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Wingstop has not been shy about its plans to become a digitally driven company. The company has repeatedly stated its mission to “digitize every transaction” and digital initiatives are a regular talking point for CEO Charlie Morrison.
But the results speak for themselves.
In the past year, 36% of domestic systemwide sales came from the brand’s digital channels. The company expanded delivery access from 30% of stores at the end of 2018 to more than 80% of stores at the end of 2019. Same-store sales were up 12.3% in the latest quarter, driven in large part by digital transactions.
In the last year introduced a customized online ordering and mobile app offering what Morrison called a “slick user interface.” Driving digital transactions is particularly important as they are $5 higher on average than other types of orders, the company has said.
Morrison said he expects Wingstop digital sales to grow “well beyond” 50% of total sales in the next several years, with the ultimate goal being for all transactions to have a digital component.
Industry observers say the brand’s ambitions are bold but not unrealistic.
“Digital remains a growth engine for [the] brand,” analyst Andy Barish of Jefferies said a note last year, adding that Wingstop’s goal to digitize all of its transactions is “not out of reach.”
Contact Christi Ravneberg at [email protected]
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