THE
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F F R A N C H I S E B U S I N E S S S E R V I C E S | 2022 ISSUE 3
Buffalo Wild Wings GO:
A QSR Take on a Beloved Brand
PAGE 18
Experienced franchisees
Experienced franchisees
dive into the meaning
dive into the meaning
of company culture.
of company culture.
PAGE 16
Experienced franchisees
Experienced franchisees
dive into the meaning
dive into the meaning
of company culture.
of company culture.
McLane Foodservice ofers its sincere gratitude to the
BUFFALO WILD WINGS franchisees for their years
of partnership and success in growing together.
© 2021 McLane Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
PROUD TO BE YOUR
WINGMAN SINCE 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FBS Board of Directors
James Bitzonis
Chairman
Roz Mallet
Vice Chairman
Steve Grube
Secretary/Treasurer
Wray Hutchinson
Chairman Emeritus
Mark Jones
Director
Jenny Beaudoin
Director
Brian Carmody
Director
Bobby Pancake
Director
Larry Podlogar
Director
Ed Lynn
Director
Christy Williams
Executive Director
FBS Editorial Board
Rachel Jackson
Editor-in-Chief
rachelj@myfbsonline.org
Allison McCallum
Managing Editor
allisonm@myfbsonline.org
Jared Johnsen
Managing Editor
jaredj@myfbsonline.org
Advertising Sales
Jeff Reynolds
Director of Business Partner Relations
jeffr@myfbsonline.org
678-797-5163
Christy Rowan
Vendor Sales & Development Manager
christyr@myfbsonline.org
678-439-2284
Design and Layout
Kristen Thomas
KT Graphic Design
ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com
Headquarters
1701 Barrett Lakes Blvd. NW
Suite 180
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone: 678-797-5161
Fax: 678-797-5171
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Copyright© 2022
Printed in the U.S.A.
www.myfbsonline.org
ON THE COVER
The AZ Wings Management team is all smiles. Bill and
Gayle Schmidt champion company culture at their
sports bar, and it shows. For more on how they and
other franchisees strategize to accomplish this, see
page 16.
COLUMNS
2
Chairman’s Column
DEPARTMENTS
4
FBS Member News
12 Meet the New Chairman
13 One Topic: 10 Facts
15 Look, Listen, Read
FEATURES
8
The Jones Group Delivers Fun and Excitement for Kids in
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
14 Spotlight on the 117th Congress: Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA-48)
16 Company Culture and Your Business
by Allison McCallum, FBS Managing Editor
18 Buffalo Wild Wings GO: A QSR Take on a Beloved Brand
by Jared Johnsen, FBS Managing Editor
20 The Actions of Leadership: Meet Situations as They Arise
by Dan Coughlin, The Coughlin Co.
22 Trying to Be Funny? Watch Out!
by Douglas H. Duerr, Elarbee Thompson Sapp and Wilson LLP
24 Should Your Organization Offer Earned Wage Access?
by Stacy Smith, Mize CPAs Inc.
26 FAQs About Business Insurance
contributed by Lockton Cos.
28 The Experience of Great Customer Service
by Dennis and Danny Snow, Snow & Associates Inc.
31 True Performance: Five Ways to Avoid Fake Productivity
by Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®
DIRECTORIES
10 Associate Member Listing
32 Advertisers Guide and Editorial Calendar
2022 Issue 3
2022 Issue 3
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THESCORE
Letter From the Chairman
We all know that employee retention
is a critical component of your HR plan.
At RSQ Foods LLC (formerly Four M
Franchising), we are very blessed to have
some fantastic managerial employees,
many who came to us as hourlies or
started as shift leaders and were deserv-
edly promoted to assistant managers.
Every year, we hold an assistant manager
outing to celebrate them in a fun
environment. Tis year we will spend the
day at the Captain Lawrence brewery.
Te general managers will be holding
down the forts on this date, and as I
look at our AM roster, the tenure of
many of our assistant management staf
truly amazes me. Teir dedication and
loyalty to our company and the brand
is top shelf! We have more than half
of the team with over 12 years tenure!
Tis is truly an incredible fact in today’s
work culture/environment, and we
are extremely grateful and proud of
them. Tey embody the core principles
of B-Dubs: Hustle, Sportsmanship,
Community, Spontaneity and Fun. We
must be doing something right! I hope
you take a moment to refect on your
key employees and their dedication
to your company, and don’t forget
to celebrate them; they will be very
appreciative, as will your HR team.
Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed
Tanksgiving! Until next time... S
s we look to close out another
tumultuous year in the restaurant
business, it is so important to
appreciate your employees and recognize
their achievements.
Their dedication
and loyalty to our
company and the
brand is top shelf!
We have more than
half of the team with
over 12 years tenure!
Wishing you all a
wonderful and blessed
Thanksgiving!
Jim Bitzonis
FBS Chairman
2022 Issue 3
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THESCORE
n 2017, the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services declared
the opioid epidemic in the U.S. a public
health emergency.
