Chain Gang: Pizza Inn and Wingstop
Adding Lots o' Links

Pizza Inn and Wingstop are two DFW-based chains making some national food news. While Wingstop continues to grow at rapid speed, Pizza Inn is hoping franchise incentives and a kids-friendly concept will help propel their new prototype restaurants to success.

The Colony-based pizza chain is offering royalty-free franchise opportunities in an effort to expand their new prototype restaurants. With royalty-free incentives the first year of franchising, 2 percent royalties the second year and 4 percent royalties the third, Pizza Inn is making a push at expanding a buffet/gaming room/party room restaurant concept. The latest prototype Pizza Inn recently opened in Fort Worth on South Hulen Street. The Fort Worth location will not be the last of company-owned storefronts in the area. The Hulen store is the first of Pizza Inn's efforts to build a larger visibility in DFW.

In the meantime, Richardson-based Wingstop continues to climb the list of fastest growing chain restaurants in the nation. Earlier this month, Nation's Restaurant News released its rankings of Second 100 restaurants, and Wingstop topped the list of systemwide sales growth. This year has seen the opening of 29 new locations, including Houston's and Los Angeles' 50th. Wingstop saw a 20 percent increase in sales this past year alone, proving that tasty wing varieties, Troy Aikman, and crack-laden French fries are a winning combination.