Who Owns WingHouse Bar & Grill?
WingHouse Bar & Grill is a Florida sports-bar restaurant chain owned by ARC Group, Inc., a Jacksonville-based restaurant holding company. Founded in 1994 in Largo, Florida, by former NFL player Crawford Ker, the brand operates roughly two dozen locations across the state. ARC Group acquired the concept in October 2019 for $18 million.
Parent Company
Acquired
2019
Status
Private
Headquarters
WingHouse Bar & Grill Timeline
Who Owns WingHouse Bar & Grill?
- Parent Company: ARC Group, Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2019
- Company Type: Privately Held
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| WingHouse Bar & Grill | ARC Group, Inc. | Wholly owned |
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History of WingHouse Bar & Grill
- Founded: 1994
- Founders: Crawford Ker
- Acquired by ARC Group, Inc.: 2019
Crawford Ker opened the first WingHouse in Largo, Florida, in 1994, following his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. The concept blended a sports bar atmosphere, wing-focused menu, and servers in branded uniforms, a formula modeled loosely on Hooters but tuned to the Tampa Bay market.
The chain grew across Florida through the 2000s, expanding to more than two dozen locations by the 2010s. Ker sold the business to Soaring Wings LLC, backed by Tampa's Third Lake Capital, in 2014.
Under Soaring Wings, the brand refreshed its menu and updated units while remaining a Florida-only concept. Its 2018 results, about $60.6 million in revenue and $3.5 million in operating cash flow across 24 restaurants, attracted ARC Group's acquisition interest.
The October 2019 sale folded WingHouse into ARC Group's multi-brand portfolio, where it operates as a separate concept with its own management and restaurant teams. The pandemic tested the model immediately after the deal; the chain survived by leaning on takeout and its established neighborhood-bar customer base.
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About ARC Group, Inc.
What does ARC Group own?
ARC Group owns the WingHouse Bar & Grill and Dick's Wings & Grill restaurant brands, plus the Tilted Kilt franchise system acquired in 2018.
Is ARC Group publicly traded?
The company has historically traded on OTC markets under RLLY in very low volumes. It is a micro-cap listing, not a major exchange stock.
Who founded ARC Group?
ARC Group was established in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2000 and grew around the Dick's Wings & Grill concept. Seenu G. Kasturi led the company through its major acquisition era.
Where is ARC Group headquartered?
The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.
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How many brands does ARC Group own?
Three principal restaurant brands: WingHouse, Dick's Wings & Grill, and Tilted Kilt.
Who owns ARC Group?
Ownership is split among management, legacy shareholders, and Third Lake Capital, which took a major position through the 2019 WingHouse acquisition's share-based consideration.
- Founded: 2000
- Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
- Company Type: Privately Held
- Employees: approximately 1,500 (estimated)
Where Is WingHouse Bar & Grill Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
WingHouse Bar & Grill Categories & Tags
WingHouse Bar & Grill Recalls & Controversies
WingHouse has no major documented controversies on record. Like other chains in the sports-bar category, it has historically faced the same genre-level criticism of server-uniform concepts, which it addresses through standard employment policies rather than public debate.
No significant food safety events, regulatory actions, or litigation involving the brand are part of the public record.
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WingHouse Bar & Grill Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Dedicated restaurant holding company focused on regional brands
- +More than three decades of Florida brand equity
- +Shared corporate services across sibling concepts
- +Established franchise and takeout economics
Considerations
- -Small parent with limited expansion capital
- -Single-state concentration
- -Full-service segment under sustained labor and traffic pressure
- -Brand format faces the aging sports-bar category's headwinds
Frequently Asked Questions About WingHouse Bar & Grill
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to WingHouse Bar & Grill
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooters Of America | USA | 1983 | Mass market | Global | All-ages | |
| Bloomin Brands | USA | 2000 | Premium | United states | All Genders | |
| Bloomin Brands | USA | 1986 | Mid market | United States | All Genders | |
| Freddys Frozen Custard Steakburgers Inc | USA | 2002 | Mass market | United states | All-ages | |
| Darden Restaurants | United States | 1981 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Nandos Group Holdings | South Africa | 1987 | Mass market | Global | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Food Service RestaurantsHooters
Owned by Hooters of America, LLC
American casual dining restaurant chain known for chicken wings, seafood, and casual atmosphere. Reacquired by original founding group in October 2025 following Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
casual-diningchicken-wingsseafood
Food Service RestaurantsBonefish Grill
Owned by Bloomin' Brands Inc.
