QSR August 2022

double Wingstop’s presence in that nation to more than 100 units. “Our optimistic outlook comes down to growth in our development pipeline, whitespace in existing target trade areas, and the potential for restaurants in new target trade areas,” Skipworth says, add ing that Wingstop could add as many as 220 locations this year alone. To prepare for its enterprising growth plans, Wingstop is exploring options to take more control over its supply chain, investing $40–50 million into its tech stack over the next five years, and prioritizing its product innovation, highlighted by the ongoing test of 11 different chicken sandwiches. “It is truly an exciting time to be a part of Wingstop,” Skipworth says. At Potbelly, Wright attributes the com pany’s positive growth to surging digital business—two out of every five Potbelly orders in 2022’s first quarter were digi tal—a re-engineered menu that heightened Potbelly’s value proposition, and a mod ernized tech stack led by a new website, a new mobile app, and a redeveloped loy alty program. “Those are all reasons we’ve moved from survival to turnaround and are opti mistic about what lies ahead,” Wright says. And just what lies ahead for Potbelly, which today boasts about 450 units across 33 states? How about reaching 2,000 res taurants over the next decade? A once-unthinkable proposition just two years ago suddenly doesn’t seem so wild given the brand’s comeback amid a greater quick-service surge. Of late, Pot belly has entered Las Vegas and Tampa and Wright sees compelling opportunity for Potbelly to open new markets while simultaneously deepening its penetration into existing ones as well. Growth, Wright says, begets more growth. “Growth is the best part of chain res taurants,” says Wright, a 35-year veteran of the restaurant industry. “When you have new franchisees, people moving up and getting promoted, and new stores open ing, it creates more opportunities. And there’s nothing like growing and winning in this industry.” It is, one might say, golden. q Daniel P. Smith is a regular contributor to Food News Media and is based in Chicago.

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www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | AUGUST 2022

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