April 2007

FOOD AND DRINK magazine

Speedy Delivery

With its diverse menu and unique delivery service, Planet Wings reinvents
the meaning of quickserve at all locations on the East Coast. By Brooke Knudson

When Newburgh, N.Y.-based Planet Wings opened its doors in 1995, quickserve took on a whole new meaning for its customers. Instead of shouting an order into an
intercom in the drive-thru, its customers need only to place an order over the phone
to have their food delivered fresh and fast. Planet Wings’ founders, Franco Fidanza
and his wife, Paula Fidanza, serviced an untapped market by delivering made-to-order
quickserve.

The Fidanzas created the idea for Planet Wings when the pizza restaurant they were
operating received a boost in chicken wing orders. The couple saw an opportunity and
opened Planet Wings, making flavorful chicken wings its signature item. To better
compete, the Fidanzas added delivery service, a concept that was otherwise limited
to pizza and burgers. “It’s a tough, competitive business,” Fidanza says. “Typically,
you won’t find [delivery] with the diverse menu that we offer.”

Unlike other restaurants that serve chicken wings, Planet Wings uses fresh, high-quality
chicken coated with Franco Fidanza’s own sauce blend. The company uses a base sauce and adds unique blends of spices to create more than 24 wing flavors.

In addition to chicken wings, the restaurant serves hamburgers, chicken sandwiches,
gyros and salads. “As we developed the menu, there were a lot of things we found
unique [for delivery],” Fidanza says.

Recently, Planet Wings added Mexican-inspired dishes to its menu and is contemplating offering other foods such as boneless chicken wings, “which have increased tremendously in popularity,” Fidanza says. The restaurant is able to serve the freshest food by having products delivered weekly and by preparing made-to-order meals.
 
Flavorful Plan

After perfecting the store’s concept, the Fidanzas began franchising in 2002.

Planet Wings has opened over 20 locations in other areas of New York, New Jersey and Virginia, and now sees opportunities for franchising in throughout the country.
The company launched a national expansion plan in October of 2007, and is on course
to sell 260 franchises by 2010.

Planet Wings has partnered with Medina Enterprises to support business operations
as the franchise expands on a national platform. With over 22 years experience in franchise management, Medina functions as the holding company for several different franchises, similar to how YUM! Brands or Focus Brands operate.

Medina Enterprise's success is due to its integration of all the support and investment
services needed by franchisees. These include financial counseling & assistance,
real estate assistance & territory protection, construction project management,
marketing assistance, training, ongoing customer service and business development.
 
Healthy Appetite

Shifting consumer attitudes about quickserve is something Planet Wings takes into
consideration when tweaking the menu or purchasing ingredients. That’s a tough nut
when fried food is the No. 1 [selling] item on the menu,” Fidanza says.

To banish the misconception that all fast-prepared food has poor health implications,
the company is removing trans fats and adding lighter-fare options to its menu. Planet
Wings is evaluating new types of frying shortening on the market to eliminate trans fats
from its food. By March, its food will be free of trans fats added from frying shortening,
Fidanza says. “We’ve been very proactive about it,” he adds.

The company frequently revises its menu to include more healthful choices. It also
avoids breading its wings, which Fidanza says increases fat content. “Can we get rid of
all the things that are fast-food problem foods? No,” Fidanza says. “Our whole goal is
to have enough variety on the menu that people can get anything they want to eat.”
 
Quality Standards

Planet Wings also participates in a voluntary Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points
(HACCP) program to prevent food safety issues. The program monitors food temperature on-site and during delivery, as well as safe handling and preparation procedures.

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