Financing

How Wingstop fixed its chicken wing cost problem

A Deeper Dive: Michael Skipworth, CEO of the chicken chain, joins the Restaurant Business podcast to discuss wings, chicken sandwiches and technology.

How did Wingstop fix its cost problem?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Michael Skipworth, the chicken chain's CEO.

Wingstop is hitting on all cylinders right now, thanks to the popularity of chicken wings and takeout but also because of its new line of chicken sandwiches, which have helped lure new customers in during different times of day.

But it has also helped the chain with food costs. Chicken wings are the most volatile commodity, certainly among proteins. One year they could hit record prices and the next year they come down considerably. It has given plenty of executives massive headaches trying to deal with them.

But Wingstop’s move into boneless options, like the chicken sandwich, has helped change things. Skipworth talks all about it.

He also discusses technology, delivery and Wingstop’s plan to build its own tech stack and reach its goal of 100% digital transactions.

We’re talking chicken on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on Spotify.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Marketing

Meet the restaurant industry's new government adversary

Reality Check: The FTC wants the business to change several longstanding operating conventions. Has it heard why that's a bad idea?

Financing

Why are so many restaurant chains filing for bankruptcy?

The Bottom Line: A combination of rising costs and weakening sales, and more expensive debt, has caused real problems for restaurant chains. But the industry is also really difficult.

Financing

Despite their complaints, customers keep flocking to Chipotle

The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.

Trending

More from our partners