Who Owns Wingstop?

Antonio Swad opened the first Wingstop in Garland, Texas, in 1994, decorating it in a 1930s and 1940s aviation theme and betting that a menu centered on cooked-to-order wings could sustain a standalone chain. Franchising began in 1997 and drove the brand across Texas and the Southeast.

Roark Capital acquired Wingstop in 2010 at roughly 550 units and professionalized its growth, expanding the flavor lineup and pushing a digital-first store model. The June 2015 IPO was among the decade's strongest restaurant offerings.

The pandemic era supercharged the brand. Delivery-friendly wings surged as dining rooms closed, digital sales climbed past 60% of the system, and unit growth accelerated. The chain passed 2,000 locations in 2022 and 3,000 in 2025.

Recent history has been a study in contrast: domestic same-store sales declined through 2025 and 2026 as consumer traffic softened, while international expansion and new openings kept system sales growing. The May 2026 national launch of Club Wingstop, the brand's first loyalty program, marked its largest direct investment in customer retention. Wingstop ended the third quarter of 2026 with 3,331 restaurants in more than a dozen countries.