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 4
Yearsof
Buffalo Wild Wings
40
40Years
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
Jenny Beaudoin
Director
Brian Carmody
Director
Mark Jones
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
Communications Editor
allisonm@myfbsonline.org
Jared Johnsen
Communications Specialist
jaredj@myfbsonline.org
Advertising Sales
Jeff Reynolds
Director of Business Partner Relations
jeffr@myfbsonline.org
678-797-5163
Christy Rowan
Vendor Sales and Development Manager
christyr@myfbsonline.org
678-439-2284
Design and Layout
Kristen Thomas
KT Graphic Design
ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com
Headquarters
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Suite 180
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone: 678-797-5161
Fax: 678-797-5171
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ON THE COVER
We’re celebrating 40 years of Buffalo Wild Wings®!
The look of the restaurant and menu may have
changed over the years, but the spirit of camaraderie
has remained the same. Turn to page 16 for an
in-depth look at the history of BWW®.
COLUMNS
2
Chairman’s Column
DEPARTMENTS
4
FBS Member News
6
Recognitions
8
Franchisee Spotlight
9
One Topic: 10 Facts
15 Look, Listen, Read
FEATURES
12 Buffalo Wild Wings Celebrates Record-Breaking Results in
Team Up For Kids Fundraiser
14 Spotlight on the 117th Congress: Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI-7)
16 40 Years of Buffalo Wild Wings
by Allison McCallum, FBS Communications Editor
23 The Actions of Leadership: Reinvigorate Yourself
by Dan Coughlin, The Coughlin Co.
25 I.T. Pain Points Slowing You Down?
contributed by Retail Tech Inc.
26 Don’t Get Burned by Pay Transparency
by Douglas H. Duerr, Elarbee Thompson Sapp and Wilson LLP
28 Preventing Fraud From the Counter to the Computer
contributed by Mize CPAs
30 Employment Practices Claims and Your Franchise
contributed by Lockton Cos.
32 The Customer Is Not Always Right
by Dennis Snow, Snow & Associates Inc.
34 What’s Next? Four Productivity Predictions for 2023
by Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®
DIRECTORIES
10 Associate Member Listing
36 Advertisers Guide and Editorial Calendar
Letter From the Chairman
Weck, by the way, is a roast beef
sandwich on a roll that is very popular in
Bufalo. I’m told that weck was dropped
of the name and menu in 1998, and
there was a three-year transition for
everyone to change out the logo. We
became franchisees in 2004 and missed
all that excitement. It has been an incred-
ible journey thus far, and you cannot
deny that time surely fies!
For this chairman’s column, instead
of doing a historical chronology, I’m
going to focus on the future and not the
past. We are going to look forward and
not back. Tere are lots of good quotes
on not looking back, like “Don’t look
back. Something might be gaining on
you,” and “Te only times you should
ever look back is to see how far you’ve
come.” So, let’s celebrate our accomplish-
ments and move on to new adventures
and opportunities!
In that regard, I wonder what the
restaurant industry will look like 40
years from now. I would think that there
will always be fancy white tablecloth
restaurants to preserve the dining experi-
ence we have known all our lives. But
what about casual dining? What about
B-Dubs? Let your imagination wander
… Remember the Jetsons?
We know at BWW that tech-
nology is important for many reasons.
But will it completely change the way
we serve our guests 40 years from now?
We will be testing the “Choice” model
in 2023, and I can’t help but think that
there will be no going back after that.
Te Choice model is where the guest
chooses to have a server or to order them-
selves via a tablet on the table. Many of
our guests prefer the use of technology.
We have learned from the pandemic that
behaviors have changed forever. Most
guests choose to use technology to order
their takeout and delivery meals rather
than making a phone call and ordering. I
certainly do. Why is that? Well, number
one, it is simpler. Two, I don’t have to
wait on hold, speak to someone who is
rude or have that human possibly mess
up my dinner. Tree, I don’t want to give
my credit card number over the phone.
Four, I’m in control. Tat is all appealing
to me, but I am not our target customer.
