Franchise Directory

Buffalo Wild Wings’ steady growth (and strong customer loyalty) has helped it maintain its spot near the top of our AllStar list. For the most part, this company has escaped the effects of the recession — possibly because most of its locations are in the Midwest rather than states harder hit by home foreclosures.

Buffalo Wild Wings has taken advantage of the commercial real estate glut to grab prime locations. Next target: an aggressive expansion throughout California. The franchise participates in the SBA’s Franchise Registry, making it easier is for prospective franchisees to find financing.

The company and its CEO Sally J. Smith have won awards from many food-service industry organizations — most recently in May 2009, when Smith won the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association’s Gold Plate Award for outstanding and innovative talent in food service. Buffalo Wild Wings also ranks #4 on our Top 10 list of women-run franchise companies.

Last Year's AllStar Rank: 7

Full Disclosure Award
This company gets a nod for disclosing financial performance representations in Item 19 of its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). For an explanation of why this is important, read The Importance of Item 19 in the Franchise Disclosure Document.