Trends

Keeping the foodservice equipment marketplace up to date with the latest menu and concept trends.

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GO Restaurant Format Takes Flight for Buffalo Wild Wings

Looking to take advantage of consumers’ growing appetites for takeout and delivery orders, Buffalo Wild Wings opened the doors on its first GO model restaurant in Sandy Springs, Ga.

Buffalo Wild Wings GoBuffalo Wild Wings GoLocated relatively near the chain’s Atlanta support center, the 1,800-square-foot restaurant features a walk-up counter, digital menu boards, condensed seating and TVs for guests to watch while waiting for their orders. Guests who order ahead will be able to pick up their meals from heated takeout lockers, providing a contactless and hassle-free experience.

Converting more than 1,250 sports bars to a to-go-only model over the past few weeks, in response to stay-at-home mandates aimed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, allowed Buffalo Wild Wings to further refine its takeout and delivery process. “We’ve seen the success of this model over the past six weeks, with our takeout and delivery business growing over 140%,” said John Bowie, Buffalo Wild Wings’ chief operating officer.

This is not the chain’s initial foray into testing new formats. In 2017 Buffalo Wild Wings began testing smaller formats.