Canadians love chicken wings. From weeknight takeout to big weekend games, wings continue to be one of the country’s favourite comfort foods, and that demand isn’t slowing down in 2025. But even with a strong category, many entrepreneurs still ask the big question: How hard is it to start a chicken wings business today?
The truth is that opening a restaurant, especially in a highly competitive category like wings, can be challenging. But the level of difficulty depends entirely on whether you go it alone or start with a proven franchise system behind you. Here’s what new entrepreneurs need to know, and how partnering with St. Louis Bar & Grill changes the experience from overwhelming to achievable.
Competition Is Rising, But Identity Matters More Than Ever
The wings space is growing fast. Independent sports bars, local pubs, delivery-only kitchens, and national brands are all fighting for the same guests. Starting an independent wings restaurant means you’ll be building your identity from the ground up, creating a menu without data or history behind it, and trying to earn community trust with no name recognition.
That’s a tall order in 2025.
Franchising offers a different path. Joining a brand like St. Louis means stepping into a concept Canadians already know and love, one with a loyal following, established flavour leadership, and a personality that stands out in the casual dining landscape. Instead of figuring out who you are as a brand, you get to focus on growing your business because the foundation is already set..
Menu Innovation Is Critical, and Tough to Build on Your Own
Consumer expectations around wings have evolved. People want bolder flavours, premium sauces, consistent quality, and something new to look forward to throughout the year. Developing a menu that delivers all of that takes time, culinary expertise, and a clear understanding of what resonates with guests.
For independent operators, this level of innovation can be expensive and time-consuming. St. Louis franchisees, however, benefit from decades of menu development, signature flavour profiles, and a pipeline of seasonal features that keep guests coming back. This means franchise owners don’t need to reinvent anything, they simply execute a menu with a proven record of performance.
Operational Complexity Makes Restaurants Hard, Unless You Have a System
Running a wings restaurant isn’t just about great food. It’s about managing people, maintaining consistency, controlling costs, and delivering a guest experience that aligns with your brand. Many independent owners underestimate how much structure is needed to operate smoothly, especially during peak times like playoffs, weekends, and major sporting events.
This is where franchising truly becomes invaluable. St. Louis provides franchisees with comprehensive training, clear operating procedures, and ongoing field support. From opening day forward, you have guidance on staffing, food safety, inventory, guest service, and profitability strategies. Instead of learning everything by trial and error, which is where many independents struggle, you learn from a system that has already been perfected across multiple markets.
If you’re curious what this looks like in practice, explore Inside the St. Louis Franchise Training & Support Program.
Rising Costs Make Independent Restaurants Riskier
Ingredients, labour, and rent continue to be top challenges for new restaurant owners in 2025. Independents face these pressures alone, often without the buying power or negotiated supply chain partnerships that larger brands have access to.
Franchisees benefit from national purchasing agreements that help stabilise costs and protect the quality of products. For a wings-focused business, where consistency matters and food costs can fluctuate, this level of support becomes a major advantage. It allows franchisees to focus on guest experience and team leadership instead of being consumed by vendor management and sourcing issues.
Marketing Is a Full-Time Job, Unless You Have Help
Opening a wings restaurant is one step. Getting people through the door is another, and in 2025, marketing requires more than a logo and a few social posts. Independents often have to juggle branding, content creation, promotions, community partnerships, online reputation management, and paid campaigns, all while running the day-to-day operations.
St. Louis franchisees benefit from national marketing campaigns, local store marketing strategies, and a strong brand identity that already resonates with Canadians. That recognition reduces the time and cost required to build awareness from scratch and allows new locations to launch with real momentum.
So, Is Starting a Chicken Wings Business in 2025 Difficult?
If you’re doing it independently, yes, starting a wings restaurant can be demanding, risky, and complex. But with the right franchise system, it becomes significantly more approachable.
St. Louis Bar & Grill gives entrepreneurs a complete blueprint: a beloved brand, an iconic menu, hands-on training, strong community presence, and a proven operating model that’s been refined over decades. The challenges of starting from scratch don’t disappear, but they become manageable, supported, and structured.
If you’re exploring ownership, now is the time to learn more. Contact Us!