August 1, 2017 // FSR Magazine // Connie Gentry, Alex Dixon

Native Grill & Wings in Surprise, Ariz.

FSR NAMES THE 50 HIGH-POTENTIAL, PERFORMANCE-PROVEN FULL-SERVICE BRANDS TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR—EACH WITH FEWER THAN 50 LOCATIONS.

Performance and potential earned restaurants a spot among this year’s FSR 50—that, and the fact that each has a portfolio of fewer than 50 units. We’re talking emergent chains, those that have a growing presence and a penchant for progress, be it defined as menu innovation, sales growth, brand expansion, or community support. You’ll discover regional brands that have been around for decades, like Elmer’s, which opened in 1960 in Portland, Oregon, and has given birth to a new concept that it plans to develop in the Southwest. Along with brands like Snooze, which got its start just 11 years ago but has already awakened the Denver region to a heightened appreciation for polished breakfast service and exceptionally sustainable processes. For performance metrics, look to the chart on Pages 48 to 49, which details total company sales, average unit volume, number of units, and areas of operation for each of the FSR 50 brands.

Native Grill & Wings

CHANDLER, ARIZONA

ARIZONA, IDAHO, MASSACHUSETTS, MONTANA, TEXAS, SOUTH DAKOTA

34 UNITS The name changed in 2014 to Native Grill & Wings, but the company actually dates to 1978 when Buffalo, New York, city slickers Floyd and Judy Anderson took their dream of owning a restaurant westward and opened Native New Yorker in Arizona. Current expansion plans call for adding a Tulsa, Oklahoma, location along with a Northern Arizona location. The current portfolio includes three company-owned locations and 31 franchised units.

To see the full list click here.

April 27, 2017 // Worcester Magazine 

Something Native 

Native Grill & Wings, 111 Sutton Ave., Oxford, celebrates its grand opening Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30. The restaurant marks the Arizona chain’s first Massachusetts location. The company plans to add four to six new spots throughout the Boston Metro area over the next three years. “We are extremely excited to be the first location to enter the greater Boston market as the Native brand continues to expand nationally,” said Native Grill & Wings Franchise Owner Andy Colby. “We pride ourselves on using only quality ingredients, which sets us apart from your typical ‘sports grill,’ and our primary goal will always be to provide a welcoming environment for the whole family.” Native, as the regulars call it, has become known for offering more than 20 wing flavors that customers can order by the wing. The restaurant also offers pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads and more.

April 27, 2017 // Worcester Telegram & Gazette 

Click here for full story.

April 24, 2017 // Franchising.com 

Chicken Wing Franchise expands with First Location in Massachusetts 

CHANDLER, AZ – Native Grill & Wings, an award-winning Arizona restaurant chain known for offering over 20 wing flavors that guests can order by the individual wing, has just opened its first Massachusetts location.

The new restaurant is located at 111 Sutton Avenue in Oxford and will be holding Grand Opening events on April 29 and 30. Company plans call for a four to six location expansion throughout the Boston Metro Area over the next three years.

“We are extremely excited to be the first location to enter the greater Boston market as the Native brand continues to expand nationally,” said Native Grill & Wings Franchise Owner Andy Colby. “We pride ourselves on using only quality ingredients, which sets us apart from your typical ‘sports grill,’ and our primary goal will always be to provide a welcoming environment for the whole family.”

Native Grill & Wings (or, “Native,” as the regulars call it) focuses on high-quality food and being a family-friendly environment, unlike competitors such as Hooters, Twin Peaks and Buffalo Wild Wings. The polished sports grill proudly offers over 20 wing flavors – from Strawberry Hot to Ancho Chile Lime, Asian Garlic to Honey Chipotle – that guests can order by the individual wing, as well as an extensive menu of pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Most of the sauces and rubs can be used to customize other menu items.

“Native is thrilled to welcome Andy to the team, and I am confident that he will make our first foray into the East Coast successful,” said CEO Dan Chaon. “We’re incredibly pleased with the acclaim we’ve received in Arizona over the past few years, and are excited to see the same following and recognition in Massachusetts.”

