Wingstop’s plan to reach 10,000 restaurants:
3 Min Read
Digital sales now represent over 71% of systemwide sales at Wingstop.Courtesy of Wingstop
Since adopting a digital-first strategy in 2021, Wingstop has become a case study in developing and scaling proprietary technology across a massive restaurant system.
The stack includes enhanced digital ordering platforms, technology-enabled kitchen operations, and data analytics to drive menu decisions and more personalized customer interactions, and it’s made its way across the chain’s more than 3,200 locations across more than 45 countries.
The results are striking: Digital sales now represent over 71% of systemwide sales. And with the recent launches of its AI-enabled Smart Kitchen operating system and the debut of its Club Wingstop loyalty program, momentum has accelerated even more. Since the Smart Kitchen rollout in 2025, average wait times have declined by about 50%, for instance, while speed of service, order accuracy, and digital customer satisfaction scores have also improved significantly.
“Smart Kitchen has [created] an operational transformation I’m not aware of another restaurant brand achieving at this scale,” said CEO and President Michael Skipworth. “We are already seeing meaningful operational improvement, particularly during our busiest dinner dayparts. This progress reinforces our confidence in the initiatives underway and the significant opportunity ahead.”
Meanwhile, Club Wingstop, introduced in May, builds on that foundation and has already exceeded internal expectations for guest retention, check sizes, and engagement. Enrollments are also pacing 22% above internal targets. Skipworth said the program has been Wingstop’s biggest guest-facing digital milestone, providing a platform to “build deeper relationships with our fans through exclusive access to flavors and members-only experiences, and points, personalization, group ordering, and points sharing.”
These platforms are part of a much larger integrated digital ecosystem that also includes features like Order Tracker. With a consumer database now exceeding 60 million customers, Wingstop can pull learnings about which systems are yielding the best results and translate them into new markets.
Kiosks illustrate this test-and-scale approach; introduced in Paris last year, they now represent a majority of in-store orders. The company learned that the kiosks create a communal, discovery-oriented experience for younger guests in particular, who explore the menu together without feeling rushed at the counter. On average, kiosk guests spend approximately 50% more time building their orders than ordering at the counter, and they spend more money, too. Based on those learnings, Wingstop expanded them into Ireland, the Netherlands, and Italy. Also, in Singapore, Wingstop offers QR code ordering, while the click-and-collect model in the U.S. is also being introduced across several international markets.
“Insights from digital ordering, restaurant operations, and loyalty engagement can help us identify opportunities, test new capabilities, and apply relevant learnings across markets,” Skipworth said.
It’s no wonder Skipworth calls Wingstop a technology company that just happens to serve chicken wings. Its tech investments have improved how guests across the world “discover, order, and experience Wingstop while creating a scalable foundation for continued growth.”
“Our technology strategy connects the digital and restaurant experiences — from our app and online ordering platform to Wingstop Smart Kitchen, and the digital capabilities that support Club Wingstop,” he said. “Wingstop begins all tech innovation with the needs of our guests, team members, and brand partners, and builds solutions that can create measurable impact across the system.”
Now that the company’s digital ecosystem is established, Skipworth said the next step is to continue scaling the technology as Wingstop aims to reach 10,000 restaurants worldwide.
“We know the core occasion we are uniquely positioned to win, and … technology is an important growth enabler because it can create value across the entire Wingstop ecosystem, from path to purchase to delivery,” he said.
As Wingstop aspires to expand globally, the company expects its pace of digital innovation to continue ramping up with a focus on removing friction, further personalizing customers’ experiences, and making the chain “even easier to access.”
“We’ll continue to test and scale technology that improves the guest experience, simplifies restaurant operations, and strengthens returns for brand partners,” Skipworth said. “We’re working closely with our partners to understand the art of the possible.”
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