Brand Shoutouts
How a dishwasher-turned-founder hit nearly $1.5M in first-year revenue from a Long Island wing spot — and why the 25-flavor halal model started franchising after just one year.
By Justin K. Sellers · 8 min read · March 6, 2026
When you're launching a wing concept, most brands test for years before franchising.
ATL Wing Spot opened May 2023 and started franchising January 2025.
That's 20 months from first location to selling territories.
They're not waiting for decades of proof. They're scaling on year-one momentum.
And that year delivered: nearly $1.5 million in revenue from a 1,000-square-foot location in Lynbrook, New York.
All while running 25+ flavors and maintaining halal certification.
Masood Din didn't stumble into ATL Wing Spot.
He started in the restaurant industry working part-time at Dunkin' in high school. Fell in love with the fast-paced environment. Started as a dishwasher. Worked his way through operations.
Then made the leap.
The ATL Wing Spot Story:Din and co-founder Walid Daftanai opened their first restaurant in May 2023. An 800-square-foot space in Lynbrook, New York.
What the brand's marketing positions as two friends bootstrapping a concept appears to have a more experienced foundation. Publicly available LinkedIn activity suggests Daftanai operates 30+ Wingstop locations and multiple Buffalo Wild Wings Go franchises. If accurate, this means ATL Wing Spot's co-founder brings significant multi-unit QSR operational experience — a materially different profile than the "humble beginnings" narrative in the brand's marketing materials.
"People came.. and tasted.. and came back.. and posted." — ATL Wing Spot origin story
One month later: breakout social media buzz. "1 million views on TikTok," according to the About Us page. Word-of-mouth driving lines.
Within the year: "Best Wings on Long Island" by Forks and Foods of Long Island.
Din's Philosophy:"I wanted to bring a fresh approach to the wing industry and create something unique with over 25 flavors. Also, the challenges of owning a franchise required a lot of money. So, I chose to start my own." — Masood Din, Founder, QSR Magazine
- Traditional bone-in wings (fresh, never frozen) - Boneless wings (hand-breaded) - Saucy tenders (fresh hand-breaded, can be sauced or sauce on side) - Chicken and waffles - Loaded fries, wraps, burgers, Philly's
The Differentiator:Over 25 flavors to choose from. Not bottled. Fresh preparation.
From sweet and tangy to bold and spicy. Lemon pepper rub. Thai chili sauce. Coconut sweet heat. Buffalo. Sweet teriyaki. Every order customizable.
Plus: All chicken is halal. Fresh, never frozen. Hand-breaded preparation. Made-to-order service.
The operational model prioritizes quality over speed. Fresh ingredients prepared to order. No shortcuts.
- May 2023: First location opens (Lynbrook, NY) - Year 1 revenue: Nearly $1.5 million - August 2024: Franchisor formed (ATL Wing Spot, LLC — Wyoming Limited Liability Company) - January 2025: Franchising begins
Investment Required:Single-unit operators investing in ATL Wing Spot face a total investment between $216,300 and $434,600. That includes the $25,000 franchise fee and $1,000 to $2,000 for opening orders of product and packaging paid to the franchisor.
For operators pursuing multi-unit development (2-5 locations), the total investment including the first unit ranges from $237,300 to $519,600. The multi-unit franchise fee structure ranges from $46,000 to $107,000 paid to the franchisor.
For comparison: Buffalo Wild Wings requires $2.45 million to $4.88 million. Buffalo Wild Wings Go (the fast-casual spinoff) requires $564,000 to $1.05 million.
ATL Wing Spot's investment sits well below both.
Current Footprint:- 1 company-owned location operating (end of 2024) - 0 franchised locations (as of FDD date) - Principal address: 97 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY 11563
The franchise model emphasizes "simple, scalable, sensational" operations. Streamlined operation with trained staff. Direct supplier relationships. Small footprint (800-1,000 square feet reduces real estate requirements).
Support Structure:ATL Wing Spot positions franchise support as comprehensive from day one. The training program covers customer service excellence, daily operations, management techniques, and proven business model familiarity.
Ongoing support includes pre-opening assistance, operational guidance, marketing strategy advice, and supply chain management.
With one company-owned location and no operating franchises yet, the support infrastructure remains untested at scale.
Interested in bringing ATL Wing Spot to your market?
The franchise model emphasizes small footprint potential. 800-1,000 square feet. Lower real estate costs. High revenue per square foot.
Visit their franchise page for territory availability and FDD.
Visit Franchise Page"Such amazing food with so much flavor! The wings were so good and cooked perfectly. The sauces were delicious and there is so many options to choose from. The loaded fries were my favorite." — Breana N., December 2025
"The wings were fried perfectly."
Menu Variety:"had wings all over including the anchor bar in buffalo, these wings from ATL wing spot are the best..."
