Wing Boss, a virtual brand focused on chicken wings, will open its first in-person dining location in Addison, Texas.
“We’re excited to bring the Wing Boss brand to life with its first brick-and-mortar location,” said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc, the parent company of Wing Boss.
“Wing Boss has taken over the wings world with its unbeatable flavors, and the Addison location will be the perfect spot to grab mouthwatering menu items while you cheer on your favorite team. We look forward to continuing to grow this brand and deliver on our promise of superior pit-smoked wings!”
The 1,500-square-foot restaurant features a full-service bar, ample seating, a hickory aroma and several TVs so that fans can catch their favorite game. The Wing Boss Menu delivers smoked and crispy bone-in or boneless wings with a choice of 12 signature sauces and rubs, as well as chicken tenders, salad, a variety of sides and desserts and more.
Dickey's Restaurant Brands has over 550 locations and operates virtual concepts Wing Boss and Big Deal Burger.
Chicken wings thrive in virtual brands
Virtual brands saw a lot of success during COVID-19, a trend that is likely to continue in a post-pandemic world. These delivery-only options operate within actual restaurants, but cook food that may be sold under a different name on third-party delivery platforms, like DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub.
They help restaurants optimize search engine optimization, or SEO, online. Consumers ordering food delivery tend to search for a menu item, like wings or Chinese food, rather than by a restaurant name. Most restaurants that sell chicken wings already had a strong off-premises orientation pre-pandemic. They are also offered in a variety of flavors and sizes, making it easy for families to find something for everyone.
2020 saw an explosion in virtual brands, with everyone from Bloomin’ Brands to Brinker International getting in on chicken wing delivery options. More recently, Chick-fil-A announced the launch of their virtual brand, Little Blue Menu, and Wingstop launched delivery-only chicken thigh brand Thighstop.
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