The restaurants are divided into a bar and restaurant, with approximately 30-40 flat screen TVs throughout, offering sports coverage for families and serious fans, and a customer base spanning all generations – baby boomers, Generation Xers and Millennials.

March 3, 2017 // Idaho Statesman

If your bracket is still rocking during the Final Four, you’ll have a new hot spot to watch the NCAA Tournament.

Native Grill & Wings is scheduled to open Monday, March 27, at 7700 W. State St. in Boise. It’s the latest restaurant to appear in the mixed-use North Pointe development across the street from Wal-Mart. Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Smashburger recently opened there. Black Bear Diner is on the way.

This will be the first Native Grill & Wings in Boise for the Phoenix-area franchise, but not in the Treasure Valley. A Native Grill & Wings opened in October at 16808 N. Marketplace Blvd. in Nampa.

Native Grill & Wings has about three dozen locations, mostly in Arizona. It’s similar to sports bar franchise Buffalo Wild Wings, which has a location in Downtown Boise and in Meridian.

Will Native Grill will be on par with Buffalo Wild Wings — or even raise the sports bar?

Buffalo Wild Wings made a concerted effort to appeal to beer geeks when it opened Downtown last August — with 30 brews on tap including local choices. It’s unclear whether Native Grill will similarly beer-geared. But Native Grill’s food menu has a bit more variety. There are 21 wing flavors. (A couple have been added since the ad below was made.) There also are non-wing options: pizzas, calzones, burgers, sandwiches, fish and salads. Native Grill also has gluten-friendly and kids menus.

Established in 1979 as Native New Yorker, Native Grill’s owners were supposedly “the first to bring wings to Arizona.” In 2014, the restaurant rebranded itself and started focusing on growth in states such as Idaho, Montana and Texas.

February 1, 2017 // Foodservice and Equipment Supplies Magazine

Delivery is proving to be the next revenue opportunity.

Native Grill & Wings

This 36-year-old casual-dining brand specializes in chicken wings. The menu of this Chandler, Ariz.-based concept also includes burgers, sandwiches and pizza. Steve Snyder, IT and systems manager, says Native Grill & Wings is in the “infantile stages” of online ordering and delivery. Even so, the 31-unit chain has already tracked increased business and anticipates hiring additional personnel to handle the volume.

Staff place food in hotboxes if there is any wait time between production and delivery. Delivery people pick up orders at the same station that handles takeout orders. After carefully reviewing the delivery menus of some of its larger competitors, Native decided to offer 100 percent of its dine-in menu for delivery.

Native uses an online ordering system dedicated to supporting chain restaurants. When a consumer orders from the restaurant’s menu, the online system immediately sends a communication to delivery vehicles in the area. When the system locates an approved driver, the consumer receives a message that outlines delivery time and pricing and asks for confirmation.

Snyder says, “The challenge was that third-party delivery systems represent the customer, not the restaurant.” With this system, though, customers order directly through the Native app, allowing the chain to retain control over customer loyalty and the customer experience.

Reducing time to launch

February 14, 2017 // Restaurant Business Magazine

The menu development team for sports bar chain Native Grill & Wings sets a date for a new menu rollout and then works backward, setting deadlines and using a spreadsheet to track progress, says Marketing Manager Cynthia Velasco. For example, new breakfast-inspired items such as the hangover burger (topped with bacon, hash browns and a fried egg) that debuted on a fall menu update were in the works for three to four months prior.

The spreadsheet outlines timing for each step, such as time for research and development and consulting with franchisees on pricing, two weeks for menu design, two days for photo shoots, and then updating spec sheets of the new menu to go to the printer.

In addition to representatives from operations, training, marketing, procurement and a franchisee advisory group, Native Grill’s menu development team also includes someone from the information technology group. That way, the tech team can start making adjustments earlier to the POS system as well as online ordering, delivery and the restaurant’s mobile app.

February 3, 2017 // SA Live // San Antonio, TX

Thanks to Native Grill & Wings for providing the materials for this epic wing eating throwdown!