How Much It Costs to Open an Atomic Wings and How Much You Can Earn

Atomic Wings was created in 1989 as part of founder Adam Lippin’s mission to share authentic New York-style Buffalo wings with the world. Now, with more than 10 restaurants open in the U.S., Atomic Wings is setting its sights on nationwide growth. The brand is currently led by owners and brothers Zak and Ray Omar, and offers customers never-frozen, natural and hormone-free chicken wings hand-tossed in 16 proprietary sauces, as well as a classic menu, a welcoming dining experience and a commitment to quality. 

The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Atomic Wings restaurant is $170,400 to $377,355. This includes $35,000 to $135,500 that must be paid to the franchisor and/or its affiliate. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a multi-unit development business for a required minimum of three Atomic Wings franchises is $197,400 to $404,855. This includes $60,000 to $160,500 that must be paid to the franchisor and/or its affiliates.

So, how much can prospects make for that investment? According to the brand’s 2019 FDD, which shows the gross sales for all locations open for the whole year, the average gross sales systemwide was $951,680. This includes the top-grossing location on 1st Ave in New York City, which earned $1,232,356 in 2019. The second-highest-grossing location was on Broadway, with $1,119,920 in gross sales for 2019. 

Everything about the Atomic Wings business model has been streamlined to make franchise owners more profitable. From the buildout to the service model, Atomic Wings has developed a system that allows owners to recoup their investments and grow faster. Opening a new Atomic Wings location requires minimal space, and the brand has great, adaptable systems in place that are easy to replicate. Atomic Wings deliberately kept the buildout costs low enough so that franchisees could recoup their investment in about three years, making them much more profitable more quickly. Now, as the foodservice industry struggles through COVID-19, Atomic Wings is uniquely positioned to thrive. 

“When the pandemic started, we were nervous about how things were going to play out, but sales actually shot up 30% based on the fact that wings work so well through delivery,” said Bellerose, New York-based Phillip Monde, Atomic Wings’ first franchise owner. “We made sure to support operations and staff with the proper PPE and safety procedures. Plus, less competition, third-party delivery partnerships and great food allowed us to fare tremendously well.” 

Since day one, Atomic Wings has been creating an avid customer base by serving up awesome flavors. Most wing shops will offer some range of heat levels and maybe two or three alternative flavors, but Atomic Wings offers 16. Each flavor was created after months of research and development. Atomic Wings has always stayed one step ahead, innovating with new products to keep customers invested. For example, Atomic Wings recently set itself apart with its spiciest sauce to date — the Nuclear Sauce. Atomic Wings’ strong consumer offering and winning business model has earned the brand recognition on national television, including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CNN Money, CBS News and more.

“Our menu was created based on a simple principle — to share our love for authentic Buffalo wings with the world,” said Omar. “Each Atomic Wings location has a unique menu, however, you will always find the same great wings, combos and signature sauces that have made our menu a staple in New York City and beyond.”

Looking ahead, Atomic Wings is setting its sights outside of New York for expansion. The brand’s target markets to reach are predominantly located in the Northeast; more specifically, the brand is actively identifying franchisees in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut so that Omar and his team can still be as involved with the brand’s new restaurants as they are with the New York locations.

"Atomic Wings has been a trendsetter for 30 years, and I see us leading the way for 30 more," Omar says. "We want to grow aggressively beyond the East Coast while we maintain our brand integrity. The demand for quality wings isn’t going anywhere, and my goal is to take Atomic Wings across the U.S.A. and share our exciting food and flavors with more guests and wings fans."

For more information about Atomic Wings, please visit https://www.atomicwings.com/franchising.