American casual dining seafood restaurant chain owned by Bloomin' Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: BLMN), known for Bang Bang Shrimp and wood-grilled fish across 158 locations in the United States.
seafoodcasual-diningrestaurant-chain
Food Service RestaurantsCarrabba's Italian Grill
Owned by Bloomin' Brands Inc.
American casual dining restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine, owned by Bloomin' Brands. Over 200 U.S. locations. Carrabba's posted the strongest comparable sales growth of any Bloomin' Brands chain in 2025.
italian-restaurantcasual-diningbloomin-brands
Food Service RestaurantsFreddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Owned by Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Inc.
American casual dining restaurant chain specializing in frozen custard, steakburgers, and hot dogs.
frozen-custardsteakburgerscasual-dining
Food Service RestaurantsLongHorn Steakhouse
Owned by Darden Restaurants
American casual dining steakhouse chain with 591 company-owned locations, owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI).
steakhousecasual-diningrestaurant-chain
Food Service RestaurantsNando's
Owned by Nando's Group Holdings Limited
International peri-peri chicken restaurant chain founded in Johannesburg in 1987, privately owned by the Enthoven family.
peri-perigrilled-chickenrestaurant-chain
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: WingHouse Bar & Grill competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to WingHouse Bar & Grill
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by ARC Group, Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Food Service RestaurantsWingstop
Owned by Wingstop Inc.
Cooked-to-order chicken wing chain founded in Texas in 1994, franchised by Wingstop Inc. to more than 3,300 global locations.
chicken-wingsfast-casualrestaurant-chain
Publicly Traded
Wingstop operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Food Service RestaurantsLongHorn Steakhouse
Owned by Darden Restaurants
American casual dining steakhouse chain with 591 company-owned locations, owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI).
steakhousecasual-diningrestaurant-chain
Publicly Traded
LongHorn Steakhouse is owned by Darden Restaurants, a public company, a different structure than WingHouse Bar & Grill's parent.
Food Service RestaurantsOlive Garden
Owned by Darden Restaurants
American casual dining chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine, owned by Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI). Over 900 locations and $5.2 billion in annual sales.
italian-americancasual-diningdarden-restaurants
Publicly Traded
Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, a public company, a different structure than WingHouse Bar & Grill's parent.
Food Service RestaurantsSmoothie King
Owned by Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.
The world's largest smoothie franchise, founded in 1973 in Louisiana and owned since 2012 by South Korean former franchisee Wan Kim.
smoothiefranchisehealth-drinks
Privately Owned
Smoothie King operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Food Service RestaurantsBahama Breeze
Owned by Darden Restaurants
Darden Restaurants' Caribbean-themed casual dining chain, developed in-house in 1996 and now reduced to about 28 US locations.
restaurantscasual-diningcaribbean
Publicly Traded
Bahama Breeze is owned by Darden Restaurants, a public company, a different structure than WingHouse Bar & Grill's parent.
Food Service RestaurantsChi-Chi's
Owned by Hormel Foods
Mexican food brand owned by Hormel Foods (grocery products) with a revived restaurant chain led by founder's son Michael McDermott, opening its first location in October 2025 in Minnesota.
mexican-foodrestaurantgrocery-brand
Publicly Traded
Chi-Chi's is owned by Hormel Foods, a public company, a different structure than WingHouse Bar & Grill's parent.
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