With Dozens of Craft Brews on Tap, Every Day is a Celebration at the Restaurant and Alehouse Franchise
The Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse franchise began with a small diner in a small Utah town – “small” being the operative word, as well as a winning strategy. A smaller restaurant footprint (as compared with the square footage required by big national chains) with smaller staff in small to medium-sized communities has proven to be the recipe for success for founders and brothers Eric and Scott Slaymaker as the Salt Lake City-based Wingers Alehouse franchise expands across the Mountain West and Midwest.
But one aspect of the business that’s anything but small is the Wingers Alehouse beer selection. So, for anyone trying to decide where to celebrate National American Beer Day on Oct. 27 (or seeking to celebrate American beer any other day of the year), consider these stats:
- 24 to 40 beers are on tap at most of Wingers Alehouse’s 25 locations.
- More than 50 are on tap at the Meridian, Idaho, store.
- A total of about 60 beers are offered at most locations.
- About 60% of all beers carried by Wingers Alehouse are craft beers from microbreweries near those stores.
“We really like to celebrate the communities that we’re in and show off the craft beers brewed in those communities instead of having every tap to be the same in every store,” says Rich Trujillo, Wingers Alehouse beverage director and director of franchise operations.
A Rebranded Alehouse Franchise
Founded some 30 years ago in a 2,700-square-foot space in Bountiful, Utah, that humble Wingers American Diner has morphed into the Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse franchise now in five states and seeking franchise partners in new markets including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Nevada and the Midwest.
Great food and drinks served in a casual, family-friendly atmosphere have been a tradition for the brand. Fresh, hand-breaded, bone-in chicken wings and the brand’s signature boneless “Sticky Fingers” come with a choice of 16 different sauces or rubs including Wingers’ Original Amazing Sauce. The restaurant menu also features a variety of burgers, pastas, Southwestern favorites, salads, vegetarian and gluten-free options, and more. And Wingers Alehouse offers a full bar in addition to beer. “The bar in a casual dining environment is the heart and soul of the restaurant,” Scott Slaymaker says. “The bar gives us permission to have fun and create amazing experiences for Wingers’ guests.”
Most Wingers restaurants originally had eight to 10 beer taps, but that changed with the alehouse rebranding in 2016. In addition to increasing the number of beers on tap, the rebranding included remodeling with a contemporary brewpub vibe and upgrading the menu. The test store for the alehouse concept in Nampa, Idaho, outside Boise, saw an immediate 60-70% jump in sales and guest traffic, says Eric Slaymaker who serves as CEO. Since then, most of the legacy stores have been converted with the alehouse concept, and sales at those locations have doubled and even tripled, he says.
Wingers Alehouse’s success with craft beers illustrates their popularity with consumers, with craft sales now accounting for 24.7% of the $117 billion U.S. beer market, according to the Brewers Association.
So Many Beers, So Little Time
Wingers Alehouse offers four branded beers brewed by Utah-based Squatters Wasatch that are carried in each alehouse location. All other craft beers are regionally brewed and differ by location, with selections changing periodically at each store. Sourcing all these beers has not been a problem. “When you open an alehouse, the brewers will find you!” Trujillo says, adding that the managers and owners typically have connections with their local brewers, too.
“My job is to make sure we don’t get stale. If you have regular customers, they can get bored really quick. I keep an eye on what’s going on throughout the world in beer and liquor. I see what’s trending and what’s coming up. My job is to pay attention and get that information out to the stores,” he says.
The role of managers and owners is to collaborate with brewers in curating a selection of beers in a variety of styles that will tantalize customers. “With the brewers, it’s their love, their life. They’ll try different things, and we’ve got to rely on their expertise and get excited with them. This is not just about another liquid that we pour and get money for. Brewers are artists. That excitement that we share with brewers – and our guests – is what sets the Wingers Alehouse brand apart,” Trujillo says.
Excitement is what the Wingers Alehouse franchise is all about. “Our mission statement says, ‘creating amazing experiences,’” Eric Slaymaker says. “Wingers Alehouse is a family-friendly gathering place. We want our guests to feel like they’ve had a great time. It’s the combination of the environment, the entertainment, the energy, the great drinks and great food. It’s the whole package that contributes to that experience.”
For more information about the Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse franchise, visit https://wingerbros.com/franchising-opportunities/.
