Operations

Wayback Burgers posts record sales during pandemic

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March 8, 2021

Wayback Burgers posted solid growth in 2020 despite a global pandemic and is achieving record-setting numbers for 2021, according to company release.

Although overall restaurant sales fell by $240 billion in 2020, Wayback Burgers systemwide sales were up 4.9%. Four restaurants topped $1 million in sales in 2020 (Hinesville, Georgia, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Eugene, Oregon, and Olive Branch, Mississippi); 17 restaurants are on track to hit $1 million in sales for 2021, and a restaurant in Woodbury, Minnesota, had a nearly 70% increase in systemwide sales over 2019, Patrick Conlin, president of Wayback Burgers, said in the release.

Unlike many restaurants still trying to deal with monumental loss of revenue following the pandemic, Wayback franchisees are hiring additional staff in Q1 2021 to keep up with increased business.

Wayback Burgers' success was not in just surviving, but thriving during the pandemic, which is due in part to its ability to adopt and maximize changing trends in fast casual diningin 2020. Ramping up online ordering and delivery kept restaurants easily and safely accessible throughout the pandemic, Conlin said.

"The investments and the updates absolutely contribute to a great guest experience and increased sales; the numbers bear that out. But even in the worst of the pandemic, we saw older locations trending upward, and that is due to our great franchisees and their teams who are offering amazing products, excellent guest service, smooth operations, and getting out there in their communities lending a hand during this crisis," he said. "We owe a big thank you to our franchisees, employees, and especially our loyal guests who have proved that even during a devastating global pandemic, success is possible if you stay true to your core principles and keep offering the Wayback feel people crave."

In early 2020, Wayback launched an updated design, featuring a new color scheme, graphic design elements, exterior signage as well as updated fixtures and ceiling tiles. Guests feel like they have had a great dining experience, and it translated into higher sales, Conlin said.

Each of Wayback's remodeled locations generated 39% or better sales numbers in the backend of 2020, over the previous year, and the East Windsor, Connecticut-based restaurant saw a 68.7% jump in sales during the pandemic.

As an extra incentive to grow the franchise family, Wayback has launched "Let's Get Growing!" to help offset the cost for existing restaurant renovations. If any current owner signs on to build another restaurant, Wayback will use 100% of the reduced franchise fee to contribute to remodeling that owner's existing restaurant(s).

Wayback's footprint now includes 166 restaurants.