After establishing itself in the northeast and expanding in the Midwest, Atomic Wings is set for its next stage of growth toward the south.
The wing concept, with 25 units across nine states, signed an agreement with a franchisee group to develop 15 locations in Richmond, Virginia, as well as Raleigh and the surrounding cities of Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina. The deal is with experienced business partners Timir, Pritul and Hiren Patel.
Hiren Patel brings 21 years of experience with gas stations, hotels and retail, as well as 10 years as a Taco Bell franchisee. Timir Patel has a background owning gas stations, with 15 years of experience, plus he has a Huddle House restaurant. Pritul Patel built his career in hotels.
Atomic Wings franchisee Hiren Patel
Atomic Wings launched in 1989, but began franchising more recently in 2016 after it was purchased by CEO Zak Omar. Hiren Patel said the group wanted to get into the wing game and explored several concepts, but were won over by Atomic in a face-to-face meeting.
“Zak called me and asked to come into their headquarters,” Hiren Patel said. “When we visited them in Maryland and talked to Zak directly, we were very impressed and decided this was it for us.”
Timir and Hiren Patel knew the impacts of inflation and labor costs from their experience in the food industry. “But this concept isn’t that labor intensive, and when we looked at the quality of the product, it was exactly what we were searching for,” Timir Patel said. “It made franchising a no-brainer for us.”
Atomic Wings franchisee Timir Patel
Michael Domico, Atomic Wings vice president of development, said geographically, the deal was logical as well.
“Heading just south into Virginia and North Carolina makes a lot of sense for us,” Domico said. “There have been two major areas of focus for development, one is the upper East Coast, and the other is the Midwest.”
Pritul Patel cited the population in the markets they selected as a reason, noting how they should be able to handle 15 locations.
“The tech industry is growing there,” Pritul Patel said. “It’s the biggest hub on the East Coast right now. It’s increasing at a tremendous speed and a younger generation is moving to the area. Atomic Wings is looking for Gen Z as the No. 1 clientele, too, which is why we’re looking at that area.”
The group intends to open 10 stores in five years, and Domico said the brand has no doubt in their ability to do so, touting their abilities as entrepreneurs and their business culture.
Atomic Wings VP of Development Michael Domico
“It’s not just their background,” Domico said. “That is extremely important to us, we want a restaurant background and love prior business ownership. But the No. 1 thing we’re looking for is people of character. If they don’t have that, it’s not worth having the conversation. These guys are all about character, they’re about taking care of people, which is what we need from our franchisees. They understand hard work, dedication and loyalty.”
While the recent deal continues to fill in states in the east, Domico said the brand is also targeting markets in the west. Earlier in 2024, Atomic Wings opened its first location in Las Vegas and is now considering sites in Arizona. By the end of the year, the brand has set a goal to open 15 new units.
The initial investment to open an Atomic Wings is between $155,900 and $338,500. For multi-unit developers, a minimum of three Atomic Wings is required, and the investment is from $197,900 to $381,000.