About East Coast Wings Franchise
East Coast Wings is a full service restaurant and sports bar franchise known for its award winning buffalo wings and a menu of American comfort food favorites.
Backed by ECW Enterprises, Inc., the brand has been franchising since 2003 and has developed a strong reputation in the casual dining and wing restaurant category.
The franchise fee is $40,000.
East Coast Wings Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$428K
Average Investment
$705K
Maximum Investment
$981K
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | The greater of 5% of Gross Sales or a minimum monthly Royalty of $4,850 of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | A minimum of 2% and maximum of 3% of Gross Sales, subject to increase. | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $427,968 – $981,275 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $428K–$981K reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (The greater of 5% of Gross Sales or a minimum monthly Royalty of $4,850) and marketing fee (A minimum of 2% and maximum of 3% of Gross Sales, subject to increase.) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Inventory | $9,000 | $23,020 |
| Pre-Opening Inventory Package | $750 | $1,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $174,768 | $512,000 |
| Lease-Related Payments -- 3 Months | $7,000 | $12,500 |
| Architecture/ Project Management | $0 | $16,000 |
| Professional Fees | $0 | $10,000 |
| Signage | $5,500 | $17,000 |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $17,200 | $34,305 |
| Equipment & Smallwares | $100,000 | $170,000 |
| Artwork & Décor | $4,500 | $10,000 |
| POS Computer System; Software Fees and Telephone – 3 Months | $25,000 | $29,000 |
| Video Surveillance System; Audio-Visual Equipment, Music and Entertainment System | $2,450 | $29,000 |
| Deposits | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| Technology Fee | $300 | $900 |
| Expenses Associated with Initial Training | $2,500 | $10,000 |
| Fund Contribution — 3 months | $2,450 | $12,000 |
| Initial Marketing Expense | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Government Permits | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Additional Funds—3 Months | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Royalty – 3 Months | $14,550 | $14,550 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $7,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $3,500 |
| Technology Fee | Between $300 to $900 per year per location (currently not charged) |
| Audit Fee | Cost of audit (paid by franchisee if underpayment is 3% or greater) |
| Items purchased from Commissary | Current Price List |
| Local Cooperative Fees | An amount determined by the Cooperative |
| Point-of-Sale System (POS System) and POS Software Fees | $3,576 per year |
| Additional Training Fee | $140 to $180 per day per trainer, plus costs and overtime |
| Initial Training (extra people/post-opening) | $20 per hour per person |
| Third Party Vendor Charges | Your share of any charges billed to us |
| Business Directory Listings | Actual out-of-pocket costs |
| New Supplier/Product Evaluation Fee | The greater of actual out-of-pocket costs or $1,000 |
| Legal Expenses | Cost of legal expenses incurred by franchisor on your behalf |
| Collection and Interest Charges | 18% or highest lawful rate if lower |
| Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, and Arbitration | Fees incurred by franchisor if they prevail |
| Insurance Premium Reimbursement | Varies according to plan and provider |
| Administrative Fee for Approving a Supplier | 15% of the value of the item to be purchased |
| Enforcement Costs | Will vary |
| Non-Reporting Enforcement Fee | $1,000 fee |
| Unapproved Advertising Enforcement Fee | 1st infraction: $250, 2nd infraction: $500, 3rd infraction: $1,000 |
| Other Enforcement-Related Fines | Up to $1,000 per infraction |
| Failure to attend required training/convention | Increase in Royalty Fee up to an additional 1% of Gross Sales |
| Insufficient Funds | $50 plus any fee charged to franchisor |
| Step-In Fee | Up to $500 per day |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | 35 days (3 weeks on, 1 week off, 2 weeks on) |
| Classroom Training | 48.0 |
| On-the-Job Training | 195.0 |
| Training Location | Corporate office or designated alternate location (e.g., a franchisee restaurant) in Winston-Salem, NC |
| Additional Training | Franchisor may require franchisees and Operations Managers to attend annual additional/refresher courses, costing $140 to $180 per day per trainer plus expenses. An online training course may also be made available for staff, with its cost included in the Technology Fee. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Protected |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | Typically a radius of 1 to 3 miles around the premises, or 2 blocks to 1 mile in urban/densely-populated business districts. |
| Description | A geographical area around the premises where the franchisor will not open or license another restaurant utilizing the Proprietary Marks and System, provided the franchisee is not in default. Boundaries may be defined by zip codes, streets, landmarks, or county lines, or delineated on a map. Franchisor reserves the right to open non-traditional sites within the Designated Territory. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years |
| Renewal Term | Two (2) additional terms of five (5) years each |
| Renewal Fee | $3,500 |
| Renewal Conditions | No uncured material defaults, no more than two (2) or three (3) notices of material default in the preceding 12 or 24 months respectively, good financial standing, continued right of possession to premises, completion of required renovation/modernization, payment of renewal fee, execution of then-current franchise agreement, completion of refresher training (with fee), and execution of a general release. |
| Transfer Fee | $7,000 |
| Transfer Conditions | All monetary obligations satisfied, all existing defaults cured, new franchisee meets current qualifications, transferee assumes all obligations, transferee completes training program (with fee), transferee executes then-current franchise agreement, and transferor executes a general release. Certain transfers (e.g., to a wholly-owned entity or for SBA financing) may waive the transfer fee. |