With Delaware having more than
double the national average of opioid
overdose deaths in the U.S., Lori Ewald,
director of human resources and marketing
for High 5 Hospitality, wanted to act to
keep the company’s staf and customers safe.
On June 23, the Delaware
Department of Health and Social Services
partnered with High 5 Hospitality to train
staf on the signs of an opioid overdose, the
administration of Narcan and procedures
in case this situation were to happen in a
Bufalo Wild Wings® sports bar.
Held at Bufalo Wild Wings No. 3831
in Christiana, Delaware, the sports bar’s
team members and High 5 Hospitality
administrative staf were involved in this
event. Te training was 15 minutes and
optional.
Narcan is an emergency medication
used to help reverse the efects of opioids
in case of an overdose. Eighteen kits
containing two Narcan cartridges and
fentanyl-testing strips were distributed.
Employees were taught how to administer
the medications efectively and how to
give rescue breaths in case someone’s heart
stopped.
Tose who attended the event were
very receptive to the training. Many of the
staf found a common ground knowing
people who are addicted to, or have died,
from opioids.
High 5 Hospitality hopes to train
staf at each of its sports bars on the
importance of Narcan administration.
Te company wants to keep its guests and
employees from becoming a statistic in
the opioid epidemic.
“Te restaurant industry is second to
the construction industry for substance
abuse,” said Ewald. “We do not condone
the use of drugs. We are just trying to save
a life.” S
MEMBER NEWS
rube Inc. Bufalo Wild Wings® sports
bar in Bridgeport, West Virginia,
hosted a fundraiser for Te United Way
of Harrison and Doddridge Counties,
featuring a wing-eating contest and a
dunk tank.
On Aug. 14, sports bar No. 3380
hosted the 14th Annual Hot Wing Eating
Contest Fundraiser. BWW® donated staf,
over 1,000 hot wings and a venue to
make the event a success.
Te wing eating contest was a compe-
tition to see who could eat the most wings
and raise the most money. With a $20
entry fee, contestants had eight minutes
to eat as many hot wings as possible
without the use of a beverage. Teams had
the opportunity to be sponsored by local
organizations to raise money. With 33
participants, the contest ended with the
victor eating an impressive 26 wings.
Tis year’s fundraiser was the debut
of the dunk tank, where attendees would
pay to submerge a volunteer in cold
water. Te volunteer in the dunk tank
would change every hour, including
notable fgures such as mayor of
Bridgeport, Andy Lang.
Te event was incredibly successful,
with the attendance of 300-plus people
and over $103,000 donated to United
Way. Te event also drove restaurant sales
up 20% the day of the event. Jason Mike,
Grube Inc. BWW regional manager,
wants to continue to grow the event with
more additions to increase engagement.
“Tis is a great event out of
COVID-19 because a year and a half ago,
we didn’t know if we were going to be
able to do an event like this,” Mike said.
“It was great to see everyone together and
happy again.” S
United Way Spices Up Fundraiser
With BWW Wing Eating Contest
Wing-eating contest competitors trying to
out eat one another.
High 5 Hospitality Sports Bar
Trains for Narcan Administration
Buttons were given to those who partici-
pated in the training.
Members of the Delaware Department of
Health and Social Services train Buffalo
Wild Wings staff on the use of Narcan.
THESCORE |
2022 Issue 3
O
ne of RSQ Foods LLC’s Bufalo Wild
Wings® recently served attendees at
the Rock White Plains concert in White
Plains, New York.
On July 26, sports bar No. 3405
set up a tabletop concession for concert
attendees to buy boneless wings of two
varieties: mild and honey BBQ. Closing
of the street, Rock White Plains lasted
three hours, with American rock band the
Spin Doctors performing as the headliner
and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds as
the opener.
Te venue hosted 2,000 people.
“It was a great time,” said White Plains
BWW® General Manager, Donald Vitolo.
“People really enjoyed everything.”
Te concert was one of many events
sports bar No. 3405 has catered. It has
also participated in the Downtown White
Plains Wing Walk, a sampling event
showcasing the area’s wings.
Rock White Plains is being planned
for next year, and the RSQ Foods LLC
sports bar intends to cater it again. S
MEMBER NEWS
EVENT CALENDAR
BWW Franchise Sells Boneless
Wings at Spin Doctors Concert
Store No. 3405 set up a tabletop to sell
boneless wings to concert attendees.
The opening band, Sister Sparrow and the
Dirty Birds, performs.
n Sept. 13, Bufalo Wild Wings®
franchise RSQ Foods LLC opened
sports bar No. 3939 at the Shops at
Nanuet in Nanuet, New York.
Te sports bar had a soft opening to
acclimate the new staf. Tis location was
previously located at the Palisades Mall
in Nyack, New York. Due to its trouble-
some placement in the mall, franchisee
and FBS Chairman, Jim Bitzonis,
decided to relocate this BWW® when the
lease expired.
“It was on the fourth foor of a very
large mall,” Bitzonis said. “It was too
far and difcult for third-party delivery
drivers to pick up orders. Te location
made it hard to take advantage of
of-premises business.”
