July 1, 2021: Wingstop Opens Virtual Brand Thighstop During Chicken Wing Shortage

Nearly everyone loves a good chicken wing. Well, it seems like too many people are enjoying wings, creating a national chicken wing shortage.

To combat the shortage and increasing chicken wing prices, Wingstop has looked at the rest of the chicken. Wingstop partnered with delivery app Doordash to create the virtual brand Thighstop as a ghost kitchen -- serving thigh versions of their famous chicken wings.

Listen as restaurateur Philip Camino and chef Nyesha Arrington break down the chicken wing shortage, Wingstop’s ingenuity, and what this could mean for the brand and their competitors.

Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss chicken wings:

Demand for chicken wings has been up 7% during the pandemic

Despite increased demand, chicken and labor shortage are creating supply issues

In 2020, Wingstop exceeded $1 billion in digital sales, 60% of the company’s $2 billion in total sales

Wingstop’s digital sales increased 25% from 2019 to 2020 thanks in part to a new delivery system being introduced

CFO Michael Skipworth said Wingstop saw a 25.8% increase in wing prices in one year, even after forming a price-mitigation strategy with their biggest poultry suppliers

Wingstop partnered with the delivery app to open the virtual restaurant Thighstop as a ghost kitchen at 1,400 locations

While Wingstop has created Thighstop, they won’t be putting thighs on their regular menu, choosing to build the brand separately

Links:

Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram

Associated Press - Chicken wing shortage forces restaurants to adapt

Restaurant Dive - Wingstop surpasses $1B in digital sales in 2020

Restaurant Dive - Wingstop debuts virtual brand focused on chicken thighs

Newsweek - Chicken wings shortage sees prices rise in restaurants across U.S.

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