Ever wonder how consumers feel about your franchise? Franchise Times editorial staffers check out three brands in a different genre each month, and report back in FT Undercover.
From left, It’s Just Wings needs a quality boost, Pasqually’s is too pricey for a subpar pizza and The Burger Den delivers an average burger at an above-average cost.
What makes a great chicken wing? It all depends on how they’re prepared and who’s eating them, right? I prefer mine crispy brown on the outside, white and moist on the inside and burn-my-lips hot with each bite. Serve them with a side of chunky bleu cheese for dipping, an ice-cold beer for refreshing the taste buds, a pile of napkins and we’re good to go. It’s Just Wings didn’t exactly deliver the goods for me. My $15.86 takeout order (including tip) from the Chili’s virtual brand consisted of eight fat wings—four Nashville hot and four Buffalo (medium) style pieces. I could not distinguish the difference between the two wing flavors. The French fries I received were generous in portion, but like the wings were more mushy than crispy. All in all, not a terrible meal, but far from memorable. I admit it: I’m a tough wings critic. I went to college in upstate New York, where munching on deep-fried chicken wings is a time-honored tradition. From a business perspective, hosting a chicken wings virtual concept seems like a great source of revenue, but I wonder how Chili’s handles staffing to accommodate.
The upshot: It’s Just Wings does chicken wings adequately. But look elsewhere if you want the real thing. —J.H.
“Disappointing” is an apt descriptor for my experience with Pasqually’s Pizza. Chuck E. Cheese’s virtual concept didn’t elicit high expectations, and I still found myself frustrated. The brand’s online menu was fine, though seemed lacking in choice compared to other pizza and wing concepts. Six specialties, two classics for pizza and seven sauces for its wings. The “Beverages and Desserts” section only had soda and water. Where’s the dessert? The price hurt the most. I was expecting value, but Pasqually’s was asking $15 for a cheese pizza and $20 for its specialties. An order of eight wings was $10. It wasn’t worth the money. I ordered a spicy Korean barbecue specialty pizza and eight wings. The flavors were passable at best, the quality about on par with Domino’s instead of the local premium pizza or wing shop, yet just as expensive. I kept thinking about how I could have either gotten more or better food for the nearly $50 I paid after fees and tip. I’ll be sticking to other options and ignoring Pasqually’s.
The upshot: After a disappointing $50 experience, Pasqually’s didn’t earn a repeat customer. Next time I’ll use that money for something better. —M.G.
A meal from The Burger Den, one of the virtual brands launched by Denny’s, tastes just like you’d expect food from Denny’s to taste. But what stood out most about ordering from the concept, launched in 2021, wasn’t the food, but the cost of the order. A standard double cheeseburger by itself was more than $17. That price includes fries, but with a lemonade added, the total came to $23.59. The same burger from Denny’s is priced online at $13.79. In all fairness to the cheeseburger, it was fine. It certainly is a large burger, which is a plus, although the signature All-American Sauce was too sweet. It pales in comparison, however, to what you can get at a better burger franchise, like Five Guys, for less money. The fries were thicker than the average fry, but were under seasoned. At the higher-than-average price point and with a taste that doesn’t rise to the occasion, it’s tough to justify ordering from The Burger Den. It’s a skippable choice on a food delivery app. The concept is an interesting but underwhelming attempt to increase sales for the classic diner brand.
The upshot: The food was ready by the time I arrived, so there was no delay, and there’s a designated takeaway section making pickup easy. —M.L.