Planet Wings has opened 17 locations in other areas of New York, New Jersey and Virginia, and sees opportunities for franchising in five other states along the East Coast.

When Newburgh, N.Y.-based Planet Wings opened its doors in 1995, fast food took on a whole new meaning for its customers. Instead of shouting an order into an intercom in the drive-thru, its customers need only to place an order over the phone to have their food delivered fresh and fast. Planet Wings' founders, Franco Fidanza and his wife, Paula Fidanza, serviced an untapped market by delivering made-to-order fast food, COO Bruce Downie says.

The Fidanzas created the idea for Planet Wings when the pizza restaurant they were operating received a boost in chicken wing orders. The couple saw an opportunity and opened Planet Wings, making flavorful chicken wings its signature item. To better compete, the Fidanzas added delivery service, a concept that was otherwise limited to pizza and burgers. "It's a tough, competitive business," Downie says. "Typically, you won't find [delivery] with the diverse menu that we offer."

Unlike other restaurants that serve chicken wings, Planet Wings uses fresh, high-quality chicken coated with Franco Fidanza's own sauce blend, Downie says. The company uses a base sauce and adds unique blends of spices to create more than 24 wing flavors.

In addition to chicken wings, the restaurant serves hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, gyros and salads. "As we developed the menu, there were a lot of things we found unique [for delivery]," Downie says.

Recently, Planet Wings added Mexican-inspired dishes to its menu and is contemplating offering other foods such as boneless chicken wings, "which have increased tremendously in popularity," Downie says. The restaurant is able to serve the freshest food by having products delivered weekly and by preparing made-to-order meals.

Flavorful Plan
After perfecting the store's concept, the Fidanzas began franchising in 2002. But with the steep cost of rent, land and limited space for new building opportunities in metropolitan New York, this has been difficult, Downie explains. "It's very challenging to do business in New York, so we're moving into additional markets," Downie says.

Planet Wings has opened 17 locations in other areas of New York, New Jersey and Virginia, and sees opportunities for franchising in five other states along the East Coast. The company hired franchise sales expert Russ Smith as vice president of franchise development to guide the company's franchise sales and advertising programs. Eventually, Downie adds, the goal is to take the chain nationwide. In 2007, the restaurant plans to open 12 to 15 new locations.

"Our challenge is that we don't want to expand so fast that we lose a handle on making sure that every restaurant is getting all the help and training that they need to have their absolute best chance of success," Downie says. "We're going to help make sure they become a profitable entity."

Planet Wings operates a state-of-the-art franchisee training center and restaurant in Richmond, Va., to prepare new franchisees. "The more complex the restaurant gets, the harder it is to franchise," Downie says.

The 3,000-square-foot store includes an oversized kitchen and conference room where franchisees complete a two-week training course. Franchisees spend part of their time studying restaurant management skills including insurance, accounting, inventory and food safety requirements. The remainder of the session gives franchisees hands-on experience in the restaurant's daily business operations, including cooking, front-line operations and supervisory duties.

Healthy Appetite
Shifting consumer attitudes about fast food is something Planet Wings takes into consideration when tweaking the menu or purchasing ingredients. "That's a tough nut when fried food is the No. 1 [selling] item on the menu," Downie says.

To banish the misconception that all fast-prepared food has poor health implications, the company is removing trans fats and adding lighter-fare options to its menu. Planet Wings is evaluating new types of frying shortening on the market to eliminate trans fats from its food. By March, its food will be free of trans fats added from frying shortening, Downie says. "We've been very proactive about it," he adds.

The company frequently revises its menu to include more healthful choices. It also avoids breading its wings, which Downie says increases fat content. "Can we get rid of all the things that are fast-food problem foods? No," Downie says. "Our whole goal is to have enough variety on the menu that people can get anything they want to eat."

Quality Standards
Planet Wings also participates in a voluntary Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) program to prevent food safety issues. The program monitors food temperature on-site and during delivery, as well as safe handling and preparation procedures.

Although the FDA does not mandate the program in restaurants, Downie says being proactive reassures its customers and local regulatory agencies of its commitment to food safety.