What about the youth of today? Do they
place takeout or delivery orders via phone
calls? I think we all know the obvious
answer to that! Tey have grown up in
this technology boom and are extremely
comfortable with it, and that’s not going
to change. So, what will BWW look like
in 40 years? Will we even have servers?
Food runners or robots? What about
cooks? We know that Inspire Brands,
along with many other companies, is
doing research on Flippy the Robot
Cook. Check out Miso Robotics to learn
more. When will Flippy appear in a
BWW?
What about bartenders? Will guests
crave the human interaction or prefer to
stare at their mobile devices? Fear not you
unsocial folks because Tipsy the Robot
will make your drink perfectly every time!
And Tipsy doesn’t ever complain or need
a break! Or overpour … Two Tipsy robots
can make up to 120 custom drinks per
hour! Next time you’re in Las Vegas, in
the Planet Hollywood Miracle Mile shops
or at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the
Venetian, check out Tipsy or go to the
Tipsy website to learn more.
We are in for lots of change ahead,
and we can choose to embrace it or not. I
aim to celebrate our past and engage in our
future. Will you? Only time will tell. S
t’s been 40 years since BWW’s®
beginning – Buffalo Wild Wings and
Weck®, aka bw-3.
Jim Bitzonis
FBS Chairman
2022 Issue 4
|
THESCORE
678.797.5160 | memberservices@elevanta.com | elevantahealth.com/fbs | www.elevanta.com
Not all heroes
wear capes,
some have
wings.
PROVIDE THEM WITH GREAT HEALTH CARE OPTIONS
SINGLE-DIGIT RATE INCREASE OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS
UTILIZES THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD NETWORK
(NATION’S LARGEST PROVIDER)
heroes
Your employees are your
2022 Issue 4
|
THESCORE
n Sept. 14, Bufalo Wild Wings®
sports bar No. 3689 in Temecula,
California, hosted its Inaugural Charity
Golf Tournament at the Pechanga Resort.
Te store already sponsors around
eight to 10 golf tournaments a year for
other charities, so a few team members
thought they might want to give it a try
themselves. Te idea was spearheaded
by Operating Partner Quentin Murphy,
General Manager Pablo Ortega and lead
WCT Jared Lardeur — all of whom are
avid golfers.
“We were playing in a charity tour-
nament when we decided that we have
the resources to do our own. We have the
vendors, sponsors and most importantly,
we have relationships with local golfers to
fll it, so why not host our own?” Murphy
said about the conception of the event.
“We began gauging interest with our
regulars, and it became obvious that there
was overwhelming support for the event,”
he continued.
Murphy said the hardest part was
that they only gave themselves three
months to prepare for and organize the
event. Tey managed to sign up 148
golfers, get beer and food sponsors, get
all of the event prizes and organize the
national anthem singer and photographer
— all in that short span of time.
Luckily, he said, “We tapped into all
the relationships we made throughout our
Bufalo careers and help came quickly!”
Te day of the event went smoothly
with overwhelming enthusiasm from
everyone in attendance. After the round
was over, the golfers went back to the
Temecula sports bar for the awards
ceremony which featured a wing bufet,
rafes and a silent auction.
All in all, the sports bar raised a
total of $5,013.55 for the Bufalo Wild
Wings Foundation. It was such a success
that they are now planning to host two
tournaments a year, one in March and
one in September.
“We plan on crushing the $5,013
we donated this time for future events,”
Murphy said. “We met our $5,000 goal,
now it’s time to raise the bar!” S
MEMBER NEWS
n Oct. 19, High Five Hospitality
(H5H) general managers attended
the Violent Intruder Preparedness &
Response Training led by Detective Dan
Blomquist from the Delaware State
Police.
Te training is meant to increase
situational awareness to active shooter
events and domestic terror threats,
including pre-attack behaviors to mitigate
acts of targeted violence and increase
survivability rates and reduce casualty
counts during crises. Te overarching
goal of the training is to encourage
organizations to develop preparedness
and emergency response plans that can be
used under conditions of extreme stress,
confusion and violence with limited
information.
