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East Coast Wings + Grill Named to Franchise Business Review’s Hall of Fame Class

By: East Coast Wings + Grill |  0 Shares     341 Reads

Restaurant Franchise Earns Prestigious Recognition Thanks to a Decade of Outstanding Franchisee Satisfaction

April 06, 2021 // Franchising.com // WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Because of its outstanding franchisee support over the past 12 months, East Coast Wings + Grill - a full-service, family-dining restaurant franchise - was recently honored as one of the Top Franchises of 2020 by Franchise Business Review. The recognition marked the 10th-consecutive year ECW+G was named to the “Top Franchises” list, effectively elevating the brand to FBR’s prestigious “Hall of Fame” status.

While ECW+G has experienced no trouble remaining a “Top Franchise” mainstay for the last decade, earning a spot on this list is anything but easy. The honor is qualitative in nature, based solely on franchisee/owner satisfaction surveys.

ECW+G franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including: training & support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity. ECW+G’s National Franchise Service Center reinforced the level of owner satisfaction those surveys produced, ranking the restaurant franchise’s support as “excellent” and noting a continued feeling of trust.

Multi-unit Owner and 2020 Franchisee Rockstar recipient JD Penland concurs with the survey results and level of franchisee support on display over the last year.

“We pulled together quickly; it started with corporate providing royalty and marketing relief, weekly conference calls and the leadership team making decisions that were best for everyone,” said Penland. “It made a difference to have complete transparency as far as economics and a proactive supply chain approach to offer alternatives and updates at the front end.”

As Penland hinted to above, the last year was the most difficult economic climate the restaurant industry has ever faced. CEO Sam Ballas’ leadership, however, manifested into a number of crucial initiatives that helped keep ECW+G owners afloat and mitigated the negative financial impact.

These moves included: implementing a new, curbside pickup service; refining its delivery service and offerings; optimizing supply chain; and getting the local restaurants involved in various outreach efforts to demonstrate care and concern for their local communities.

Altogether, these efforts helped ECW+G create a +17.03% unit-level earnings average for its 2.0 model restaurants in 2020.

“Our focus is always on the success and sustainability of our franchise owners,” said Sam Ballas, CEO and president of East Coast Wings + Grill. “We understand our company cannot achieve the goals we set if we don’t prioritize our owners. Whether its implementing innovations to streamline their operation or finding more cost-effective ways to deliver the highest-quality products possible, we are unwavering and consistent in our support to owners. Strong unit-level economics is the foundation on which ECW+G is built, and being named to Franchise Business Reviews’ ‘Hall of Fame’ is humbling and a nice validation of our efforts.”

In total, FBR received feedback from over 28,000 franchisees from more than 300 franchise companies to compile its 2021 list.

“We began working with the East Coast Wings + Grill team in 2011,” said Michelle Rowan, president of Franchise Business Review and certified franchise executive. “From the start, their team was focused on the profitability and satisfaction of their franchisees. They are committed to supporting their franchise community to be successful, and they are careful in choosing the operators they bring into the brand. Leaders in other systems can learn a lot from their focus and top-notch relationships with franchisees as they grow a strong and healthy brand.”

SOURCE East Coast Wings + Grill

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