As a third of Buffalo Wild Wings' sales shift to takeout, the company is embracing the Go format.

• The 100th Buffalo Wild Wings location is a smaller, delivery and takeout-only sports bar.
• During the pandemic, the sales of chicken wings increased, and now off-premise orders make up a third of BWW's revenue.
• Inspire Brands, the owner of BWW, is reportedly considering going public either later this year or in 2025.

On Wednesday, Buffalo Wild Wings opened its 100th Go location in New York City, four years after introducing the quick-service offshoot of its sports bar chain.

The sports bar chain BWW Go offers its famous chicken wings and other classic menu items through delivery and takeout orders, making its brand more ubiquitous while providing customers with added convenience.

Since 2018, Buffalo Wild Wings has been owned by Inspire Brands, a private equity-backed company that also owns Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's, Dunkin', and Baskin-Robbins.

It is reported that Inspire is planning to go public in late 2024 or 2025 and is aiming for a valuation of $20 billion.

The second-largest U.S. casual-dining chain in the bar and grill category, BWW, has a market share of 14.4% and is known for its chicken wing dominance, serving over 3 million gallons of ranch and blue cheese dressing in 2023.

The casual-dining industry has faced challenges, with publicly traded competitors like and consistently in a state of turnaround.

In 2023, Buffalo Wild Wings' revenue decreased by 1% to $2.32 billion, as per franchise disclosure documents. The potential public market investors may find Inspire more attractive with a fast-growing spinoff like Go.

The initial investment for opening a traditional Buffalo Wild Wings location ranges from $2.44 million to $4.83 million, while a Go location requires a franchisee to invest roughly $560,000 to $1.05 million.

A Go location is approximately 1,500 square feet, which makes it a more affordable and efficient option for real estate compared to a BWW sports bar that averages around 6,000 square feet.

Jack Litman, president of the Munson Group and franchisee of the 100th Go location, stated that the product's ability to fit into smaller spaces and its recognition as an established brand, along with its unlimited potential as an emerging one, make it a valuable investment.

Taking over takeout

The Go format is designed to cater to customers who prefer to remain on their couches while still enjoying sports.

Rewritten: According to John Bowie, brand president at BWW, off-premise orders accounted for 15% of Buffalo Wild Wings sales before the pandemic. Currently, takeout and delivery make up approximately a third of BWW's sales.

Bowie stated to CNBC that this was an opportunity for us to take the takeout portion of the business, place it in a freestanding unit, and make it easily accessible to our customers.

As of Wednesday, BWW has rebranded its entire off-premise business under the Go name.

The growth of BWW's off-premise business is similar to the overall growth of the chicken wing industry, which experienced a surge in popularity during the pandemic. Chicken wings are a versatile food option that can be easily delivered and offer a range of sauces and rubs to customize the flavor.

Despite pizza chains experiencing sales struggles due to pizza fatigue since the pandemic, chicken wings have remained unaffected.

Wingstop, a fast-casual chain and stock market darling, has reported strong same-store sales growth for the last year and a half, defying industry trends. According to Bernstein analyst Danilo Gargiulo, Wingstop has the potential to become "the next Domino's." (Roark Capital previously owned Wingstop but exited its investment a year and a half after the chain's IPO.)

Last year, Popeyes made chicken wings a permanent addition to its menu, and now other chains are following suit to boost their sales.

The limited menu of BWW Go can be tweaked to appeal to customers seeking a convenient dinner, giving the chain a better chance to compete with its fast-food rivals.

In the future, BWW may offer more special sauces, menu items, or deals to Go customers, as stated by Tristan Meline, the Chief Marketing Officer of BWW.

Growing interest

BWW intends to expand its existing network of over 1,300 sports bars, while Go is expected to open new locations at a much faster pace, as per Bowie.

"Building a sports bar takes a long time, but we've already seen with our 60 franchisees that they can quickly replicate the process, and the growth will be thrilling," he stated.

Nearly 600 franchisees have committed to opening additional Go locations, with about 85% of its operators also franchising with other Inspire-owned chains, such as Dunkin' or Arby's.

Large franchisees who operate multiple concepts are also reaching out to Inspire for calls to franchise.

By the end of the year, the chain intends to launch 50 additional Go locations.