Lori Ewald, H5H director of human
resources, commented, “I feel fortunate
to work with a leader and an organization
who welcomes forward thinking and isn't
afraid to face the sometimes ugly and
scary sides of reality. Instead of fearing
these situations, we operate from a place
of education and knowledge.”
Ewald added that the training was
well received, and H5H received many
thanks for providing the training.
Bobby Pancake coined Detective
Blomquist with one of the H5H Serve
coins after the presentation. S
High Five Hospitality Hosts Expert
for Active Shooter Training
Detective Dan Blomquist shares the
training goals with attendees.
Temecula Buffalo Wild Wings Hosts
Inaugural Charity Golf Tournament
Jared Lardeur (BWW WCT), Tony Lalani,
Pinal Sitaram (Franchisee), Pablo Ortega
(GM), JP Saar, Quentin Murphy (Operating
Partner), Ryan McCulloch and Jason Dugan
at the Journey course on Pechanga Resort.
THESCORE |
2022 Issue 4
MEMBER NEWS
o one knows competition better
than Bufalo Wild Wings® team
members. It’s what the BWW® values
– hustle, sportsmanship, spontaneity,
community and fun – are built upon, and
there’s no better representation than when
BWW teams from across the country
put them into play at the annual Blazin’
Games presented by Pepsi.
On Oct. 8, the Blazin’ Games top 10
teams went head-to-head at the Bufalo
Wild Wings convention in Nashville,
Tennessee. Te diferent rounds included
a knowledge bowl, culinary competition
and cocktail competition on the main-
stage. In preparation, each team received
one-on-one coaching sessions with brand
and industry experts, like Bufalo Wild
Wings Vice President of Brand Menu &
Culinary, Jamie Carawan, and Director
of Beverage Strategy & Innovation, Jason
Murphy.
Established in 2021, the Blazin’
Games is a nine-month competition
where Bufalo Wild Wings sports bar
teams from all over the country compete
to prove themselves as the ultimate
Blazin’ Games champion. Tis year,
nearly 1,200 teams competed in four
rounds testing their training, knowledge
and execution, with a focus on learning.
As part of the frst two rounds, sports
bars earned points based on a series of
metrics that tap into learning and the
guest experience. Te top 50 teams then
received an in-sports bar visit, assessing
how the teams work together across
service, food production, bar skills, food
safety, teamwork and the guest experience.
Te 10 teams with the highest
number of points advanced to the
fnal round at the Bufalo Wild Wings
Convention. S
Blazin’ Games 2022 Heats Up at
the Buffalo Wild Wings Convention
The Patton Wings team accepts their award
as the 2022 Blazin’ Games champion.
oz Mallet, Franchise Business Services
(FBS) vice chairman, won the 2022
Founders’ Award at the Bufalo Wild
Wings® virtual conference on Oct. 11. Te
award is given each year to a franchisee
who shows the same spirit, commitment
and passion for the Bufalo Wild Wings
brand as founders Jim Disbrow and Scott
Lowery.
Mallet started her journey with the
brand in 2010 because she knew it was a
popular concept with a lot to ofer. “It’s
more than just food and drink,” Mallet
said. “It’s an experience.”
Over time, she joined FBS and the
Franchisee Advisory Council to further
her impact on the system. Since 2010,
Mallet has opened four BWW® locations
as well as six more restaurants comprised
of four other concepts.
“To me, this award is confrmation
of the efectiveness of my involvement
in the brand. My goal is to make an
impact on the system; I don’t want to
be a franchisee that doesn’t participate
in the future of the brand. I want to
show other franchisees how they can
contribute more of their time to making
the brand stronger. Winning this award
shows me that my impact is recognized,”
Mallet said.
“Since we weren’t together in-person
for the awards,
I read on screen
that I won. My
frst thought was
all the stories
I’ve heard about
the founders and
why they created
Bufalo Wild
Wings. For me to
be recognized as someone who carries on
that culture of passion for the business …
that was terrifc.”
