Wingstop Opens 3,000th Restaurant, Showcasing Strength in Development

Rhea-AI Summary

Wingstop (NASDAQ: WING) opened its 3,000th restaurant globally on November 26, 2025, marking a major development milestone as the brand pursues a goal of >10,000 restaurants worldwide.

The company added nearly 800 restaurants and grew its global footprint by 50% in two years, entered six new markets (Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia and The Netherlands), and now operates in 47 U.S. states and 15 countries. Management highlights a record pipeline of sold restaurant commitments and says industry-leading cash-on-cash returns are driving expansion, with more than 70 brand partners expanding in the last quarter.

Positive

• 3,000 restaurants opened globally
• Nearly 800 restaurants added in two years
• Global footprint +50% in two years
• Entered 6 new markets: Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands
• Now in 47 U.S. states and 15 countries
• 70+ brand partners expanded in the last quarter

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-1.48%

1 alert

-1.48% News Effect

On the day this news was published, WING declined 1.48%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Total restaurants: 3,000 New restaurants: 800 Footprint growth: 50% +5 more

8 metrics

Total restaurants 3,000 Global restaurant count at milestone opening

New restaurants 800 Restaurants opened over the last two years

Footprint growth 50% Global footprint expansion over two years

U.S. states 47 States where Wingstop operates

Countries 15 Countries with Wingstop presence

New markets entered 6 Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands

Expanding brand partners 70+ Brand partners expanding footprint in the last quarter

Relative volume 1.37x Today’s volume vs. 20-day average before this news

Market Reality Check

Price: $270.73 Vol: Volume 1,035,179 is 1.37x...

normal vol

$270.73 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,035,179 is 1.37x the 20-day average of 752,946, indicating elevated trading interest ahead of this milestone news. normal

Technical Shares at 235.24 are trading below the 200-day MA of 279.67 and sit -39.39% below the 52-week high of 388.14, closer to the lower half of the 1-year range.

Peers on Argus

Sector peers showed mixed moves: CAVA -1.63% while EAT +3.3%, SHAK +2.19%, CAKE ...

Sector peers showed mixed moves: CAVA -1.63% while EAT +3.3%, SHAK +2.19%, CAKE +0.12%, and BROS +0.43%. With no peers in the momentum scanner and no same-day peer headlines, Wingstop’s milestone development news appears more stock-specific than part of a broad restaurant-sector move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Nov 26 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 26	Development milestone	Positive	-1.5%	Opened 3,000th restaurant and highlighted rapid global expansion pace.
Nov 13	Product launch	Positive	-2.6%	Introduced Fiery Lime limited-time flavor with branded tequila pairing.
Nov 04	Earnings results	Positive	+10.9%	Reported Q3 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth with record profitability.
Sep 30	Earnings schedule	Neutral	-0.1%	Announced date and access details for upcoming Q3 earnings release.
Sep 03	Product launch	Positive	+1.3%	Launched Smoky Chipotle Rub with promotional free wings offer.

Pattern Detected

Operational and marketing news has sometimes seen negative or modest reactions, while solid earnings results have aligned with stronger positive price moves.

Recent Company History

This announcement of the 3,000th restaurant follows a series of growth and brand-building updates. In early November, Wingstop reported Q3 2025 results with revenue of $175.7 million, 114 net new restaurants, and record $63.7 million Adjusted EBITDA, which saw a 10.86% positive reaction. By contrast, recent flavor launches like Fiery Lime and Smoky Chipotle Rub produced mixed, mostly modest share moves. The new milestone underscores continued unit expansion on top of that Q3 growth trajectory.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Wingstop’s rapid expansion to its 3,000th restaurant, adding nearly 800...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Wingstop’s rapid expansion to its 3,000th restaurant, adding nearly 800 units and expanding its global footprint by 50% in two years. The brand now spans 47 U.S. states and 15 countries, with more than 70 brand partners expanding recently, underscoring franchise appetite. In context of earlier Q3 results showing unit-driven growth, key metrics to watch include the pace of further openings, international market performance, and whether development returns remain at the “industry leading” levels management cites.

Key Terms

cash-on-cash returns

1 terms

cash-on-cash returns financial

"development momentum continues to be fueled by industry leading cash-on-cash returns"

A cash-on-cash return measures the annual cash income an investor receives from an investment divided by the actual cash they put in. Think of it like the yearly interest you get on the money you laid down — for a rental, it’s the yearly rent you pocket compared with your initial down payment. Investors use it to compare how much immediate cash a deal generates, since it ignores later price changes, tax effects and non-cash accounting items.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

DALLAS, Nov. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wingstop (NASDAQ: WING) today announced the opening of its 3,000^th restaurant globally – a significant milestone as the brand accelerates toward its vision of becoming a Top 10 Global Restaurant Brand with more than 10,000 restaurants worldwide.

Wingstop reached this milestone at a record pace, opening nearly 800 restaurants and expanding its global footprint by 50% in just two years. During this time, Wingstop entered six new markets: Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia and The Netherlands. Wingstop now operates in 47 U.S. states and 15 countries, and expects to soon open in Thailand, Italy and Ireland as the brand scales toward its bold long-term growth goals.

"With a record pipeline of sold restaurant commitments, Wingstop shows no sign of slowing down," said Wingstop's President & CEO, Michael Skipworth. "We've scaled from 2,000 to 3,000 restaurants in just over two years, with proven runway in our domestic and international businesses. This milestone demonstrates the strength of our brand, the whitespace ahead and the global craving for Wingstop's bold flavor."

Wingstop's development momentum continues to be fueled by industry leading cash-on-cash returns and strong interest from existing franchisees, with more than 70 brand partners expanding their Wingstop footprint in the last quarter alone.

About Wingstop
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, TX, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: WING) operates and franchises more than 3,000 restaurants worldwide – with 98% of the total restaurant count owned by brand partners. Dedicated to Serving the World Flavor, the Flavor Experts offer cooked-to-order and hand sauced-and-tossed classic and boneless wings, tenders and chicken sandwiches, in fans' choice of 12 bold, distinctive flavors, with signature sides and iconic housemade ranch and bleu cheese dips. With approximately $5 billion in system-wide sales in fiscal 2024, 21 consecutive years of same-store sales growth and a vision to become a Top 10 Global Restaurant Brand, Wingstop was recently named the Official Chicken Partner of the NBA. Learn more at wingstop.com or follow @Wingstop on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Media Contact
Maddie Lupori
media@wingstop.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wingstop-opens-3-000th-restaurant-showcasing-strength-in-development-302626387.html

SOURCE Wingstop Restaurants Inc.

FAQ

What milestone did Wingstop (WING) announce on November 26, 2025?

Wingstop announced the opening of its 3,000th restaurant globally on November 26, 2025.

How fast did Wingstop grow to 3,000 restaurants (WING)?

Wingstop scaled from 2,000 to 3,000 restaurants in just over two years, adding nearly 800 locations.

Which new countries did Wingstop enter as it reached 3,000 restaurants (WING)?

Wingstop entered Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia and The Netherlands.

How many U.S. states and countries does Wingstop operate in after reaching 3,000 restaurants (WING)?

Wingstop operates in 47 U.S. states and 15 countries.

What development metrics did Wingstop highlight with the 3,000th restaurant (WING)?

The company cited a 50% global footprint increase in two years, a record pipeline of sold commitments, and strong cash-on-cash returns.

What does Wingstop say about franchise partner activity after reaching 3,000 restaurants (WING)?

Management reported that more than 70 brand partners expanded their Wingstop footprint in the last quarter.