Wings Etc. Location Addresses Carryout Demand with Renovation to Add Pickup Window

The remodeling project also allows the Waynedale restaurant to add pizza to the menu.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Wings Etc. Grill & Pub has revamped its Bluffton Road (Waynedale) location in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to meet increasing carryout demand — and it’s bringing pizza along for the ride.

The corporate-owned location at 6427 Bluffton Road (Waynedale), which has been closed for remodeling since March 31, will reopen August 19 with a new pickup window. The renovation addresses a larger trend in the industry; almost three out of four restaurant orders are taken to go, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report.

“It’s a case of giving our guests what they want,” said Wings Etc. CEO Rob Hensmann. “We know that customers expect the convenience and flexibility of a streamlined to-go order process, so we’re pleased to offer an even better experience.”

The 4,300-square-foot restaurant has also been remodeled to include pizza-making equipment, allowing the addition of pizza to the menu. Wings Etc. has been testing pizza in Indiana locations since 2023; this will be the fourth restaurant in the state to add it to the menu. One of the four other Wings Etc. restaurants in Fort Wayne — the Illinois Road location — currently serves pizza as well. The strategy allows the brand to deliver on its commitment to Big Flavor.

The Wings Etc. Bluffton Road restaurant has always been a strong location and a valued part of the community, sponsoring local high school sports teams and clubs, while also supporting local charities and nonprofits through the brand’s Dine-To-Donate fundraising program.

“We’re eager to welcome guests back to the Waynedale Wings Etc. on Bluffton Road,” Hensmann said. “The restaurant is revamped, retooled and well-positioned for the future.”

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About Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in northern Indiana, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 22 signature sauces and rubs, dozens of TVs tuned to sports programming and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back vibe that makes people want to just come in and hang out. See wingsetc.com.

With 81 corporate and franchise locations, Wings Etc. has enjoyed more than 30 years of successful franchise growth. Wings Etc. has been listed among Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 500 Franchises” and was included in the magazine’s “Top Chicken Franchises” in 2024. It has been named one of Franchise Business Review’s “Top Food Franchises” and a “Top 200 Franchise.” Wings Etc. has been included in Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” and its “Fastest Growing Franchises”; it was among the “Top Emerging Franchises” in 2023. Wings Etc. has also been awarded “Best Wings” in multiple markets. See www.wingsetcfranchise.com.

The Wings Etc. Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is dedicated to improving children’s lives. Learn more at wingsetcfoundation.com.

©2025 Wings Etc., Inc. Franchises independently owned and operated.