Service That Goes Beyond:"One of the best wraps I had in a long time. Veggies were fresh and chicken was crisp and right amount of sauce. The menu changed over the years so no more burgers but this was a way better choice." — Dana A., September 2025
Atmosphere:"I visited ALT to grab something to eat, and while my initial order wasn't quite to my liking, the team went above and beyond to make things right. They redid my order without hesitation, ensuring everything was perfect. Their customer service truly exceeded my expectations. A big thank you to the staff! I'll definitely be back." — Dora H., December 2024
"when i walked into atl wing stop i was greeted with the pleasant smell of fresh wings"
Pattern: Customers consistently praise fresh quality, flavor variety, and execution. The 25+ sauce options appear to create repeat visit opportunities. Service recovery shows operational attention to detail."Went to the grand opening everything was good. Friendly staff and best wings and boneless wings."
Nearly $1.5M from 1,000 square feet suggests strong unit economics potential. If replicable, this would represent roughly $1,500 per square foot — well above typical fast-casual averages. Small footprint reduces real estate costs while maintaining revenue density.
2. Halal Certification PositioningAll chicken is halal. This opens access to Muslim consumers — a growing demographic often underserved by mainstream QSR. Halal certification requires supply chain discipline and operational consistency. ATL Wing Spot maintains both.
3. Flavor Variety as Differentiation25+ sauce options create repeat visit incentive. Every order becomes customizable. For comparison: Wingstop runs 11 flavors at $2.1M AUV. ATL Wing Spot runs 25+ and claims $1.5M. The variety hasn't capped revenue potential.
4. Fresh, Never Frozen Quality StandardFresh, hand-breaded chicken. No frozen shortcuts. This resonates in customer reviews. Quality-first positioning in a category where many competitors use frozen wings.
5. Low Barrier Investment Model$216K-$435K investment sits below Buffalo Wild Wings Go ($564K-$1.05M) and far below traditional Buffalo Wild Wings ($2.45M-$4.88M). Lower capital requirement opens franchising to more operators.
6. Small Footprint Flexibility800-1,000 square feet. In a market where real estate costs continue to climb, smaller footprints mean more site options, lower build-out costs, and potentially faster time to open.
In a market where fast-casual chicken continues its category explosion and operators evaluate franchise opportunities across a wide range of investment levels, ATL Wing Spot presents a model worth watching. Here's what stands out:
The Opportunity:- Revenue density: Nearly $1.5M from 1,000 square feet in year one suggests compelling unit economics potential. - Halal positioning: Opens access to an underserved demographic — a growing segment often overlooked by mainstream wing concepts. - Lower investment: $216K-$435K vs. $564K-$1.05M for Buffalo Wild Wings Go and $2.45M-$4.88M for traditional Buffalo Wild Wings. - Small footprint: 800-1,000 square feet reduces real estate barriers and opens more site options. - Flavor variety: 25+ sauces create customization appeal and repeat visit incentive. - Category tailwinds: Fast-casual wings continue to grow. Wingstop hit $2.1M AUV and opened 349 net new locations in 2024. Consumer appetite for chicken shows no signs of slowing.
The Investment:- Total investment: $216,300 - $434,600 - Franchise fee: $25,000 - Multi-unit (2-5 locations): $237,300 - $519,600
Who May Want to Watch This:Operators interested in emerging wing concepts with lower capital requirements and halal market positioning. The brand is early — one location, 20 months operating, no franchised units yet — which means the risk profile is elevated but the first-mover opportunity may appeal to operators with high risk tolerance.
[DEEP_DIVE_CTA url="/article/atl-wing-spot-deep-dive/"] Want the full story? - Unit economics reality: $1,500/sqft vs. fast-casual averages - Competitive positioning against Wingstop ($2.1M AUV) and Buffalo Wild Wings ($3.57M AUV) - Why ATL Wing Spot franchised in 20 months when Wingstop waited 9 years - FDD analysis: What the franchisor's own disclosures say about risk - Customer execution patterns: The good and the challenging - Who this concept may be built for (and who should wait) [/DEEP_DIVE_CTA]
We never ask brands for permission before publishing. Our job is independent analysis, not marketing material. If something in this piece doesn't match your experience — good or bad — that's valuable information for the operator community.
Sponsors get placement, not editorial control. We write what the research shows.
This companion article draws on the same source base as our ATL Wing Spot Deep Dive.
Operators comparing halal-certified chicken concepts at different investment levels should also evaluate Angry Chickz, which has built halal-certified supply chain across California urban markets with a bowl-first format and price discipline that produced 21% same-store sales growth in 2025 — at a similar early-stage point in its expansion.
Key limitations remain:
We don't know whether ATL Wing Spot's Lynbrook revenue performance is replicable across different markets.The $1.5M year-one figure comes from one location in Nassau County, Long Island — an area with specific demographics, population density, and competitive dynamics. How that performance translates to suburban, rural, or different competitive environments hasn't been tested.
We don't know ATL Wing Spot's unit-level profitability beyond the top-line revenue claim.Revenue of "nearly $1.5 million" is disclosed, but profit margins, EBITDA, food cost percentages, and labor cost percentages are not publicly available.
