40 Years and a Pandemic Later, Native Grill & Wings is More Relevant than Ever
  • Nov 25, 2020
  • Cybeck
  • 2 mins Read

The 23-unit chain saw loyalty membership increase 165 percent.

Native Grill & Wings CEO Dan Chaon wants his brand to be the first to put wings on Mars.

What does that mean? The goal traces back to the chain’s 41-year history when it claimed to be the first brand to bring wings to the Southwest. It’s a reminder Native forged into the off-premises game and inked partnerships with delivery providers years before the pandemic began. It translates to thinking outside the box to promote growth.

So as more brands dabble in the wings category, such as Chili’s, Applebee’s, and even Chuck E. Cheese, Chaon simply takes it as a complimentary development.

“We clearly understand why they got into the wing business, right?” Chaon rhetorically asks. “It’s not a secret out there. Wings travel well. They’re a staple for people congregating, whether it’s at a birthday party or watching the game at home or binge-watching something on Netflix. It’s a hard item to produce. It’s a hard item to duplicate at home, and it’s a very craveable item. So what I tell my team here, what I tell our guests, what I tell our brand ambassadors is, I get why they’re doing it. I want everybody’s business to be very successful, but we’re first to bring wings to the Southwest. We’re going to be first to put wings on Mars. That’s what we do. And at the end of the day, I just got to concentrate on my backyard. So it’s exciting to see brands doing innovative deals. But I’ve got to be the best of what we do, and that is cold beer, great wings, places where people feel comfortable coming to dine in or dine out at.”

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