Wings Etc. franchise location to open in La Porte, Texas

This is the second location in Texas for the brand, which has 81 stores in the East and South

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Wings Etc. Grill & Pub has confirmed that franchisee Lance Stephens plans to open a Wings Etc. location in La Porte, Texas.

The 3,090-square-foot location is at 1023 S. Broadway and is expected to open in November 2024. The new restaurant will include a pickup window.

Stephens, and his wife, Staton, first encountered the Wings Etc. concept when they visited franchisee Scott McFalls’ Wings Etc. restaurant in Boiling Springs, SC.

They liked the variety of flavorful food on the expansive menu and the laid-back, family friendly sports bar atmosphere. Wings Etc. is known for its award-winning jumbo wings, as well as its 22 signature sauces and rubs at the forefront of the brand’s “Big Flavor” philosophy. Wings Etc. restaurants are also a popular place to watch sports—often featuring as many as 50 TVs—and the spot where local sports teams like to gather to celebrate wins, and families and friends enjoy meeting up.

“We think Wings Etc. will be a great addition to the community,” Stephens says. “We’re eager to carry forward the brand’s ‘Good Food, Great Times’ ethos in the Houston area, as well as its commitment to give back.”

A Texas native, Stephens recently returned to Houston after spending five years in Florida. He has 33 years of experience in hospitality and restaurants. Stephens sees great potential in the region.

“Lunch delivery for the employees in the petrol industry could be very successful,” Stephens says. “And we’re situated between the two large ports of Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal, with more than 10,000 trucks delivering weekdays.”

He also expects steady business from nearby recreation areas. “We’ll be just a city block from Galveston Bay, which draws people for fishing and for Sylvan Beach,” Stephens says. “Positioned just 1.5 miles east of North Highway 146, we predict regular traffic year-round.”

This is the second location in Texas for Wings Etc. The first op

ened in Granbury in 2023. The La Porte location is expected to bring 25 jobs to the region.

“We’re pleased to expand the Wings Etc. footprint in Texas,” says CEO Rob Hensmann. “We know that Texans love the ‘Big Flavor’ of the Wings Etc. menu — especially our award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings and 22 signature sauces and rubs.”

Wings Etc. has 81 locations across the Midwest and South.

Grand opening promotions for the La Porte Wings Etc. are expected to include a year of free wings for the first 50 guests; further details are to come.

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About Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

Wings Etc. is proud to celebrate 30 years of growth and good times this year. Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in northern Indiana, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 22 signature sauces and rubs, dozens of TVs tuned to sports programming and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back vibe that makes people want to just come in and hang out. See wingsetc.com.

With 81 corporate and franchise locations, Wings Etc. has been listed among Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 500 Franchises” every year since 2021 and was included in the magazine’s “Top Five Best Sports Bars” in 2021. It has been named one of Franchise Business Review’s “Top Food Franchises” every year since 2020 and a “Top 200 Franchise” every year since 2019. Wings Etc. has been included in Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” seven times since 2014 and its “Fastest Growing Franchises” seven times since 2016; it was among the “Top Emerging Franchises” in 2023. It has been named a “Top 400 Franchise” by Franchise Times every year since 2021 and a “Top 500 Franchise” by Nation’s Restaurant News every year since 2021. See www.wingsetcfranchise.com.

The Wings Etc. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to improving children’s lives. See www.wingsetcfoundation.com.

©2024 Wings Etc., Inc. Franchises independently owned and operated.

Photos courtesy of Wings Etc. Grill and Pub

Photo 1: A mockup of the planned front exterior of the new La Porte Wings Etc. location.

Photo 2: A mockup of the planned side exterior of the restaurant.