FBS also congratulates Bobby
Kramer and Jim Womac for winning the
Franchisee of the Year Award for 2022. S
Roz Mallet Wins 2022 Founders’ Award
This year’s winners are:
Knowledge Bowl:
Gold: Amira Fox – Lake Orion, Michigan,
No. 3204, Patton Wings
Silver: Ryan McNulty – Pewaukee,
Wisconsin, No. 209
Bronze: Sarah Ivory – Saginaw, Michigan,
No. 3521, Patton Wings
Beverage Finals:
Gold: Desiree Oreaboe – Gilbert, Arizona,
No. 3184, AZ Wings
Silver: Kristen Brock – Dearborn,
Michigan, No. 3303, JWRW Corp.
Bronze: Tori Girdner – Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia, No. 649
Culinary Finals:
Gold: Steven Rick and Catrina Phillips –
Saginaw, Michigan, No. 3521, Patton Wings
Silver: Brady Hendershott and Josh
Bombardo – Lake Orion, Michigan, No.
3204, Patton Wings
Bronze: David Laub and Jesse Whalen –
Pewaukee, Wisconsin, No. 209
Congratulations to Lake Orion,
Michigan, No. 3204, Patton Wings
for being crowned the 2022 Blazin’
Games champion!
Gold: Wing Leaders – Lake Orion,
Michigan, No. 3204, Patton Wings
Silver: Te Real Team Members of
Pewaukee – Pewaukee, Wisconsin, No. 209
Bronze: Saginaw Herd Hustlers – Saginaw,
Michigan, No. 3521, Patton Wings
2022 Issue 4
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THESCORE
n September, Janae “Nae” Moore and
Dionna Byrd both celebrated their
20-year anniversaries working for Bufalo
Wild Wings®, Fort Walton Beach,
Florida. Both are indispensable team
members of store No. 1226 who embody
the talent and culture that allows BWW®
to thrive.
Moore has spent her entire tenure
as the daytime bartender. Over the years,
she has developed a strong sense of
ownership for the bar, its guests and its
staf. Moore is dedicated to BWW and
goes above and beyond every day. She
is a senior example to the entire team
regarding what it takes to be the best.
Byrd started as a server, transitioned
to an evening bar server and fnally
became a bartender. Her no nonsense
demeanor always gets the job done, and
her passionate commitment to making
the brand excellent is second to none.
Always on her A-game, Byrd exemplifes
the ideal restaurant professional and hard
worker.
Together, these two are the dream
team of the Fort Walton Bufalo Wild
Wings! S
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 or
Recognitions, complete the online submission form at www.myfbsonline.org/submissions, email
communications@myfbsonline.org or call 678-797-5161.
EVENT CALENDAR
FBS Summit
April 17-20, 2023
Marriott Resort Sawgrass
Golf & Spa
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Janae Moore (left) and Dionna Byrd (right)
behind the bar at the Fort Walton Beach,
Florida, location.
The winners of the New England and
Connecticut Little League Championships.
Buck Hawk Inc. Celebrates
Janae Moore and Dionna Byrd
Buffalo Wild Wings
Celebrates Little
League Champions
n Oct. 17, RSQ Foods store
No. 504 in Milford, Connecticut,
hosted the winning team of the New
England and Connecticut Little League
Championships to celebrate their win
with a dinner provided by Bufalo Wild
Wings®. Te Milford team, coaches and
team family members came out to enjoy
the dinner. S
his fall, Bufalo Wild Wings® raised
$1.9 million through its Team Up for
Kids (TUFK) Campaign to deliver on its
mission to “fuel champions of the next
generation.” Te donations will beneft
the Bufalo Wild Wings Foundation
and support hundreds of organiza-
tions around the country. In Newark,
Delaware, High 5 Hospitality (H5H)
stores donated the funds they raise to the
Boys and Girls Club.
Ting Tao, H5H multiunit manager
and Boys and Girls Club of Newark
board member, said, “When speaking to
guests about TUFK, I have had numerous
people tell personal stories of them being
involved with the Boys and Girls Club
themselves. Many people in our state
are very aware of the Boys and Girls
Club and the impact they make on the
communities they serve. I also had staf
ask if [guests] would like to round up
their bill for TUFK. Any amount helps!”
