Wingstop launches third UK site

Wingstop is set to launch its third UK restaurant in partnership with Xbox.

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the brand partner of Wingstop, confirmed the third UK site would be opening in Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, and feature a “stay and play” gaming zone in partnership with Xbox.

This marks the first restaurant collaboration for Xbox, and forms part of Wingstop’s wider partnership strategy that lies at the core of its overall business plan.

The chicken wing chain, which launched in 2018, has -previously collaborated with Gymshark, Converse, Ghost Recon video games and Footasylum’s YouTube series, ‘Does the Shoe Fit?’, which has received over 11 million views.

Tom Grogan, director of Lemon Pepper Holdings, said: “At Wingstop UK, we strive to constantly evolve our approach to grow in the UK market.

“It’s no longer enough to just open a restaurant and serve amazing food. In order to not only thrive, but survive in the casual dining space, brands need to collaborate with culturally relevant partners, and offer their customers unique experiences that they can’t get anywhere else.” 

He added: “Our latest site secured in Bluewater felt like the perfect space to partner with Xbox, we’re offering our customers our world famous wings, and the chance to play some of cutting edge newly-released games.”

The split-level site, which will be located in the ‘Winter Garden’ area of Bluewater, is set to open early next year.

Its ‘stay and play’ area will be available exclusively to Wingstop customers, and feature six gaming pods and a library of the latest games with Xbox Game Pass. Customers will have access to over 100 gaming titles, including Forza Horizon 4, Minecraft and Rocket League.

It follows the launch of Wingstop’s second UK site in Dalston, East London, which opened in October, and marks the beginning of a “rapid expansion plan” in the UK.