Te relocated sports bar served
promise during its development, with
a lower cost to build than remodeling
the old location. With the previous
renters being restaurant owners, the new
location came with a generous amount of
restaurant equipment.
“So far, it’s a win-win situation with
cheaper rent and double the takeout
orders,” Bitzonis said.
Tis sports bar takes the center stage
model featuring a bar that has windows
that open to the outside dining area. It
comes custom with all new audio-visual
equipment and memorabilia.
Bitzonis’ goal with this sports bar is
simple: an increase in sales and a better
experience for the customer.
“I love the location it is in,” Bitzonis
said. “Our numbers are already prom-
ising, and I am very excited to see what
this sports bar can do.” S
RSQ Foods LLC Celebrates Sports
Bar Relocation to Nanuet
The staff of the Nanuet BWW celebrating
the grand reopening.
FBS Summit
April 17-20, 2023
Marriott Resort Sawgrass
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
2022 Issue 3
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THESCORE
MEMBER NEWS
We want to highlight your company’s achievements (employee promotions, new hires, employee or restaurant
anniversaries and sales records). To submit information for Member News, complete the online submission form at
www.myfbsonline.org/submissions, email communications@myfbsonline.org or call 678-797-5161.
A
Grube Inc.-owned Bufalo Wild
Wings® sports bar scored funds
for Wilmington High School in
Wilmington, Ohio.
On Aug. 15, sports bar No. 3153
raised a little under $500 for the high
school by holding a spirit night. Te
event was a part of the Eat Wings, Raise
Funds program, an initiative to raise
money for organizations in the commu-
nity by donating a portion of sales
from a specifc time frame on a night of
restaurant service.
Te BWW® shined with the
school’s colors with decorations, a
balloon archway and the staf sporting
Wilmington Hurricane gear.
With the attendance of
football players, families and Wilmington
Hurricane fans, the sports bar roared
with excitement for the team. Activities
included a wing-eating contest and
interviews with the new head coach and
players.
“It was just a fun time,” said
Grube Inc. Marketing Shift Lead,
Tresa Back. “Tis was our frst event
post-COVID-19. I was happy to see the
football players excited about the season.”
Back said community outreach is
a priority initiative for the company,
which ofers to host high schools and
nonprofts regularly. With the success of
the event, Grube Inc. and Wilmington
High School will work together again in
the future. S
BWW Sports Bar Kicks Off High School
Football Season With Fundraiser
The staff at sports bar No. 3153 sporting
Wilmington Hurricane gears.
he Franchise Business Services
(FBS) Franchisee Advisory
Council (FAC) met on Sept. 13,
at Inspire Brand’s headquarters in
Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss the
current state of the brand and to
plan ahead for the upcoming year.
Among BWW® leaders,
members of the FAC that
attended this meeting were FBS
Chairman Jim Bitzonis, FBS Vice
Chairman Roz Mallet, Former
FBS Chairman Wray Hutchinson,
Jenny Beaudoin, Bobby Pancake
and Mark Jones.
Te topics reviewed were: Blazin’
rewards, complimentary dishes to guests
and fraud, reversals, fnancial perfor-
mance, the afects of infation and costs
of goods and of-premises perfor-
mance. Current technologies
like the handheld servers were
discussed, as well as FreedomPay
issues, constraints of the system,
purchasing strategies, marketing,
limited-time ofer performance,
how to return lapsed guests and
the introduction of new sauces.
Attendees also had the
opportunity to sample potential
menu items that could reach
sports bars in 2023.
Te FAC plans to meet
quarterly in person as they did before the
COVID-19 pandemic. S
The FBS FAC Talks Business at
Inspire Brand’s Headquarters
The FBS Franchisee Advisory Council (FAC) meeting with
BWW representatives at Inspire Brand’s headquarters.
THESCORE |
2022 Issue 3
DATE
SAVE THE
2 0 2 3
F B S
S U M M I T
S a w g r a s s M a r r i o t t G o l f
R e s o r t a n d S p a
P o n t e V e d r a B e a c h ,
F l o r i d a
APRIL
17-20
2023
2022 Issue 3
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THESCORE
n July 29, DeMarcus Beasley, former American
professional soccer player, hosted a soccer clinic for
the Foster Park Boys & Girls Club. Te day was
flled with celebration, with the highlight of the day being
a $20,000 donation from the BWW® Foundation that will
be used to rebuild the Foster Park Boys & Girls Club sports
program.
Director of Operations, Ed Minnich of Jones Group,
was ecstatic to participate since this Boys and Girls Club is
the very one he grew up attending daily.
“I knew I needed to be involved and give back in any
way to help the kiddos,” Minnich said.
Te October Team Up for Kids Campaign provides a
turnkey way for franchisees to support local youth nonprofts
in their community. Contact Catherine Stranberg at
cstranberg@inspirebrands.com to learn more. S
The Jones Group Delivers
for Kids in Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Fun & Excitement
Fun & Excitement
2022 Issue 3
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THESCORE