For QSR franchises, providing easy access to favorite American tastes is one way to appeal to the fast casual dinerbase seeking a flavor-packed restaurant quick franchise location. When discussing topics like the most iconic and unique food flavors in the U.S., a short list is often likely to turn up some classics like burgers, fries and southern fried chicken.
You’ll discover plenty of options in fast casual franchises when researching restaurant opportunities for those standard offerings. But lean a bit stronger into the flavor factor, and you may find yourself calling out barbeque, Tex-Mex, and those deliciously recognizable tidbits originating from New York, Buffalo chicken wings.
It’s true that Buffalo wings boast a loyal following coast to coast, and The Buffalo Spot knows just how to serve them up as a QSR franchise—fast, fresh and flavored the way guests want them. Whether that is traditional or boneless, spicy or sweet, or sauced and stacked on top of golden fries for their World Famous Buffalo Fries, The Buffalo Spot is the spot for saucy, sticky wings and more. Looking for a french fries franchise? Learn more here.
And, while Buffalo is not the only flavor to bring wing guests back again and again, chicken wing trends tell us it has maintained its number one wing flavor status for many years.
How Chicken and Wings Stack up in QSR Franchises
Wings are one staple of the QSR franchise industry, and elevating those wonderful wings with more flavors and other menu items like chicken tenders and Buffalo Fries helps The Buffalo Spot meet significant diner demands. In fact, fried chicken in some form appears on 95% of all restaurant menus nationwide. Fast casual franchises are no exception, counting on the familiarity and love of concepts involving fried chicken and its sassy little cousin, chicken wings.
More recently, the QSR franchise sector for the chicken market was more than 30 billion dollars in 2020, and the forecast for the fast casual chicken franchise in America was to increase by more than 12% in 2021. Beyond the consumer market for flavorful chicken and wings, it seems that franchise owners and operators are choosing to bet on chicken’s popularity as they strive to create flavor concepts the market can sink its teeth into.
If you’re an entrepreneur looking into QSR Franchise opportunities, one thing to consider is whether the brand puts a unique spin on its flavor profiles, ingredients list or preparation techniques. When there’s a clear personality to a menu at a fast casual franchise, the business can capitalize upon that unique attribute.
The crisp and sizzling wings, boneless bites and chicken tenders, once fried to golden brown and hot out of the oil, are bathed in any one of a host of sauces available at fast casual franchises across the country. Bring out the wipes and napkins because big flavor heaven awaits at The Buffalo Spot fast casual franchise.
Finding the Flavor in QSR Franchises Opportunities
A focus on easy ordering, quick service, clean frying and dependable quality every time someone visits is a great place to start when evaluating QSR franchises. The dependability of delicious Buffalo sauce shouldn’t be overlooked, either. But having more choices for changing up styles of chicken and flavor combinations is the icing on the cake—or shall we say, the sauce on the wing—at The Buffalo Spot.
How important is it to offer these options but keep to tried and true favorites? The website Grill Cook Bake conducted a survey of more than 2500 Americans to ask about preferences when it comes to wings, sauces and more. Let’s take a look at the results of the survey before checking out how The Buffalo Spot aligns.
Traditional bone-in chicken wings or breaded boneless wings is the first comparison question from the survey, and nationally, it turns out that the majority of Americans do prefer traditional wings to boneless. But it’s a tight enough mix, with 56% picking traditional and 44% picking boneless. The Buffalo Spot QSR franchise has both boneless and traditional wings to offer, along with chicken tenders. The World Famous Buffalo Fries feature small boneless chicken pieces as well.
When it comes to accompaniments for wings, the survey asked respondents to choose from ranch or blue cheese. 58% ranch versus 42% blue cheese is how that choice played out. At The Buffalo Spot, we offer a third option for even more variety—our own special sauce.
Finally, there is the question of sauce preferences. The survey revealed a fairly strong preference for both Honey BBQ and hot Buffalo sauce across the nation. Parmesan garlic came in next with other flavors like lemon pepper and teriyaki getting plenty of votes as well. We offer several of these same flavors at The Buffalo Spot, plus a few that aren’t quite as common, yet are decidedly quite delicious.
How a QSR Franchise Can Tailor to Many Tastes
The beauty of QSR Franchises is how the central value of food flavor is transferred from the recipes already tested and proved by the business. In this case, many diners’ tastes can be satisfied by simple variations in preparation and serving style. An excellent example is the choice of turning guests’ favorite Buffalo chicken, sauce and all, into a salad. Or a wrap! The same applies to a chicken Caesar salad or wrap, if guests aren’t into wings on a given day. And since it’s all about options, they can consider a California-inspired burrito stuffed with favorite Buffalo Fries ingredients.
Sides add another layer to menu selections. Onion rings are available, and the fries, already renowned as Buffalo Fries, can be a simple side with seasoning: Cajun, Sriracha or Lemon Pepper. Finally, as the menu instructs, choose a sauce: Mild, Original Hot, Very Hot, Atomic Hot, Jamaican Jerk, Mango Habanero, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan, Cajun, Original BBQ, Chipotle and Pineapple Jalapeno.
It’s hard to imagine any guest of The Buffalo Spot missing out on a menu item with a flavor they love, or something new to experiment with. That kind of flavor satisfaction, served fast, is a highlight of this franchise brand. Founded in California in 2013, now with 35+ stores, these flavors are wowing Buffalo Fries lovers in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. We’re looking to join forces with the right QSR franchise owners to bring our exclusive recipes and fresh concept to new territories now.
QSR Franchise FAQ
What are QSR franchises?
Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) franchises are businesses that offer convenient and affordable food options for customers who want a fast, tasty meal. These franchises often focus on providing popular flavors, such as classic American dishes, to attract and retain customers.
What are some popular QSR franchise menu items?
Popular menu items in QSR franchises include burgers, fries, southern fried chicken, barbecue, Tex-Mex, and Buffalo chicken wings.
What is the market potential for QSR franchises?
The QSR franchise sector for the chicken market was over $30 billion in 2020, with a forecast for the fast casual chicken franchise in America to increase by more than 12% in 2021.
How do I evaluate a QSR franchise opportunity?
Look for brands that offer unique flavor profiles, ingredients, and preparation techniques. A franchise with a clear and distinct menu personality.
