Buffalo Wild Wings vs Native Grill & Wings Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Buffalo Wild Wings vs Native Grill & Wings including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
Native Grill & Wings Franchise
Investment $2,695,100 - $4,244,300$989,500 - $2,612,000
Franchise Fee $25,000$35,000
Royalty Fee 5%6%
Advertising Fee 3.25%1%
Year Founded 19821979
Year Franchised 19911992
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
Native Grill & Wings Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Track record of success
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Native Grill & Wings Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Native Grill & Wings Franchise
    Training - On-The-Job Training: 40 hours Classroom Training: 14 hours
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesMeetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingAd Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40 - 60

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (80% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

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    Expansion Plans

     
    Buffalo Wild Wings Franchise
    Native Grill & Wings Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Buffalo Wild Wings

    Buffalo Wild Wings got its start in 1981 after Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery moved from Buffalo, New York, to Kent, Ohio. Unable to find authentic Buffalo-style chicken wings in their new town, they decided to open up their own restaurant. Originally called Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck (see Kummelweck) from which the abbreviation BW3 was created, the restaurant became a franchise with over 350 locations across most states of the U.S. The company later changed its name to Buffalo Wild Wings and is no longer uses the short name BW3. The restaurant's theme is a sports bar / restaurant, and each location features multiple large screen televisions that are viewable from all seats. All locations also have game consoles devoted to NTN Trivia. Buffalo Wild Wings is best-known for its buffalo wings with 12 signature sauces. They also have a full menu featuring salads, appetizers, burgers, and specialty items.

    United States Franchising

    We require that our U.S. franchise candidates have a minimum of USD 750,000 in liquid assets and a net worth of USD 1.5 million. Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 2 restaurants.

    International Franchising

    We require that our international franchise candidates have a minimum of USD 5 million in liquid assets and net worth of USD 10 million. Additionally, there is a minimum commitment to develop at least 10 restaurants.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar franchise ranges from $2,695,100 to $4,244,300. This includes $10,000 to $55,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.
    If you sign an Area Development Agreement to develop multiple Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars, the total investment necessary to begin operation under the Area Development Agreement is $10,000 to $300,000. This includes $10,000 to $30,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.

    #159 in Franchise 500 for 2020.



    About Native Grill & Wings

    Native Grill & Wings is a beloved wings franchise in the Southwest, especially in the Phoenix area where it started in the late 1970s. Native was the first to bring Buffalo-style wings to the Southwest and have won over generations of customers with great food and a family-friendly sports bar ambiance.
    Based in Gilbert, Arizona, Native Grill & Wings is a family-friendly, polished sports grill with 36+ restaurants throughout Arizona, Colorado and Texas. Native, as the brand's legion of fans call it, serves 20 award-winning wing flavors that guests can order by the individual wing, as well as an extensive menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Today, combined with a strong leadership team and a growing group of franchisees,
    Native Grill & Wings is gaining national recognition as one of the fastest-growing concepts in the more than $202 billion full-service restaurant industry.