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đź”´ PRIVATE EQUITY OWNED
Buffalo Wild Wings
casual dining · Atlanta, GA
PE Firm
Roark Capital
Acquirer
Inspire Brands
Year Acquired
2018
“Wings got absorbed into a PE roll-up. The only thing wild now is the overhead.”
The PE Playbook
- •Roark's Inspire Brands acquired Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.9 billion in 2018, then immediately cut 132 corporate jobs — more than a quarter of HQ staff
- •Corporate headquarters consolidated from Golden Valley, MN to Inspire's Atlanta HQ; entire executive team replaced
- •Closed all Canadian locations and approximately 60 U.S. locations in 2024; revenue declined 3.2% year-over-year
- •Faced class-action lawsuits over hidden takeout service fees and misleading consumers about 'boneless wings'
Since the Acquisition
- â–¸All 12 Canadian Buffalo Wild Wings locations closed permanently in 2023
- â–¸Revenue declined 3.2% year-over-year as the chain navigates ongoing closures under Inspire Brands
- â–¸Consumer review scores average just 2.2 out of 5 on complaint sites, with recurring reports of quality and service decline