⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Franchise Players: After Opening 130 Dunkin' Donuts, They Added on Wings Even with 130 Dunkin' Donuts and six Wingstops, these wing kings aren't done yet.

By Kate Taylor

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Franchise Players is Entrepreneur's Q&A interview column that puts the spotlight on franchisees. If you're a franchisee with advice and tips to share, email ktaylor@entrepreneur.com.

The Chicagoland Wing Kings are, collectively, an impressive bunch. Combined, the 10 business partners have more than 150 years of experience and more than 130 Dunkin Donuts locations. And, they aren't slowing down – they've joined together to open six Wingstops and hope to open another 25 to 30 more. Here's how these donut dukes became wing kings.

Name: Vishal Shah, Partner in Chicagoland WingKings LLC

Franchise: Chicagoland WingKings, made up of 10 partners, currently owns and operates six Wingstop restaurants, with one more set to open in May. The franchisee has six additional locations in various forms of development.

How long have you owned a franchise?

My partners and I are Dunkin Donuts franchisees. Combined, we have more than 150 years of experience and own more than 130 Dunkin Donuts locations. In 2011, I started looking at diversifying my portfolio and mentioned that to some of my friends in Dunkin Donuts. They also expressed a similar interest. We did some research and agreed that Wingstop was the type of business we were looking for.

Related: Franchise Players: How This Franchisee Runs 200 Oil Change Shops

Why franchising?

We believe in the franchising model because it offers a proven business track record with some built in structure, development knowledge, marketing and operational procedures.

Why did you choose this particular franchise?

When doing some research on potential franchise concepts, we found Wingstop and truly became excited about the product, the concept and the brand. Wingstop offers great product, unique interiors and the opportunity to open many locations in the Chicagoland Area.

How much would you estimate you spent before you were officially open for business?

Chicagoland WingKings LLC, has invested in excess of $500,000 dollars to create the foundation for successful expansion. First we purchased a large development area, so we could methodically open up locations throughout the Chicagoland area. We invested in operations and "back of the house" systems to monitor our restaurants, and created a sound marketing program (working with Wingstop marketing people) to have successful openings and ongoing growth.

Related: Franchise Players: How This Popcorn Franchisee Gets Business Popping

Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your research?

Given the years of experience and the knowledge that my partners and I have accumulated through our years of Dunkin Donuts ownership, we used that for our growth in Wingstop.

What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise?

The advice I would give any person interested in investing in a franchise is: Do your research. Take your time, investigate, research, and ask questions of current franchisees. What may work for them, may not work for you. Most importantly, try the product and make sure you like it. You cannot be successful in any business if you don't believe in it!!

What's next for you and your business?

We are continuing to expand our Wingstop restaurants. We hope to keep growing existing sales in our restaurants while expanding the number of locations throughout the Chicagoland area. While I don't want to put a number on our expansion, my partners and I believe that 25-30 stores owned by Chicagoland WingKings is possible.

Related: Franchise Players: Serving Up Sweet Tea at a Southern Franchise With a 'Radical Fan Base'

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.