key markets like Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, California, and Texas.
Interested in franchising with Inspire? Visit inspirebrands.com/franchising for more details.
