The idea of new wings helps Brinker
Dallas — Through a deliberate choice to adhere to the approach it has been developing for over two years—delivering on digital, off-premises, value, and scale—Brinker International, Inc. was able to withstand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in fiscal 2020. Another concept that seems interesting is wings.
During a conference call with analysts on August 12, Wyman T. Roberts, the president and chief executive officer, stated, “We didn’t have to scramble when the pandemic hit.” “We performed well for seven straight quarters going into it. All we needed to do was keep our eyes on the road and apply a little more pressure. Consequently, we raised the standard in casual eating and, according to KNAPP-TRACK, ranked #1 in sales and traffic for three consecutive months.
Yet, Brinker was severely impacted by the pandemic.
Net income decreased 84% from $154.9 million, or $4.04 per share, in the fiscal year that ended on June 24 to $24.4 million, or 64¢ per share on the common stock. From $3.218 billion to $3.079 billion, net sales decreased by 4.4%.
Despite the financial setback, Brinker stated that the company is optimistic about the coming year due to a fresh idea and recent strong results from its chain of Chili’s restaurants.
DoorDash’s Brinker’s It’s Just Wings menuBrinker launched a virtual brand in all regions during the final week of fiscal 2020, something that Mr. Roberts claims “no other restaurant company has ever done,” leveraging its current capabilities in the digital and off-premises spaces its stores all throughout the country in a single day.
It’s Just Wings is a fast-growing consumer channel with minimal investment that was developed over the course of six months. It uses the cooks and kitchens of Chili’s and Maggiano’s to sell boneless, fried, and smoked chicken wings with a variety of sauces. DoorDash is the only way That’s Just Wings is able to operate.
“We can clearly see the potential to exceed $150 million in the brand’s first year, which would secure It’s Just Wings a spot in the top 200 restaurant brands,” Mr. Roberts stated. “Sales continue to build every week.” Casual eating has been criticised for being too constructed over time. We think this is our chance.
to demonstrate that perhaps it is underutilised rather than overbuilt. Just Wings makes use of labour, machinery, and buildings that are already in place. We’re producing good flow through even after using aggressive pricing and marketing, purchasing high-quality ingredients and packaging, and paying our last-mile logistics partner.
According to Mr. Roberts, feedback from It’s Just Wings patrons has been “extremely positive” and they are highly responsive to Brinker’s thoughts.
“We think we can win in this market because of our size, our kitchens’ capacity, and our unique relationship with DoorDash,” he declared. Therefore, we’re testing more virtual ideas and figuring out how to increase awareness among the millions of DoorDash users who are looking for meal delivery services. And how to keep enhancing our processes to satisfy customer demand for quick service and food both worth and quality. We are thrilled to have two of the most well-known businesses on the DoorDash platform, and we’re looking forward to what the future holds.