H5H supports the organization in
other ways, including sitting on the board,
volunteering, sponsoring golf tournaments
and providing banners and other items the
club might need for events or their facilities.
Bobby Pancake, H5H franchisee, said,
“Te work that they [the Boys and Girls
Club] are doing to serve their communities
is nothing short of phenomenal. Tey are
committed to providing a safe place for
youth to learn, grow and to reach their full
potential as productive, responsible and
caring citizens.”
Team Up For Kids is an annual
fundraiser, so guests who missed out can
participate in 2023. Donations can be
made online year round at
foundation.bufalowildwings.com. S
High 5 Hospitality Supports
Boys and Girls Club
Local kids at the Greater Newark Boys and
Girls Club.
RECOGNITIONS
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2022 Issue 4
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2022 Issue 4
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FRANCHISEE SPOTLIGHT
Joshua
Theiss
Buck Hawk of Florida Inc.
and Solar Simians Inc.
How long have you been a franchisee, and how has your
franchise changed over the years?
I've been with B-Dubs 21 years. A lot has changed in that
time. When I frst opened in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the
brand was still counter service. We had twelve sauces, I think.
On Tuesdays, we sold wings for 30 cents each. Conferences
could be held in a single medium-sized room. Te restaurants
had T-111 wood paneled walls and wooden booths. Sometimes I
miss those days, but I realize how far the concept has come and
appreciate it for what it is now.
In your opinion, what stands out about the BWW® brand?
I believe our sauces are a diferentiator. Tey're craveable. I
think a well-run store can also stand out if it has a strong general
manager and a team with enough people committed to great
service and an executable plan.
Looking back, have you reached past business goals
you set (work/life balance for employees, higher
profitability and remodeling)?
Yes. I wanted to be a multi-unit franchisee, so I built a
second store, which was a goal. I stopped after that because I'm
a hands-on operator. At least that's what I tell myself! I have a
lot of long-time employees, some going on twenty years with
the company, so I believe I've achieved a great environment for
the team. I've never not made money, though proftability isn't
what it used to be since the pandemic. Both my stores are Stadia
remodeled, and I go Center Stage in 2025, which I'm looking
forward to completing, and I hope they're worth the expense.
Looking ahead, are there any new goals you have in mind?
I want to be a BWW franchisee for at least 40 years – to
know I dedicated my professional career to making a strong
brand even stronger. Building more stores is probably a no go at
this point, but I'm fne with that. I want to make sure the two
stores I do have remain successful for both my family and the
people working in them.
Describe your best recent business decision.
Raising wages. I found out what many of the other restau-
rants in my markets were paying employees and managers and
made sure I'm paying more and ofering better or equivalent
benefts. I want to attract and retain the best people. I've taken
a hit on the bottom line, but I think long-term viability trumps
short-term gain. I also believe lower turnover pays dividends.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge currently
facing franchisees?
Complexity. Running these restaurants, or any restaurant
for that matter, used to be simpler. Over the years, change has
added layers to operations, marketing and technology. We can't
lose our core fundamentals by chasing excess. Other challenges
are the costs of goods and supply chain. Te current govern-
ment administration in D.C. isn't helping small-business people
either.
What is the biggest industry change that you have seen
since you started?
I refer to the same answer I gave to the last question: complexity.
Tell us a little bit about your family.
My entire family is involved in the companies. My wife Julie
is general manager in Fort Walton Beach. She's my rock. My
sister is a business partner at the store in Panama City Beach.
My father's retired from 40 years in the restaurant business with
another concept, but he insists on staying busy, so he handles
the company payables even though he's 74. My son is a manager
with the company, too. His daughter, my granddaughter Harper,
is the shining light in my life though she'll share that light when
my niece arrives sometime this spring. Mom keeps us all sane.
We all love the beach, the ocean, great food, our friends and the
quieter times in our lives.
What is your favorite BWW wing sauce?
Caribbean Jerk. S
Joshua Theiss and his wife, Julie.
Number of restaurants: Two
States your restaurants operate in: Florida