| Termination for Cause | Automatic termination for insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, or unsatisfied judgments over $10,000. Termination upon notice (no cure) for fraud, failure to complete initial training, repeated defaults (3+ in 24 months, 2+ in 12 months), violation of in-term non-compete, misuse of Proprietary Marks/Confidential Information/software, default on other agreements with affiliates/suppliers, lease default, failure to open on time, abandonment, felony conviction/crime of moral turpitude, taking business property for personal use, insufficient funds (3+ times in 12 months), or repeated health/safety/regulatory violations. Other defaults may be terminated with a 30-day cure period. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years (during term and post-term) |
| Non-Compete Details | During the term, franchisee, principals, guarantors, Operations Managers, and immediate family cannot be involved with a 'Competing Business' (fast-food/quick-casual specializing in chicken wings, burgers, ribs, sandwiches, or generating 20%+ revenue from these items), solicit employees, or divert customers. Post-term, for two years, these parties cannot be involved in franchising/licensing a Competing Business in any state where franchisor has offered franchises, nor own/operate a Competing Business within a 10-mile radius of the former Designated Territory, any existing/developing restaurant, or any development area. They also cannot solicit former customers/employees/suppliers for competitive purposes. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | No |
| Participation Details | Franchisor encourages but does not require personal supervision. The restaurant must be directly supervised and managed by a person who has completed the training program. If the franchisee is not the full-time operator, an Operations Manager must be engaged and complete the training program. This manager must have a bonus plan tied to restaurant EBITDA and sign a confidentiality and non-competition agreement. |
| Required Suppliers | Franchisor's affiliate Commissary is the sole Approved Supplier for certain operating supplies, gift cards, loyalty cards, small wares, apparel, and certain other inventory and equipment. Mid-Carolina Realty Group, Inc. is an optional/potential Approved Supplier for site selection assistance. Other approved suppliers are designated for furniture, fixtures, equipment, credit card processing, POS hardware/software, signage, décor, inventory, paper goods, spices, sauces, foodstuffs, branded items, marketing materials, and project management services. |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisees must operate in strict conformance with System methods, standards, and specifications, only marketing, offering, selling, and providing Approved Products and authorized services. All required items must be purchased from Approved Suppliers or meet franchisor's standards. Franchisees must use specified POS hardware and software, and are required to purchase a laptop/desktop computer for back-office use (not from an approved supplier). |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | Commissary generated $212,482 in revenue from franchisee purchases in fiscal year 2021. Franchisor received $431,410 (13% of total revenue) from franchisee purchases (rebates, license fees, other consideration) in fiscal year 2021. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | No |
| Description | Franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing, nor does it guarantee franchisee obligations. A financing program may be established in the future. |
East Coast Wings Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Average Revenue
$2.0M
Median Revenue
$2.0M
Revenue Range
$905K – $3.3M
Sample Size
26 units
Past financial performance does not guarantee future results. Individual results will vary.
East Coast Wings Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordEast Coast Wings has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
East Coast Wings System Growth
Total Units
33
Franchised
30
Company-Owned
3
East Coast Wings currently operates 30 franchised locations and 3 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 2 | 36 |
| 2020 | 0 | 2 | 34 |
| 2021 | 0 | 1 | 33 |
Transfers: 1 | Closures: 1
State Registrations
Registered in 20 states: CA, FL, HI, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, MN, NE, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$3.3M
Net Income
$324K
Total Assets
$1.7M
Audited by BDO USA, LLP for year ending December 31.
East Coast Wings Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a East Coast Wings franchise ranges from $427,968 to $981,275, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $40,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
East Coast Wings charges a royalty fee of The greater of 5% of Gross Sales or a minimum monthly Royalty of $4,850 of gross sales, plus a A minimum of 2% and maximum of 3% of Gross Sales, subject to increase. contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the East Coast Wings Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from East Coast Wings to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
According to the Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, East Coast Wings franchise owners report average revenue of $2.0M and median revenue of $2.0M. This is based on a sample of 26 units. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
East Coast Wings has been franchising since 2003. The FDD shows an investment range of $427,968-$981,275, a The greater of 5% of Gross Sales or a minimum monthly Royalty of $4,850 royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $40,000 and the total investment ranges from $427,968 to $981,275 depending on location size and market. A minimum of $10,000 in liquid capital is required. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
Similar Food & Beverage Franchises
Interested in East Coast Wings?
Get free info on this franchise. We will send you a detailed FDD report by email.
Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from East Coast Wings and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with East Coast Wings or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com