We don't know the franchise support infrastructure's depth or capacity.The FDD states one company-owned location and zero franchised units as of the filing date. Support team size, training program details, and ongoing operational support specifics are not publicly disclosed. The FDD also discloses the franchisor was formed with $1,000 in total assets, and its "Special Risks" section notes this financial condition "calls into question the franchisor's financial ability to provide services and support to you."
We don't know the royalty and marketing fee structure.These figures are not available in public sources. FDD purchase would be required for this information.
We note a gap between franchise marketing language and FDD disclosures.The franchise recruitment website uses terms like "proven track record" and "well-oiled, profit-generating machine," while the FDD lists "Short Operating History" as a Special Risk and discloses $1,000 in franchisor assets. Our Deep Dive includes a detailed comparison of marketing claims vs. FDD disclosures.
This article was produced independently. The brand profiled did not participate in, review, or approve this research prior to publication. All claims are sourced from publicly available materials and cited accordingly.
QSR Research Hub is an independent publication. We receive no compensation from any brand featured in our Brand Shoutouts.
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Subscribe to QSR Research Hub1. FDD Exchange. "ATL Wing Spot 2025 FDD – Franchise Information, Costs and Fees." October 24, 2025. https://fddexchange.com/view-fdd-docs/atl-wing-spot-2025-fdd-franchise-information-costs-and-fees/
2. QSR Magazine. "ATL Wing Spot Founder Masood Din is a QSR Evolution Innovator." April 8, 2025. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/atl-wing-spot-founder-masood-din-is-a-qsr-evolution-innovator/
3. ATL Wing Spot. "Home - ATL Wing Spot." October 3, 2025. https://www.atlwingspot.com/
4. ATL Wing Spot. "About Us - ATL Wing Spot." April 30, 2025. https://www.atlwingspot.com/about-us/
5. ATL Wing Spot. "About Us – Brand marketing claims, flavor count, training, and support disclosures." April 30, 2025. https://www.atlwingspot.com/about-us/
6. ATL Wing Spot. "Menu - ATL Wing Spot." September 23, 2025. https://www.atlwingspot.com/menu/
7. Yelp. "ATL WING SPOT - 97 Broadway, Lynbrook, New York." December 24, 2023. https://www.yelp.com/biz/atl-wing-spot-lynbrook
8. Wheree. "ATL Wing Spot - Reviews, Photos & Phone Number." March 9, 2025. https://atl-wing-spot.wheree.com/
9. FDD Exchange. "ATL Wing Spot 2025 FDD – Franchise Information, Costs and Fees." (FDD disclosures: 1 company-owned location, 0 franchised units, support infrastructure detail.) https://fddexchange.com/view-fdd-docs/atl-wing-spot-2025-fdd-franchise-information-costs-and-fees/
10. Roadtrippers. "ATL Wing Spot, Lynbrook." (Breana N., December 26, 2025) https://maps.roadtrippers.com/us/lynbrook-ny/food-drink/atl-wing-spot
11. Yelp search results. "TOP 10 BEST Atl Wings near Elmont, NY 11003." https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Atl+Wings&find_loc=Elmont,+NY+11003
12. Yelp search results. "TOP 10 BEST Atl Wings in New York, NY." https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Atl+Wings&find_loc=New+York,+NY
13. Roadtrippers. "ATL Wing Spot, Lynbrook." (Dana A., September 6, 2025) https://maps.roadtrippers.com/us/lynbrook-ny/food-drink/atl-wing-spot
14. Wanderlog. "ATL Wings, Phoenix, AZ - Reviews, Ratings, Tips." (Dora H., December 8, 2024) https://wanderlog.com/place/details/3712284/atl-wings
15. Yelp review excerpt from New York search results.
16. Yelp review excerpt from Elmont search results.
17. Wingstop Restaurants Inc. Investor Relations. "Wingstop Inc. Reports Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results." February 2025. https://ir.wingstop.com/
18. Wingstop. "About Us." Company history: founded 1994 in Garland, TX; franchising began 2003. https://www.wingstop.com/about-us
19. Layne's Chicken Fingers. "About." Brand history: founded 2003, franchising began 2013. https://www.layneschickenfingers.com/about/
20. Wingstop Restaurants Inc. 2024 Financial Results. $2.1M AUV, 2,563 locations, 349 net new. https://ir.wingstop.com/
21. Franchise Times. "29. Buffalo Wild Wings." Top 400 (2025). https://www.franchisetimes.com/top-400-2025/29-buffalo-wild-wings/article_52f1a9f4-6a37-464e-9694-207efcf482a6.html
22. QSR Magazine. "The Quiet, Yet Compelling Growth Story of Inspire's BWW GO." https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/the-quiet-yet-compelling-growth-story-of-inspires-bww-go/
23. Walid Daftanai. LinkedIn activity (public posts). References to Wingstop operations ("WingStop #30 for 2025," Lancaster, OH), Buffalo Wild Wings Go (Bellmore, NY), and ATL Wing Spot (Queens, NY grand opening, October 2025). Accessed March 2026.